In some unfortunate news out of the NHL today, it was revealed that 700-game legendary referee Mike Hasenfratz has sadly passed away at age 58. Too often, NHL referees become the forgotten guys, but they can make an enormous impact on the game. A solid, proficient, and unquestioned referee will always make a great deal of difference in the experience for both players and spectators alike. While usually NHL referees face criticism, over time they have become consistent with their calls. One of the best was Mike Hasenfratz, who refereed over 700 games between 2000 and 2014. He retired as one of the most respected referees in league history. <div align='center'><blockquote class='twitter-tweet' data-lang='en'><a href='https://twitter.com/PR_NHL/status/1861085331384107152'> </a></blockquote></div> Sadly, <a href='https://www.nugget.ca/sports/reginas-hockey-community-mourns-losses-of-referee-mike-hasenfratz-pats-champ-jim-minor' class='lien_marqueur' target='_blank' rel='noopener'>58-year-young Hasenfratz was taken from the hockey world</a>. Tributes flowed via social media as fans, players, and colleagues alike paid homage to the man. A proud Saskatchewan boy, he was regarded for his professionalism and was loved throughout the league. He had this to say once when he came back after a two-year hiatus as he dealt with serious heart surgery: I'm so glad to be back. I don't want anything to do with retirement. I missed the environment of the game. The other night in Washington, they do something called, Unleash the Fury, or something. And the place goes crazy. I was thinking, 'This is where I want to be.' I'm back on a full schedule and I'd like to think I'm back to where I used to be, but I'm not there yet. We would like to take this time to offer our deepest condolences to Mike's entire family and friends and know that the entire community has you all in their thoughts and prayers.