Meet the new stripes. Same as the old stripes… for the most part.

The NHL has promoted five officials – two referees and three linesmen – to full-time for the 2022-23 season. The league has also hired four new officials, with one at the NHL level and the others splitting time between the NHL and AHL.

Here are the updates to the NHL’s officiating roster for the upcoming campaign:

 

Promotions

  • Referee Mitch Dunning (#20)
  • Referee Brandon Blandina (#39)
  • Linesman C.J. Murray (#68)
  • Linesman Caleb Apperson (#77)
  • Linesman Kilian McNamara (#93)

 

New Hires – Full-Time (NHL)

  • Linesman Tommy Hughes (#65)

 

New Hires – NHL/AHL

  • Referee Morgan MacPhee (#43)
  • Linesman Ryan Jackson (#84)
  • Linesman Joseph Mahon (#89)

 

Dunning’s promotion comes with a number swap; he’ll ditch the #43 for #20, most recently worn by Tim Peel.

These new additions replace the recently-retired Brad Meier, Dean Morton, and Vaughan Rody, all of whom hung up their skates during the 2021-22 season. Two other linesmen – Greg Devorski and Derek Amell – were also forced to retire due to injuries.

 

More on the new guys:

NHL Adds MacPhee, Hughes, Jackson, and Mahon to Officiating Lineup