Linesman Jonny Murray was honored for working his 1000th National Hockey League game prior to Thursday’s meeting between the Montreal Canadiens and Florida Panthers.  The Beauport, Quebec, native reached the milestone earlier this season.

He was joined on the ice by fellow officials Marc Joannette, Eric Furlatt, and Pierre Racicot.

“I’ve known them for 25 years,” he said of Furlatt and Joannette. “We went up the ladder together, we were hired the same year, we traveled together.”

Murray made his NHL debut on October 7, 2000, working a game between the Dallas Stars and Ottawa Senators.  Murray took the ice for his first National Hockey League game alongside linesmen Pierre Champoux and referees Bernard Degrace and Terry Gregson.

Murray always dreamed of making it to the NHL as an official.

“After my first half season in the QMJHL, I thought I’d like to do that job,” Murray told the Journal de Montreal. “I was young and I saw that I had many years ahead of me to realize my dream. I was already making every effort to put the chances on my side.”

Murray plied his trade in the Quebec League and the American Hockey League for a few years before getting the call from the NHL in 2000.  Since his debut, Murray has gone on to officiate 1,022 regular season games and 78 postseason games, including two trips to the Stanley Cup Final (2012, 2015). He was also selected to man the lines for the 2016 All-Star Game in Nashville.