In the ever-advancing world of technology, innovations are rapid. Like most industries, the world of sports has also accepted technology with open arms. Be it VAR in soccer or the Hawkeye technology in tennis, these technologies have only raised the level of the game by reducing human errors. A similar revolution is set to take place in the hockey world as the NHL announced a new technological addition for referees’ Apple Watches.

It was revealed that the NHL referees are sporting Apple Watches that have the latest technology to assist them while officiating a game. Specially configured for on-ice NHL officials, the Apple Watch enables the referees to be alerted by haptics to time ticking down at the end of a period and the end of power plays. As a result, the refs can now focus on the play, and this will reduce the chances of errors, much to the relief of the fans.

The NHL, along with Apple and Presidio, created the system for real-time, in-game situational notifications with the NHL Watch Comms App, which runs on Apple Watches. These watches are used by the officials to focus on the play rather than the clock, as it is now managed by the watch on their hand. Furthermore, this weekend’s Stadium Series game between the Detroit Red Wings and Columbus Blue Jackets will be the first time that the officials will use the technology in an outdoor NHL game.

Asked about how the new technology would solve the officials’ problems, the NHL’s executive vice president of hockey operations, Stephen Walkom, said, “You were always searching to find the clock, and every rink’s just a little bit different. While you were doing that, you were taking your eyes off the ice.” 

He went on to add, “In the stadium games, it was even harder. You’re staring off into space looking for a clock and a guy gets hooked on a breakaway. For us, this is a dependable, durable and useful tool to keep us safe and focused on the game.”

Meanwhile, the acceptance of technology hasn’t been anything new to the NHL. The teams and players have been using several tools to optimize their performance for some time now, with this just being the newest addition.

Artificial Intelligence in the world of the NHL

Hockey is one of the most fast-paced sports in the world, and technology can play a crucial role in this to redefine the pace of the game. As a result, artificial intelligence is one of the key technologies that can shape the way hockey will be played in the future. In fact, some teams and players have already accepted this and have become early adopters of this technology.

Teams like the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Vegas Golden Knights have started using artificial intelligence in their training programs. Such teams have adopted AI to get detailed analytics and analyze the game footage to optimize their team’s performance. Additionally, the coaches can also derive insights from it and can advise the players on how they can improve their play.

While AI can generate useful data, it can also give players customized training programs, which has made it a pioneer in the world of hockey. These algorithms can analyze a player’s data from the games and can derive the player’s strengths and weaknesses, which they need to work on. Additionally, it can also be used for injury prevention, which has become one of the most useful features of this technology, as it can monitor the player’s health and predict injury risks.

Thus, with advancements in the field of AI, hockey has become one of many sports to implement the technology for varied purposes. Be it the players or the officials, technology is slowly becoming the epicenter of hockey and the NHL.