Referee Morgan MacPhee will make his National Hockey League debut tonight as the Arizona Coyotes host the Anaheim Ducks. MacPhee will take the ice for the first time alongside referee Garrett Rank and linesmen Trent Knorr and Caleb Apperson.
MacPhee and Rank have crossed paths before, both coming from the same hometown of Elmira, Ontario.
From the NHLOA:
MacPhee, who hails from Elmira, Ontario, took up officiating with his local referees’ association at age 14 to earn some money and stay involved in the game.What started as a part time pursuit became a passion and MacPhee was hired by the Ontario Hockey Association (OHA) in 2017 as a linesman. Two years later, MacPhee progressed to the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) as a referee and from there his officiating career took off. In 2021, he began skating in the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL) and the American Hockey League (AHL). In 2022, MacPhee had the privilege of refereeing at the World Junior Championships held in Edmonton/Red Deer, AB.Throughout his journey, MacPhee has remained committed to giving back to officiating through his volunteerism and mentorship with the Elmira Referees’ Association where he served as a director and later, president. In 2017, MacPhee helped launch a development camp for new minor hockey referees, and continues to give back by providing ongoing mentorship to aspiring local officials. The National Hockey League offered him a minor league referee contract in the summer of 2022.
During the NHL preseason, MacPhee saw action in four games: Panthers vs. Predators (September 26, with referee Jon McIsaac and linesmen Devin Berg and Andrew Smith), Blue Jackets vs. Hurricanes (October 3, with Dan O’Rourke, Jonny Murray, and Libor Suchanek), Red Wings vs. Capitals (October 5, with Marc Joannette, C.J. Murray, and Matt MacPherson), and Devils vs. Islanders (October 6, with Dan O’Rourke, Ryan Jackson, and Libor Suchanek).
He’s been working in the American Hockey League this season, finally getting his call-up to the show.
MacPhee is the final member of the officiating new hire class of 2022 to make his NHL debut, joining linesmen Tommy Hughes, Ryan Jackson, and Joe Mahon.
Congratulations to referee Morgan MacPhee on the official start of his National Hockey League career!