photo: © iNTERNATIONAL ICE HOCKEY FEDERATION / ANDRE RINGUETTE
Tiina Saarimaki picked up hockey at six, and for twenty years she played the game she loves.
She’s stood on the blueline wearing the Finnish blue-and-whites first at the under-18 Women’s Worlds and twice at the Women’s World Championship – but after she played her final Finnish league game in 2018, she changed her vantage point and launched her second career as an on-ice official.
Eight years later, she’s a two-time Finnish Referee of the Year who has been a linesperson at four IIHF Women’s World Championships and the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan.
Surprisingly, the Olympics were also her last tournament and her last game the women’s Olympic gold medal game.
“I wanted to hang'em up when things were still going well. I’m in good shape, and mentally stronger than when I started. I’ve grown and learned so much,” she told IIHF.com.
It was having too much free time after her first retirement that made Saarimaki realize she needed something to fill the empty calendar. Then she saw a flyer for an official’s course on a hockey rink wall.
“I played with a lot of emotion and spent quite a bit of time in the penalty box. I thought I might be good at refereeing. It was worth a shot,” she said.
As soon as the local referee club found out that she had registered for the course, they contacted Saarimaki. With her active career, she made for a great officiating prospect, and they started to plot a career path for her.
“As soon as I was on the ice as a ref, I was hooked. I love a good challenge,” she said with a smile.
Her first game, and the first challenge, was an under-12 game.
“It was more difficult than I thought. Early on, I really had to study all the signals and rules. I realized that even when I played, I didn’t know half the rules,” she said.
“But it was the continual improvement that really spoke to me; I wanted to get better all the time. It was also nice to be a part of a team again,” she added.
The career path took her quickly to the women’s Auroraliiga in Finland as a linesperson, and then as a referee. She’s also worked games in the Finnish men’s Division II and under-20 and under-18 leagues.
“I think of myself as more of a linesperson. I like to be in the middle of the action, and it is easier to communicate with the players as a linesperson. It felt more natural to me. Communicating with the players is a little more relaxed, too,” she said.
“Standing in front of the bench as a linesperson, you can really sense the energy of a team.”
She also knew that she’d advance faster as a linesperson.
“My first men’s game was in the Finnish third-tier league, and everyone told me before the game that the players would put a lot of pressure on me because they knew it was my first game, but they were really good to me,” she said.
“In general, my experiences of being a female official are all positive. The only thing that matters is what you do on the ice,” she added.
Her journey from player to on-ice official has also been a journey into herself. Going from an emotional player to one who never loses her cool is a transformation not everyone could make.
“I enjoyed the pressure of having to make quick and correct decisions, but since I’ve always been a people pleaser and a perfectionist, I had to work on that,” she said
.
“It was hard at first. I spent many a Saturday night thinking about whether I really wanted to be a referee, but I did a lot of mental training and learned to live with the imperfections in myself. Today, I know how to use the criticism to get better.”
Her decision is so final that she won’t even work any more games in the Finnish league. Saarimaki says she will step aside and give the up-and-coming officials their space.
“I’m not closing the door completely, though. I might be interested in becoming an officiating coach,” she says.
“Later.”
She’s stood on the blueline wearing the Finnish blue-and-whites first at the under-18 Women’s Worlds and twice at the Women’s World Championship – but after she played her final Finnish league game in 2018, she changed her vantage point and launched her second career as an on-ice official.
Eight years later, she’s a two-time Finnish Referee of the Year who has been a linesperson at four IIHF Women’s World Championships and the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan.
Surprisingly, the Olympics were also her last tournament and her last game the women’s Olympic gold medal game.
“I wanted to hang'em up when things were still going well. I’m in good shape, and mentally stronger than when I started. I’ve grown and learned so much,” she told IIHF.com.
It was having too much free time after her first retirement that made Saarimaki realize she needed something to fill the empty calendar. Then she saw a flyer for an official’s course on a hockey rink wall.
“I played with a lot of emotion and spent quite a bit of time in the penalty box. I thought I might be good at refereeing. It was worth a shot,” she said.
As soon as the local referee club found out that she had registered for the course, they contacted Saarimaki. With her active career, she made for a great officiating prospect, and they started to plot a career path for her.
“As soon as I was on the ice as a ref, I was hooked. I love a good challenge,” she said with a smile.
Her first game, and the first challenge, was an under-12 game.
“It was more difficult than I thought. Early on, I really had to study all the signals and rules. I realized that even when I played, I didn’t know half the rules,” she said.
“But it was the continual improvement that really spoke to me; I wanted to get better all the time. It was also nice to be a part of a team again,” she added.
The career path took her quickly to the women’s Auroraliiga in Finland as a linesperson, and then as a referee. She’s also worked games in the Finnish men’s Division II and under-20 and under-18 leagues.
“I think of myself as more of a linesperson. I like to be in the middle of the action, and it is easier to communicate with the players as a linesperson. It felt more natural to me. Communicating with the players is a little more relaxed, too,” she said.
“Standing in front of the bench as a linesperson, you can really sense the energy of a team.”
She also knew that she’d advance faster as a linesperson.
“My first men’s game was in the Finnish third-tier league, and everyone told me before the game that the players would put a lot of pressure on me because they knew it was my first game, but they were really good to me,” she said.
“In general, my experiences of being a female official are all positive. The only thing that matters is what you do on the ice,” she added.
Her journey from player to on-ice official has also been a journey into herself. Going from an emotional player to one who never loses her cool is a transformation not everyone could make.
“I enjoyed the pressure of having to make quick and correct decisions, but since I’ve always been a people pleaser and a perfectionist, I had to work on that,” she said
.
“It was hard at first. I spent many a Saturday night thinking about whether I really wanted to be a referee, but I did a lot of mental training and learned to live with the imperfections in myself. Today, I know how to use the criticism to get better.”
Her decision is so final that she won’t even work any more games in the Finnish league. Saarimaki says she will step aside and give the up-and-coming officials their space.
“I’m not closing the door completely, though. I might be interested in becoming an officiating coach,” she says.
“Later.”