As the NHL season heats up, our team at Canada Sports Betting has analyzed data to uncover the most ruthless referee.
Using stats from Scouting The Refs, we’ve examined the performance of all 59 referees since the 2014-2015 season to offer insights on their penalty trends.
Key Takeaways
🏒On average, NHL referees call about 3.46 power plays and 4.32 penalties per game, with home teams winning 56% of games.
🏒Cody Beach stands out with a ruthless referee score of 69.04, significantly higher than the league average of 45.24.
🏒Justin Kea follows closely with a ruthless score of 68.08, calling 4.85 power plays per game and averaging 15.80 penalty minutes, far above the league’s 10.28 minutes.
🏒Carter Sandlak and Cameron Voss are both strict on home teams, calling 55% of penalties against them compared to the league average of 48%.
🏒Evgeny Romasko‘s home win rate of 72% is a stark contrast to Mark Lemelin, who has a home win rate of only 27%.
Before we dive into the top five most ruthless referees check out our Best Ontario Betting Sites and Alberta Sports Betting Pages.
Top Five Most Ruthless Referees
1. Cody Beach
| Statistic | Cody Beach | League Average |
| Ruthless Referee Score | 69.04 | 45.24 |
| Average PP/Gm | 5.15 | 3.46 |
| Average Min/Gm | 5.73 | 3.81 |
| Average Penl/Gm | 6 | 4.32 |
| Average PIM/Gm | 12.65 | 10.28 |
| % Penalties on Home | 52% | 48% |
| Home Win % | 55% | 56% |
Cody Beach is known as the NHL’s strictest referee, with a “ruthless referee” score of 69.04 and calling an average of 5.15 power plays per game, compared to the league’s 3.46. He also gives out 5.73 minor penalties and 6.00 total penalties per game, both well above the league averages of 3.81 and 4.32, resulting in 12.65 penalty minutes per game versus the league’s 10.28. Beach tends to call 52% of penalties on home teams (higher than the league’s 48%).
2. Justin Kea
| Statistic | Justin Kea | League Average |
| Ruthless Referee Score | 68.08 | 45.24 |
| Average PP/Gm | 4.85 | 3.46 |
| Average Min/Gm | 5.34 | 3.81 |
| Average Penl/Gm | 6.15 | 4.32 |
| Average PIM/Gm | 15.8 | 10.28 |
| % Penalties on Home | 51% | 48% |
| Home Win % | 49% | 56% |
Justin Kea has a “ruthless referee” score of 68.08 for his strict penalty enforcement, with an average of 4.85 power plays per game, much higher than the league’s 3.46. He calls 6.15 penalties per game, leading to 15.80 penalty minutes on average, which is well above the league’s 10.28 minutes. Kea also calls 51% of penalties against home teams, compared to the league’s 48%, which brings the home team win rate down to 49% instead of the usual 56%.
3. Jordan Samuels-Thomas
| Statistic | Jordan Samuels-Thomas | League Average |
| Ruthless Referee Score | 67.80 | 45.24 |
| Average PP/Gm | 4.8 | 3.46 |
| Average Min/Gm | 5.27 | 3.81 |
| Average Penl/Gm | 6.35 | 4.32 |
| Average PIM/Gm | 16.1 | 10.28 |
| % Penalties on Home | 48% | 48% |
| Home Win % | 54% | 56% |
Jordan Samuels-Thomas has a “ruthless referee” score of 67.80 and calls an average of 6.35 penalties per game, which is the highest among top referees and well above the league’s 4.32. He enforces a strict game with 16.10 penalty minutes per game, compared to the league’s 10.28, and averages 4.80 power plays per game versus the league’s 3.46. Samuels-Thomas keeps penalties balanced with 48% against home teams, matching the league average, and this results in a slightly lower home win rate of 54% compared to the league’s 56%.
4. Beau Halkidis
| Statistic | Beau Halkidis | League Average |
| Ruthless Referee Score | 58.45 | 45.24 |
| Average PP/Gm | 4.5 | 3.46 |
| Average Min/Gm | 4.69 | 3.81 |
| Average Penl/Gm | 5.53 | 4.32 |
| Average PIM/Gm | 13.53 | 10.28 |
| % Penalties on Home | 48% | 48% |
| Home Win % | 42% | 56% |
Beau Halkidis has a “ruthless referee” score of 58.45, showing his strict control over games. He calls 4.50 power plays and 5.53 total penalties per game, above the league averages of 3.46 and 4.32, resulting in 13.53 penalty minutes per game versus the usual 10.28. Although he penalizes home teams 48% of the time, matching the league average, the home win rate in his games is lower at 42% compared to the typical 56%, suggesting a tougher atmosphere under his officiating.
