Two additional linesmen have joined the NHL ranks for the 2019-20 season.
Julien Fournier and Travis Toomey have been added to the officiating roster.
Fournier manned the lines for the ECHL’s 2019 Kelly Cup Final. He’s also worked in the AHL and QMJHL, as well as for the IIHF; Fournier officiated the 2019 U18 World Championship Division I Tournament held in France and Hungary. He also took part in the 2019 NHL Officiating Combine held in Buffalo.
Toomey, 29, hails from Leduc, Alberta. He suited up for the WHL’s Saskatoon Blades and Seattle Thunderbirds – racking up 121 points and 451 penalty minutes in 269 games – before moving on to play for the University of Alberta.
“I don’t think that I was a favourite among officials,” Toomey told Canada West. “If you look at my penalty minutes from my Golden Bears days, I’m not sure there are many guys that had more penalty minutes than I did.”
Toomey started officiating in 2017, picking up assignments from the North Zone Referee Committee. He attended the NHL Officiating Combine in Buffalo last summer during his first year in stripes.
“I was lucky there were a lot of people along the way that were willing to help me and recognized that I had a skill set and an opportunity the way that officiating has been finding recruits,” said Toomey. “I’m very grateful for all the people who’ve helped me along the way so far.”
Toomey manned the lines in the AHL last season.
“Once I started [officiating], I just loved the feeling of being back on the ice. Being in the game, being in the battles, those are the things that really captivated me,” he said. “It’s just been an excellent ride and an excellent experience to date.”
Both linesmen are expected to split time between the AHL and NHL next season.
The two officials join referee Dan Kelly and linesman Kyle Flemington as the league’s new officiating recruits for the upcoming season.
