Officials, from left to right: Michel Cormier (linesman), Eric Furlatt (referee), Don Koharski (referee), and Scott Driscoll (linesman) stand at centre ice for the national anthem before a game in Madison Square Garden between the Detroit Red Wings and New York Rangers .
In ice hockey , an official is responsible for enforcing the rules and maintaining order. On-ice officials are present on the ice during the game, and traditionally wear a shirt with black and white vertical stripes. The National Hockey League (NHL) currently employs four on-ice officials in each game—two referees and two linesmen. Referees are identified by their red or orange armbands. They are responsible for the general supervision of the game, assess penalties , and conduct face-offs at the beginning of each period and after a goal is scored. When play is stopped for another reason, the face-offs are conducted by the linesmen. The linesmen are primarily responsible for violations involving the centre line and blue lines, such as icing and offside infractions.
All NHL on-ice officials are members of the National Hockey League Officials Association (NHLOA), a labour union founded in 1969. The NHLOA represents its members in matters dealing with working conditions of on-ice officials and acts as their collective bargaining agent.
Current officials
Notes:
#35 (referee) and #85 (linesman) are spare numbers; they are not issued to anyone, and are only worn in the event that a game-assigned official's equipment is lost in transit.
#72 is retired in honor of late linesman Stephane Provost , who died in 2005.
Former NHL officials
Don Adam
Derek Amell
Reid Anderson
Blaine Angus
Neil Armstrong
Malcolm Ashford
George Ashley
John Ashley (March 5, 1930 – January 5, 2008) – Deceased
Ron Asselstine
Stephane Auger
Charlie Banfield
David Banfield
Bill Beagan
Claude Bechard (November 2, 1938 – July 5, 2007) – Deceased
Bob Best
Ken Bodendistel (1940 – November 21, 2013) – Deceased
Wayne Bonney
Ryan Bozak
Gord Broseker
John Brown
Vern Buffey (1928 – September 11, 1990) – Deceased
Darcy Burchell
Lonnie Cameron
Brent Casselman
Bill Chadwick (October 10, 1915 – October 24, 2009) – Deceased
Pierre Champoux
Jim Christison (September 13, 1946 – November 30, 2016) – Deceased
Chris Ciamaga
King Clancy (February 25, 1902 – November 10, 1986) – Deceased
David Clutsam
Kevin Collins
Mike Cvik
Angelo D'Amico
John D'Amico (September 21, 1937 – May 29, 2005) – Deceased
Pat Dapuzzo
Bernard DeGrace
Greg Devorski
Paul Devorski
Steve Dowling
James Doyle
Scott Driscoll
Ron Ego
Chaucer Elliott (August 20, 1878 – March 13, 1913) – Deceased
Joe Ernst
Mark Faucette
Ron Finn
Paul Flaherty
Wayne Forsey
Ron Fournier
Bob Frampton – Deceased
Kerry Fraser
Bill Friday
Gerard Gauthier
Doug Geiger
Darren Gibbs
Roger Gilbertson
Lloyd Gilmour (August 19, 1927 – August 11, 2010) – Deceased
John Grandt
Terry Gregson
Conrad Hache
Bob Hall
Ron Harris – Deceased
Wally Harris
Mike Hasenfratz
George Hayes – Deceased
Don Henderson
Bob Henry
Bobby Hewitson (January 23, 1892 – January 9, 1969) – Deceased
Shane Heyer
Scott Hoberg
Bob Hodges
Ron Hoggarth
Bruce Hood – Deceased
Mickey Ion (February 25, 1886 – October 26, 1964) – Deceased
Dave Jackson
Marc Joannette
Greg Kimmerly
Swede Knox (March 2, 1948 – March 22, 2021) – Deceased
Don Koharski
Tom Kowal
Bob Langdon
Dennis LaRue
Brad Lazarowich
Mike Leggo
Alfie LeJeune (September 19, 1945 – October 17, 2012) – Deceased
Mark Lemelin
Bryan Lewis
Dave Lewis
Bob Luther
Brian Mach
Dan Marouelli
Rob Martell
Bill McCreary
John McCauley – Deceased
Dan McCourt
Andy McElman
Michael McGeough (June 20, 1956 – November 23, 2018) – Deceased
Pat Meehan
Brad Meier
Steve Miller
Randy Mitton
Denis Morel
Jean Morin
Dean Morton
Brian Murphy
Bob Myers
Kory Nagy
Thor Nelson
Dave Newell (February 25, 1945 – December 16, 2018) – Deceased
Mike Noeth Hired to NHL contract at age 20, at that time the youngest referee ever hired by the NHL.
Will Norris
Tim Nowak
Conor O'Donnell
Dan O'Halloran
Mark Pare
Dennis Parish
Baron Parker
Jerry Pateman
Matt Pavelich
Tim Peel
Stephane Provost – (May 5, 1967 – April 22, 2005) – Deceased
Pierre Racicot
Lance Roberts
Mike Rodden (April 24, 1891 – January 11, 1978) – Deceased
Vaughan Rody
Evgeny Romasko
Ian Sandercock
Troy Sartison
Ray Scapinello
Dan Schachte (July 13, 1958 - September 6, 2022 - Deceased
Jay Sharrers
Lyle Seitz
Anthony Sericolo
Jamie Seward
Randy Shantz
Pat Shetler
Harry David Shewchyk
Rob Shick
Sam Sisco
Art Skov (September 2, 1928 – April 19, 2009) – Deceased
Cooper Smeaton (July 22, 1890 – October 3, 1978) – Deceased
Craig Spada
Paul Stewart
Leon Stickle
Red Storey – Deceased
Ted Topping (September 27, 1923 – May 24, 2016) – Deceased
Richard Trottier
Frank Udvari
Andy Van Hellemond
Don Van Massenhoven
Mark Vines
Marcus Vinnerborg
Cameron Voss
Stephen Walkom
Ian Walsh
Dean Warren
Brad Watson
Ken Wheler
Mark Wheler
Ron Wicks (September 22, 1939 – April 1, 2016) – Deceased
Scott Zelkin
Year inducted
Name
Nationality
1961
Chaucer Elliott
1961
Mickey Ion
1961
Cooper Smeaton
1962
Mike Rodden
1963
Bobby Hewitson
1964
Bill Chadwick
1967
Red Storey
1973
Frank Udvari
1981
John Ashley
1987
Matt Pavelich
1988
George Hayes
1991
Neil Armstrong
1993
John D'Amico
1999
Andy Van Hellemond
2008
Ray Scapinello
2014
Bill McCreary
History Personnel Records
League records (individual , team )
Statistical leaders (by country of birth )
Points, career (min. 1,000)
Assists, career (min. 600)
Goals, career (min. 500)
Points, season (min. 100)
Goals, season (min. 50)
50 goals in 50 games
Games, career (min. 1,000)
Consecutive games, career (min. 500)
PIMs, career (min. 2,000)
5+ goals, game
8+ points, game
Goaltender wins, career (min. 300)
Goaltenders who have scored
Wayne Gretzky's records
Gordie Howe's records
Longest winning streaks
Longest losing streaks
Related Other