Referee Marcus Wannerstedt is currently working a handful of games in the American Hockey League.
Wannerstedt, 24, is taking the ice for a handful of games this season after a strong showing at a Hockey Canada officiating camp. The referee, who wears #36 in the AHL, is scheduled to officiate Monday’s game between the Toronto Marlies and the Binghamton Devils. He’ll take the ice alongside referee Mitch Dunning and linesmen Riley Page and Ben O’Quinn. Wannerstedt’s other games include:
2/17- Binghamton Devils vs. Toronto Marlies
Referees: Mitch Dunning (#43), Marucs Wannerstedt (#36)
Linesmen: Riley Page (#55), Ben O’Quinn (#92)
2/15 – Belleville Senators vs. Toronto Marlies
Referees: Conor O’Donnell (#41), Marcus Wannerstedt (#36)
Linesmen: Caleb Apperson (#78), Riley Page (#55)
2/13 – Rockford IceHogs vs. Manitoba Moose
Referees: Reid Anderson (#49), Marcus Wannerstedt (#36)
Linesmen: Justin Verhaeghe (#25), Neal Prokop (#19)
2/12 – Rockford IceHogs vs. Manitoba Moose
Referees: Reid Anderson (#49), Marcus Wannerstedt (#36)
Linesmen: Darrell Surminski (#88), Justin Verhaeghe (#25)
In November, Wannerstedt was invited to attend a Level VI Officiating Seminar in Montreal held by Hockey Canada. He commented on his experience at the seminar to hockey.no:
“It went beyond all expectation. The physical tests went well and I was awarded a match in the university league in Quebec, which holds a good level. My partner is a daily [official] in the AHL and the supervisor is a daily supervisor in the NHL. The feedback after the game was great and I got a few tips to take home with me.”
Wannerstedt worked the November 15 USports game between Laurentian and Concordia with referee Troy Paterson and linesmen Phillippe Pilon and Vincent Bigras.
“The whole experience was very educational. The Canadian referees were present all week, as well as a number of former NHL referees, so discussions of hockey in general and referees in particular were rewarding. It was also fun to see how it works in the world’s largest hockey nation, and how great it was for the guys to take the next step in their careers. At the same time, it is good to experience that, despite some other resources, we do much of the same at home in Norway – we have the same tests, discuss the same things and have some similar challenges.”
“On a more social level, it was fun to get to know tomorrow’s NHL, World Cup and Olympic referees, as well as current referee supervisors and members of the IIHF Referee Committee.”
It’s apparent by his recent AHL officiating assignments that Wannerstedt left quite an impression on those in attendance, particularly officiating managers in the NHL.
Internationally, Wannerstedt has refereed IIHF tournaments. He recently worked the 2020 World Juniors Division IA Championship in Belarus from December 9-15, 2019. He also officiated the 2019 World Juniors Division II B tournament in Croatia and the 2018 Division III World Juniors in Bulgaria. He has also worked in the Champions Hockey League. Wannerstedt is one of just five IIHF A-level referees from Norway, which is the level required to officiate IIHF championships and Olympic games.
Referee Marcus Wannerstedt calls a tripping penalty at the IIHF Div IA World Championship
Mats Zuccarello is the only Norwegian currently playing in the NHL. A total of eight players from Norway have ever suited up in the league: Zuccarello, Espen Knutsen, Patrick Thoresen, Andreas Martinsen, Ole-Kristian Tollefsen, Jonas Holøs, Anders Myrvold, and Bjørne Skaare. The league has never had a Norwegian referee.
Linesman Libor Suchanek, from the Czech Republic, is the first full-time NHL official to have been born and trained overseas.
Russian referee Evgeny Romasko was the last to come overseas to wear the orange armbands. Romasko made his AHL debut in 2014-15, later splitting time between the AHL and NHL. He went on to officiate 67 NHL games before returning to the KHL in 2018.
Swedish referee Marcus Vinnerborg officiated 40 NHL games from 2010-2012. Referees Frank Udvari (Yugoslavia) and Malcolm Ashford (England) and linesman Jerry Pateman (Netherlands) were all born in Europe but began their officiating careers in North America.
