The referee that fans can’t help but love is getting honored by his hometown ECHL team. The Maine Mariners will host Wes McCauley night.
If you’re a hockey fan, you hate the referees. Well, almost all of them. Veteran NHL referee Wes McCauley has become a fan favorite with a cult following. He even has his own highlight reel. Even though He has been earning praise, recognition, and the occasional complaint (he is a referee after all), McCauley is about to be honored by a very unlikely source – his hometown ECHL team, the Maine Mariners.
For one night, an ECHL team the Maine Mariners will pay tribute to the veteran penalty caller. The Mariners, who play near where McCauley makes his home is South Portland, are the ECHL affiliate of the New York Rangers. McCauley is honored by the tribute.
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“My family and I are very honored and humbled that the Maine Mariners would have a night in my honor,” McCauley said. “Our family has grown up in Maine and have been lucky to be a part of this great hockey community.”
This shouldn’t be surprising, as minor league hockey, especially the lower leagues such as the ECHL, have become of the breeding grounds of unique and memorable promotions.
Honoring McCauley is an out of the box idea that will make a few headlines while paying tribute to the local fan base. Signed McCauley jerseys will be auctioned off. No word on if those will be signed Maine Mariner jerseys or the traditional black and white stripes of his fellow referees.
https://twitter.com/marinersofmaine/status/1194310113949028353?s=21
McCauley will do the traditional guest of honor duties for the game, such as dropping the ceremonial first puck. He won’t have to work the game, as actual ECHL referees will get that responsibility on McCauleys night off. He gets to sit back and enjoy this one with the fans. Maybe he’ll call a few penalties out of habit, how can he resist.