The IIHF has named the 32 referees and linesmen working the 2019 Men World Championship in Slovakia.  Sixteen referees and sixteen linesmen have been selected to officiate this year’s tournament, which gets underway on May 10.

 

Referees

    • Tobias Bjork (SWE)
    • Martin Frano (CZE)
    • Roman Gofman (RUS)
    • Oliver Gouin (CAN)
    • Jan Hribik (CZE)
    • Brett Iverson (CAN)
    • Mikko Kaukokari (FIN)
    • Manuel Nikolic (AUT)
    • Linus Ohlund (SWE)
    • Aleksi Rantala (FIN)
    • Stephen Reneau (USA)
    • Yevgeni Romasko (RUS)
    • Gordon Schukies (GER)
    • Maxim Sidorenko (BLR)
    • Peter Stano (SVK)
    • Jeremy Tufts (USA)

Linesmen

    • Andrew Dalron (GBR)
    • Dmitri Golyak (BLR)
    • William Hancock II (USA)
    • Rene Jensen (DEN)
    • Roman Kaderli (SUI)
    • Gleb Lazarev (RUS)
    • Joep Leermakers (NED)
    • Miroslav Lhotsky (CZE)
    • Andreas Malmqvist (SWE)
    • Dustin McCrank (CAN)
    • Lauri Nikulainen (FIN)
    • Brian Oliver (USA)
    • Jiri Ondracek (CZE)
    • Dmitri Shishlo (RUS)
    • Hannu Sormunen (FIN)
    • Nathan Vanoosten (CAN)

Many of this year’s referees and linesmen are returning from 2018.  Americans Stephen Reneau and Brian Oliver are returning, as are the Canadian quartet of Oliver Gouin, Brett Iverson, Dustin McCrank, and Nathan Vanoosten.

A handful of the tournament officials also recently saw action at the World Juniors. Referees Tobias Bjork, Yevgeni Romasko, Maxim Sidorenko, and Peter Stano worked the World Juniors, as did linesmen Dmitri Golyak, Lauri Nikulainen, Brian Oliver, and Dmitri Shishlo.

From the IIHF:

The 32 on-ice officials come from 14 different countries, with Canada, the Czech Republic, Finland, Russia and the United States leading the way with four nominations each. Officials from non-participating countries include a referee and a linesman from Belarus and a linesman from the Netherlands. With Peter Stano, one referee from the host nation Slovakia made the cut as well. He came back into the program after switching from linesman to referee a few years ago.

Aleksi Rantala from Finland is the most experienced referee with five previous World Championships and one Olympics. Roman Gofman from Russia has also officiated in five World Championships. Martin Frano officiated in four Worlds as did the two linesmen Gleb Lazarev and Miroslav Lhotsky.

The 2019 Worlds is also the start of a new Olympic cycle with young officials joining the crew. For referees Stano, Manuel Nikolic, Yevgeni Romasko, and Jeremy Tufts it will be their first top-level men’s World Championship, while five linesmen will also officiate at that level for the first time. Romasko returned to Russia half a year ago after having worked for four seasons in the NHL, where he officiated 66 NHL games, and the AHL.

The tournament kicks off May 10, with the Gold Medal Game scheduled for May 26.

If you’re planning on attending, leave the whistles to the crew on the ice.  Whistles have been banned from this year’s World Championship.

Congrats to the officials selected to work this year’s IIHF World Championship