Walsh's hockey career spans 35 years as an on-ice official, an instructor and as an executive member of various officials associations. Fortunate to have the opportunity to work and organize with many of the best officials the province has produced, he provided unbiased, fair and knowledgeable officiating for hockey in all areas of the province and at every level of competition.

His officiating career started in 1962 when he called games in Clarenville minor hockey and in the Trinity Bay North League. In 1964 he was back in his native St. John's working leagues such as Mercantile, Civil Service and High School while continuing to improve his overall officiating status.

A major step forward came in 1966 when he joined the St. John's Junior and Senior Hockey Referees Association and moved into provincial junior and senior hockey as well as all leagues operating in the St. John's Metro Area. He upgraded his level of certification to a "B" level.

An employment move to Corner Brook in 1970 allowed Walsh to become deeply involved for six years in Western Newfoundland hockey officiating, including working as president of the Corner Brook Referee's Association. It was during this period of his career that he began instructing at clinics and seminars as well as being responsible for much of the assignments for the area.

Walsh's officiating rating went up to "A" in 1972 and he efficiently called games that included provincial senior and international exhibition games. He was one of three officials from this province that attended the Canadian Hockey Association's restructuring meeting.

Returning to St. John's in 1976, he spent the next 13 years as one of the elite officials within provincial hockey and called an extremely large number of very important games at every level of competition. He was one of two local officials to work in the Atlantic Intercollegiate League during the two seasons that Memorial University entered a team. For eight years after his active retirement in 1988, he was very much involved in the referee's certification program as a zone co-ordinator, instructor, supervisor and evaluator. He is the senior statistician for the St. John's Maple Leafs in the American Hockey League.

His officiating has earned several important awards including the Ray Bowe Award of Merit for outstanding service to hockey officiating.