What do I assess for an official's competence on the ice?

The supervisor's handbook has guidelines for ten areas of competence:

1. Skating ability: pursuit of play, acceleration forward and backward, agility and balance, starting, stopping and turning in both directions, crossovers, body position, and avoiding puck and player movement.
2. Positioning: linespersons are checked during play and at face-offs. For referees, five areas: play in the end zone around the goal, breakouts into the neutral zone, play crossing the opposite blue line, play on the referee's side versus the opposite side, and stoppages. In the two-official system, check the diagonal relationship (never more than two lines apart) and communication between partners.
3. Signals: whistle, hand and verbal signals that are crisp and used at the right time. For a penalty, the official blows the whistle, comes to a stationary position, points out the penalized player, states the number, sweater colour and infraction, and uses the correct signal.
4. Face-offs: players stopped, feet inside the restraining lines, sticks down and stopped before the puck is dropped, and no delay once they are.
5. Application of rules: consistency, common sense and applying the rules in the spirit or intent of the governing body.
6. Penalty calls: firmness and decisiveness, no hostile or intimidating behaviour, and consistent, sound judgement.
7. Judgement: the handbook says all "impact" calls must be called and "marginal" calls avoided.
8. Game control: taking charge rather than reacting after the fact, and maintaining the movement of the game rather than over-controlling it with technical calls.
9. Reaction under pressure: staying in character, firm but fair from the opening face-off, and handling tough calls such as a disallowed goal.
10. Teamwork.

The handbook also notes that the supervisor's vantage point in the stands differs from the official's on the ice, which should be considered when giving feedback.

Source: Hockey Canada supervisor's handbook (Canadian Hockey Association, revised June 2001), Guidelines for Assessing Officials Competence.