Hockey refs are not just on the ice making sure the rules are followed; they have a significant impact on the overall atmosphere of a hockey game. From beginning to end, they are always working hard to ensure that each period is as exciting as possible. As the saying goes, you can’t play without them and it’s not hard to see why.
Unfortunately, there aren’t any clear cut numbers available regarding how much hockey referees actually get paid. The closest thing we have to an official number is the NHL’s Referees Salary Cap Calculator. Using this tool, we can roughly project how much a referee will make in the NHL based on his or her experience level and number of games worked.
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NHL Referees Salary Cap Calculator
The NHL Referees Salary Cap Calculator is easy to use. Simply enter the desired salary and league information and it will instantly calculate the cap cost for you. Keep in mind that this is a rough estimate only and you should always consult the NHL Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) to get the most accurate possible figure. Hopefully, this salary cap calculator will prove to be a useful tool for all NHL referees.
What Is The Most Popular Job In The NHL?
Looking for the most popular job in the NHL? Believe it or not, you won’t find it on any lists. That’s because there is no clear cut “most popular” job in the NHL. It depends on what you define as popularity and, for the most part, the lists don’t agree either. Depending on how you define it, the most popular job in the NHL is either refereeing or coaching. What’s more, you won’t find a consensus among the top 10 most popular jobs in the NHL.
To further complicate matters, the way the top 10 are chosen relies on which software program you use. For example, if you use the Career Paths module of Pro-Facilities, then the most popular job in the NHL will be either Captaining or Coaching. That’s because these roles allow you to progress through the ranks quickly and, as a result, generate more job opportunities and higher paychecks. In total, there are 12 career paths available for NHL referees, ranging from Hockey Operations to Scout/Analyst. This allows you to choose the exact path that you want to take in the game.
As you can see in the table below, there are 12 career paths that you can follow in the NHL. Your chosen path will determine your salary, the number of games you will work and, ultimately, whether or not you will enjoy your job or wish you had chosen another path. Let’s go through each one and discuss the pros and cons of following each path.
The Most Popular Job In The NHL Is
As mentioned above, depending on how you define popularity, there is no clear cut most popular job in the NHL. That being said, the most popular job in the NHL is either Captaining or Coaching. Why? These are the 2 roles that allow you to progress through the ranks quickly and, as a result, generate more job opportunities and higher paychecks. In fact, you will only be considered for a coaching or captaincy job if you have no other options.
If you go this way, you can expect to make anywhere from $150,000 to $350,000 a year. You will work between 2 and 3 years before you become eligible for a promotion. Depending on how many years go by, you can either choose to stay in the same role or move up the ladder.
The Least Popular Job In The NHL Is
On the opposite end of the spectrum, we have the least popular job in the NHL. I’m sure you’ll be able to guess what this is without me having to tell you. Referees, unfortunately, do not enjoy the same kind of popularity as the other 9 roles listed below. Why? You will not be chosen for a refereeing job unless you have no other options. It’s as simple as that.
When you are a referee, your job is to oversee the action on the ice and make sure that the rules are being followed. Very rarely do referees get the credit for making the game exciting. That honor usually goes to the players. As a result, it’s not hard to see why referees don’t rank as highly in terms of popularity.
Top 10 Most Popular Jobs In The NHL
Now that you’re equipped with the basic information about each of the 12 career paths that NHL referees can choose from, let’s take a quick look at the top 10 most popular jobs in the NHL as determined by the NHL Referees Salary Cap Calculator.
The top 10 most popular jobs in the NHL are:
- Refereeing
- Scouting/Analyst
- Assistant Refereeing
- Video Official
- Standby Official
- Conditioning Coach
- Strength and Conditioning Coach
- Video Control Operator
- Scorekeeper
These are the top 10 jobs in the NHL because they can provide you with the best opportunity to advance through the ranks quickly. As I mentioned above, depending on the path you choose, your salary can range from $150,000 to $350,000 a year. You will work 2-3 years before you become eligible for a promotion.
NHL Coaches Salary Cap Calculator
Like in the NHL Referees Salary Cap Calculator, the NHL Coaches Salary Cap Calculator is also easy to use. Simply enter the desired salary and league information and it will calculate the cap cost for you. It’s important to note that this number is also only an estimate and you should always consult the NHL’s collective bargaining agreement to get the most accurate possible figure.
What Is The Most Popular Job In The AHL?
Although the NHL is the biggest league in the world, the American Hockey League (AHL) is its own brand of tough. The same goes for the referees in the AHL. They are only on the ice for a short period of time but, during that time, their job is to ensure that each period is as exciting as possible.
Like with the NHL, there is no clear cut most popular job in the AHL. Instead, you’ll find a wide range of careers that the average person can enjoy. Below, you’ll find the top 10 most popular jobs in the AHL along with the salaries associated with each one.
- Scouting/Analyst
- Director Of Player Personnel
- General Manager
- Head Coach
- Assistant Coach
- Goalie Coach
- Video Coordinator
- Equipment Manager
If you want to become familiar with the roles available in the AHL and what you can expect to earn per year, check out this handy resource from the folks over at Elite Sports Jobs. Using this guide, you can enter your desired information into the AHL Salary Cap Calculator to get an idea of how much you could potentially earn.
What Is The Least Popular Job In The AHL?
On the opposite end of the spectrum, we have the least popular job in the AHL. Like with the NHL, the AHL doesn’t enjoy the same kind of popularity as the other 9 roles listed below. The main difference is that in the NHL, you will only be considered for a coaching or captaincy job if you have no other options. In the AHL, you have several options aside from coaching or captaining. You can become an Operations Director, for example, or an Equipment Manager. In these roles, you will work with little to no supervisory responsibilities. This makes them much less popular than coaching or captaining and it’s easy to see why.
Top 10 Most Popular Jobs In The AHL
Now that you’re equipped with the basic information about each of the 12 career paths that AHL coaches can choose from, let’s take a quick look at the top 10 most popular jobs in the AHL as determined by the AHL Coaches Salary Cap Calculator.
The top 10 most popular jobs in the AHL are:
- Scouting/Analyst
- Director Of Player Personnel
- General Manager
- Head Coach
- Assistant Coach
- Goalie Coach
- Video Coordinator
- Equipment Manager