Final answer:
The statement is generally considered true as officials are there to enforce rules, not to compete, so the competing teams should be the ones working hardest. However, officials still work very hard to manage a game effectively.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement “The officials should never be the hardest working team on the ice” reflects an opinion rather than a fact, and thus the answer could potentially be seen as subjective based on one's understanding of the role of officials in a sporting event such as ice hockey. However, if we consider the conventional roles within sports, officials including referees and linesmen are responsible for enforcing rules and maintaining order during the game. They are essential to the game's integrity, but ideally, the players themselves are exerting the most effort to win the match.
In principle, the answer to the statement could be considered true. The reasoning is that while officials work hard to ensure the game is played fairly, their role is to oversee the game rather than to compete in it. The players on the participating teams should be the ones primarily exerting themselves as they are the competitors. Nonetheless, it is important to recognize the significant effort that officials put into managing a game efficiently and fairly.