The 2019 World Junior Ice Hockey Championship gets under way December 26, 2018, in Vancouver and Victoria, British Columbia; the tourney runs through January 5, 2019. Here’s the rundown on the referees and linesmen will be working the tournament.
Referees
Jonathan Alarie (CAN)
Kenny Anderson (USA)
Andris Ansons (LAT)
Tobias Bjork (SWE)
Andrew Bruggeman (USA)
Lassi Heikkinen (FIN)
Jeff Ingram (CAN)
Daniel Pražák (CZE)
Evgeny Romasko (RUS)
Maxim Sidorenko (BLR)
Mikael Sjöqvist (SWE)
Peter Stano (SVK)
Linesmen
Maxime Chaput (CAN)
Dmitri Golyak (BLR)
Michael Harrington (CAN)
Daniel Hynek (CZE)
Balazs Kovacs (SUI)
Lauri Nikulainen (FIN)
Brian Oliver (USA)
Peter Šefčík (SVK)
Dmitri Shishlo (RUS)
Emil Yletyinen (SWE)
Many of the officials are working their first World Juniors, with a few returning referees and linesmen. Referee Andris Ansons (2016, 2018) and linesman Peter Šefčík (2014, 2018) are both returning for their third World Junior tournament. Working their second WJC are referees Evgeny Romasko (2014), Mikael Sjöqvist(2018), Maxim Sidorenko (2017), along with linesmen Dmitri Golyak (2017), Brian Oliver (2016), and Emil Yletyinen (2018). Slovakian referee Peter Stano worked the 2013 tournament as a linesman; he’s back for this year’s event as a referee.
There’s plenty of other high-level international tournament experience among this crew. Linesman Peter Šefčík is the elder statesman, having manned the lines in the past four IIHF World Championships. Linesman Brian Oliver took part in the 2017 and 2018 World Championships, with Dmitri Golyak and Mikael Sjöqvist on board for the 2018 WC.
Referee Evgeny Romasko returns to North America for the World Junior Championship. The former NHL referee returned to the KHL for the 2018-19 season after 4 seasons in North America splitting time between the AHL and NHL.
Check back for more info, including the daily officiating assignments, news, and officials for the medal rounds!
