The NHL has selected the referees and linesmen working the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoff. While the 2020-21 season has been anything but typical, the league has continued with selecting 20 referees and 20 linesmen for the opening round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. With cross-border travel still restricted, the league has had to split up their numbers and dedicate a playoff crew to work the Canadian games.
While the NHL hasn’t released the official list, we’ve worked backwards from the game assignments to pull together the stripes for the postseason. List subject to change – particularly with the Canadian linesmen…
Here are the NHL officials for the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs:
Referees – US
Francis Charron, Gord Dwyer, Jean Hebert, Steve Kozari, Frederick L’Ecuyer, Chris Lee, TJ Luxmore, Wes McCauley, Jon McIsaac, Dan O’Rourke, Brian Pochmara, Garrett Rank, Kyle Rehman, Francois St. Laurent, Kelly Sutherland
Referees – Canada
Eric Furlatt, Marc Joannette, Brad Meier, Kevin Pollock, Graham Skilliter
In from 2020: Garrett Rank, Graham Skilliter
Out from 2020: Trevor Hanson, Chris Rooney (injured), Tim Peel (retired)
Linesmen – US
Shandor Alphonso, Devin Berg, Michel Cormier, Ryan Daisy, Brandon Gawryletz, Ryan Gibbons, Brad Kovachik, Matt MacPherson, Bevan Mills, Jonny Murray, Kory Nagy, Bryan Pancich, Vaughan Rody, Andrew Smith, Libor Suchanek
Linesmen – Canada
Steve Barton, David Brisebois, Scott Cherrey, Mark Shewchyk, Kiel Murchison
In from 2020: Ryan Daisy, Brandon Gawryletz, Bevan Mills, Kory Nagy, Vaughan Rody (missed 2019 due to injury)
Out from 2020: Derek Amell (injured), Greg Devorski (injured), Pierre Racicot (retired), Tony Sericolo (retired)
First-Timers
Referees Garrett Rank and Graham Skilliter are working their first Stanley Cup Playoffs, as are linesmen Brandon Gawryletz, Bevan Mills, and Kory Nagy.
Who’s Missing
Referees not taking part in this year’s playoffs include: Jake Brenk, Tom Chmielewski, Trevor Hanson, Ghislain Hebert, Pierre Lambert, Peter MacDougall, Dean Morton, Kendrick Nicholson, Chris Rooney (injured), Justin St. Pierre, and Ian Walsh. Linesmen on the sidelines include injured officials Derek Amell, Greg Devorski, Brian Mach, and Steve Miler, along with Travis Gawryletz, Trent Knorr, Derek Nansen, James Tobias, and the recently retired Pierre Racicot and Tony Sericolo.
Retired officials Tim Peel, Pierre Racicot, and Tony Sericolo were not expected to work the postseason; retirements happen at the end of the regular season.
The officials splitting time between the AHL and NHL – referees Reid Anderson, Brandon Blandina, Mitch Dunning, Beau Halkidis, Dan Kelly, Michael Markovic, Conor O’Donnell, Brandon Schrader, Furman South, and Corey Syvret, along with linesmen Tyson Baker, Kyle Flemington, Julien Fournier, Jesse Marquis, and Travis Toomey – are also off the playoff roster.
As in previous seasons, the league will cut down on the pool of officials after each round of the playoffs. The crew will be cut to 16 referees and 16 linesmen for Round 2.
