NHL official suffers season-ending injury weeks before retirement

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Cooper Godin
March 21, 2024 (4:08 PM)

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One of the National Hockey League's most popular officials has reportedly suffered a season-ending surgery just before he was set to retire.

According to TSN's Gord Miller, Kevin Pollock has sustained a pretty significant knee injury that has ended his season. Pollock, who was set to retire following the conclusion of the season, will no longer be able to have his retirement game, where would have chosen his crew and where he wanted his final location to be.

Sad news that veteran NHL referee Kevin Pollock has suffered a serious knee injury that will end his season and his career. Kevin was retiring this year but the injury will prevent him from working a «retirement game» where he would have picked the officiating crew and location.

The injury occurred during a game between the Anaheim Ducks and Buffalo Sabres back in February. Buffalo Sabres forward Jordan Greenway slid into Kevin Pollock, who fell and suffered a knee injury, forcing him to leave the game.

Pollock, 54, began his officiating journey in the National Hockey League during the 1999-00 season and went on to appear in well over 1,500 games. During his career, Pollock was selected to be an official at the 2014 Winter Olympics, as well as the 2015 and 2017 Stanley Cup Finals.

Whether it's a player or an official, it sucks to see that someone is unable to go out on their own terms and in Pollock's case, was only a few weeks away from hanging up the skates. Best of luck in retirement, Kevin.