from Alex Prewitt of Sports Illustrated,
And who is Wes McCauley, exactly? One of the league’s most respected officials, for starters, an annual fixture in player polls who has worked five straight Stanley Cup Finals and should reach 900 career regular-season games next month. He is also a former Division I defenseman with several minor-league stops on his resume; a workout freak joins ex-pros around Portland for 6:30 a.m. skates; a father who literally takes planes, trains and automobiles on off-days for his kids.
His trademark zest is no secret, either; fellow officials often rib him about how loudly he yells into their wireless mics. But at the essence of every viral call are traits explaining how McCauley reached the peak of his profession: command, prudence, empathy, humility and, yes, humor. “He might be the only guy who can do that stuff,” linesman Steve Barton says, “because of all the success he’s had as an official."
Who is Wes McCauley? Maybe there is an even shorter answer. It’s just like folks around hockey tell him at every turn: You remind me so much of your dad.
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