Given his delightful habit of announcing fighting majors and coach’s challenges as though he were hyping an upcoming monster truck rally, it’s no surprise to find Wes McCauley in an enthusiastic mood when he hops on the phone for an interview Monday afternoon. “I know I can speak for the whole group,” the veteran NHL referee says. “Everyone’s excited, everyone’s got a little bounce to them. We’re more than ready to go.”
He’s making this call from his Toronto hotel room, ensconced in the Eastern Conference playoff bubble as hockey prepares to resume amid the coronavirus pandemic.