Art Skov
Encyclopedia
Art Skov was a referee
and Supervisor of Officials in the National Hockey League
, officiating at over 1,000 NHL games.
in 1946, Skov played four seasons as a forward in the International Hockey League
, most notably for the Detroit Hettche club, with whom he ended his playing career in 1952. He then went into officiating, and after an apprenticeship in the minor leagues joined the NHL as a linesman in 1956.
Becoming a referee full-time in 1960, Skov was named as the referee in the league's All-Star Game in 1964
, 1970
and 1974
, as well as in several Stanley Cup
Finals and in the second Canada Cup
series, as the first active NHL referee to officiate in international competition.
He went on to officiate 1,026 games before his retirement in 1975, as the league's senior referee. At the time of his retirement, he had refereed more games than any other referee in the history of the NHL.
Skov's younger brother Glen
was a player in the NHL, most notably with the Detroit Red Wings
, and the Skovs were the second player/official brother combination in league history, following Matt
and Marty Pavelich
, earlier in the 1956 season
.
After his retirement as a referee, Skov became one of the league's Supervisors of Officials, before retiring from sports to run a trophy store in his native Windsor. He is interred at Greenlawn Memorial Gardens in Windsor.
Official (ice hockey)
In ice hockey, an official is a person who has some responsibility in enforcing the rules and maintaining the order of the game. There are two categories of officials, on-ice officials, who are the referees and linesmen that enforce the rules during game play, and off-ice officials, who have an...
and Supervisor of Officials in the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
, officiating at over 1,000 NHL games.
Career
After a junior season with the Windsor SpitfiresWindsor Spitfires
The Windsor Spitfires are a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League. The team is based in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. The franchise was granted for the 1975–76 season and revived a previous OHA Jr. A Spitfires team which moved to become the Hamilton Tiger Cubs in 1953.-History:The...
in 1946, Skov played four seasons as a forward in the International Hockey League
International Hockey League
The International Hockey League was a minor professional ice hockey league in the United States and Canada that operated from 1945 to 2001. The IHL served as the National Hockey League's alternate farm system to the American Hockey League . After 56 years of operation, financial instability led to...
, most notably for the Detroit Hettche club, with whom he ended his playing career in 1952. He then went into officiating, and after an apprenticeship in the minor leagues joined the NHL as a linesman in 1956.
Becoming a referee full-time in 1960, Skov was named as the referee in the league's All-Star Game in 1964
19th National Hockey League All-Star Game
The 19th National Hockey League National Hockey League All-Star Game was played in Montreal Forum on October 20, 1965, where the host Montreal Canadiens lost to a team of all-stars from the remaining NHL teams 5–2...
, 1970
23rd National Hockey League All-Star Game
The 23rd National Hockey League All-Star Game was held in the St. Louis Arena in St. Louis, home of the St. Louis Blues, on January 20, 1970. It was the first time the All-Star Game was held at the St. Louis Arena. The East Division All-Stars defeated the West Division All-Stars 4–1...
and 1974
27th National Hockey League All-Star Game
The 27th National Hockey League All-Star Game was held in the Chicago Stadium in Chicago, home of the Chicago Black Hawks, on January 29, 1974. It was the second time that the All-Star Game was held in Chicago. The East Division All-Stars defeated the West Division All-Stars 5–4...
, as well as in several Stanley Cup
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
Finals and in the second Canada Cup
Canada Cup
The Canada Cup refers to several types of professional sporting events held in Canada: It is also the previous name of the World Cup of Golf and the World Cup of Hockey.* Canada Cup for men's professional ice hockey* Canada Cup...
series, as the first active NHL referee to officiate in international competition.
He went on to officiate 1,026 games before his retirement in 1975, as the league's senior referee. At the time of his retirement, he had refereed more games than any other referee in the history of the NHL.
Skov's younger brother Glen
Glen Skov
Glen Frederick Skov was a centre in the NHL who played for the Detroit Red Wings, Chicago Black Hawks and Montreal Canadiens and is the younger brother of former referee Art Skov. He won 3 Stanley Cups with Detroit in 1952, 1954, 1955.-References:...
was a player in the NHL, most notably with the Detroit Red Wings
Detroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York...
, and the Skovs were the second player/official brother combination in league history, following Matt
Matt Pavelich
Matt Pavelich is a Canadian ice-hockey linesman.-Early career:He began officiating when he was fourteen, working minor hockey games in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario...
and Marty Pavelich
Marty Pavelich
Martin Nicholas Pavelich is a Canadian former ice hockey left winger. He played ten seasons for the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League from 1947 until 1957.-Early career:...
, earlier in the 1956 season
1955-56 NHL season
-NHL awards:-All-Star teams:-Scoring leaders:Note: GP = Games played, G = Goals, A = Assists, PTS = Points, PIM = Penalties in minutes-Leading goaltenders:...
.
After his retirement as a referee, Skov became one of the league's Supervisors of Officials, before retiring from sports to run a trophy store in his native Windsor. He is interred at Greenlawn Memorial Gardens in Windsor.