The National Hockey League (NHL) has introduced a new technology to improve game safety and officiating accuracy, providing referees with a smart watch that sends alerts during key moments of play. The device, equipped with custom software developed by Presidio, provides officials with haptic responses – vibrations or pulses – to alert them of upcoming time-sensitive events, such as minutes remaining in periods or seconds left on penalties.
This innovation aims to reduce the number of times referees look away from the ice to check the scoreboard, a common practice that can lead to missed calls and penalties. The watches are integrated with the NHL’s Oasis real-time stats feed, providing more accurate information than relying on arena scoreboards.
The technology has been well-received by officials, with over 90% of league officials adopting the devices since their introduction in preseason games last October. Key features include:
* Custom software built by Presidio to provide haptic alerts during key moments
* Integration with the NHL’s Oasis real-time stats feed for accurate information
* Arena-specific watches stored in a case and charged between games
* Minimal issues reported, with IT employees on-site to monitor
NHL officials praise the technology for improving game safety and accuracy. “If there’s a 200-pound person coming at me at 50 miles per hour, I should get out of the way,” said Dave Lehanski, executive vice president of business development and innovation.
The NHL aims to further develop this tool to help officials build new habits and trust in the technology, ultimately leading to improved game outcomes.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6163747/2025/02/28