5. Morgan MacPhee
| Statistic | Morgan MacPhee | League Average |
| Ruthless Referee Score | 56.85 | 45.24 |
| Average PP/Gm | 4 | 3.46 |
| Average Min/Gm | 4.67 | 3.81 |
| Average Penl/Gm | 5.3 | 4.32 |
| Average PIM/Gm | 12.7 | 10.28 |
| % Penalties on Home | 50% | 48% |
| Home Win % | 50% | 56% |
Morgan MacPhee, with a ruthless referee score of 56.85, is known for his balanced yet firm officiating approach. Averaging 4.00 power plays per game, MacPhee is slightly above the league average of 3.46, indicating a tendency to maintain oversight by frequently pausing play to enforce rules. His average of 5.30 penalties per game surpasses the league average of 4.32, as do his 12.70 penalty minutes per game, which exceed the league’s 10.28. These figures reflect his rigorous enforcement on the ice. MacPhee’s decisions affect home teams 50% of the time, which is marginally higher than the league average of 48%. Despite this, the home win percentage stands at 50% in his games, which is below the league’s 56%, showcasing his concerted effort to apply consistent and unbiased officiating standards.
Cody Beach Is The Enforcer Of Power Plays
Cody Beach is one of the NHL’s strictest refs, calling an impressive 5.15 power plays per game—well above the league average of 3.46. A “power play” gives a team a one-player advantage when Beach penalizes an opponent for a rule violation, like tripping or slashing.
Cody Beach: Strict Enforcer of Minor Penalties
Cody Beach also stands out for his strict enforcement of minor penalties, calling an impressive 5.73 per game—well above the league average of 3.81.
Jordan Samuels-Thomas: Leading in Penalty Calls
Jordan Samuels-Thomas leads the NHL in penalty enforcement, calling an impressive 6.35 penalties per game—far above the league average of 4.32. His vigilant approach makes him one of the league’s most watchful referees.
Jordan Samuels-Thomas & Penalty Minutes
Jordan Samuels-Thomas stands out as a top enforcer, with an impressive 16.10 penalty minutes per game—well above the league average of 10.28. This high average underscores his firm approach to keeping the game disciplined.
Carter Sandlak and Cameron Voss: Tough on Home Teams
Carter Sandlak and Cameron Voss lead NHL referees in calling penalties against home teams, with 55% of their penalties targeting the home side—well above the league average of 48%. This approach makes them notably strict on home-ice advantage.
Evgeny Romasko vs. Mark Lemelin: Contrasting Impacts on Home Wins
Evgeny Romasko and Mark Lemelin show strikingly different effects on home team success. Romasko’s home win rate sits at a high 72%, suggesting a style that may support home team dynamics and game flow. In contrast, Lemelin’s home win rate is just 27%, hinting at a stricter approach that often favors visiting teams.
Methodology
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For the full dataset click here.
To identify the most ruthless referees in the NHL, we analyzed data from various referee performance metrics over multiple seasons from 2014-2015 to 2022-2023, excluding the COVID-impacted 2020-2021 season. Our analysis focused on several key categories, each weighted to reflect its impact on determining a referee’s strictness and influence on the game:
- Penalties per Game (30%): The total number of penalties called per game was a major factor in determining the strictness of a referee’s calls.
- Penalty Minutes per Game (20%): Higher penalty minutes per game indicated a tendency toward more severe or frequent penalties, contributing significantly to the ruthlessness score.
- Percentage of Penalties on Home Team (20%): This metric assessed potential bias in penalty calls against the home team, offering insights into a referee’s impartiality.
- Power Plays per Game (15%): Reflects the frequency of game stoppages due to penalties, contributing to a referee’s overall control of the game pace.
- Minor Penalty Calls per Game (10%): Highlights a referee’s attention to less severe infractions, impacting their overall measurement of strictness.
- Home Win Percentage (5%): Included to evaluate any indirect influence on game outcomes through penalty bias.
We calculated a weighted average for each referee across all categories, converting these scores into a percentage-based ruthlessness score to easily compare referees and rank them on a comprehensive ruthlessness index.
