It’s game on for linesman Jesse Marquis and his NHL career! The Bouctouche, New Brunswick, native will be making his NHL debut tonight in Boston as the Bruins take on the Edmonton Oilers.

Marquis will take the ice alongside fellow linesman Brian Murphy and referees Dan O’Rourke and Garrett Rank.

Craig Eagles recently penned a terrific article on Marquis and his officiating career.

“To be honest, I’m going to think about not messing up,” Marquis said jokingly.  “I’m going to try to do the best I can out there, and make the right call.”

“I know for the first five minutes and even before the game, before we jump on and do our hot laps that I’m going to be shaking, really nervous and feel nauseous, but at the same time I’m going to be really excited and eager to get out there to work in the best league in the world,” confessed Marquis.

From the NHLOA:

Marquis began his officiating career in 2009 at the age of 15 working local Minor Hockey in New Brunswick. Jesse climbed the ranks and continued to improve his skills by attending Don Koharski’s Officiating Camps each Summer for 3 years. He made an impression on scouts from the QMJHL at these camps and in the Summer of 2015, he was hired by the ‘Q’ as a linesman for the start of the 2015-2016 season. Jesse worked 2 seasons of Major Junior hockey and had very quickly proven himself to be one of the top linesmen in the league, being selected to work the Presidents Cup Final in 2017, in only his 2nd season. The NHL also took notice, and invited him to attend the NHL Exposure Combine in Buffalo, NY in 2016, and then again in 2017. In an effort to reach his dream of making the NHL, Jesse made the decision to turn pro; he packed up and moved to Cincinnati, OH for the 2017-2018 season where he worked in the ECHL and the AHL. After a very successful first season of professional hockey, and being selected to work the 2018 Conference Finals in both the ECHL and AHL, he received the call he had been dreaming of this past summer and was hired by the National Hockey League under a Minor League Linesman contract. He is currently living in Columbus, OH, and will split his time between the AHL and NHL.

Jesse would like to recognize the following people who have helped him in his journey to reach the NHL:

“A lot of people to mention: Maurice Dallaire, Tim Skinner, Don Gaudet, Larry Christian, Rick Gaudet, Mike MacDonnell, Moe LeBlanc, Christian Boudreau, Justin Burchell, Mat Hicks, Mario Maillet, Richard Trottier, The NHL OM’s staff, my parents and friends.”

 

All the best to Jesse Marquis on the first game of his NHL career!