List of NHL on-ice officials
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
- #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.
Referees
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Linesmen
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Former NHL officials
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Officials in the Hockey Hall of Fame
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 |
References
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External links
- National Hockey League Officials Association
- Referees/Linesmen – Legends of Hockey
- NHL Records: Referees and Linesmen