The ECHL has named the Referees and Linesmen for the 2024 All-Star Classic.
Referees Logan Gruhl (#29) and Trevor Wohlford (#38) will work the game alongside linespersons Sean D’Loughy (#45) and Bryan Gorcoff (#94). This year’s ECHL All-Star Classic will be held in Savannah, Georgia, on Monday, January 15.
“Congratulations to Trevor, Logan, Sean, and Bryan on their selection for the 2024 ECHL All-Star Classic in Savannah,” said ECHL Manager of Officiating Riley Yerkovich. “These four officials have combined for over 700 regular-season ECHL games and have diligently worked to develop as professional hockey officials. Each of them displays the leadership and attitude that we want our officials to bring to the arena each and every night. Selection to an ECHL All-Star Classic is a great achievement and each of them are well-deserving of the honor.”
From the ECHL:
Gruhl, who is in fourth season as an ECHL referee, has been selected to work the Conference Finals in each of the last two Kelly Cup Playoffs, while also earning an assignment for the 2023 Kelly Cup Finals. Prior to joining the ECHL, Gruhl officiated games in both the North American Hockey League, where he worked the 2018 National Championship Game, and the United States Hockey League, where he was selected for the 2019 Clark Cup Finals. Gruhl was also selected as a referee for the 2023 BioSteel All-American Game.
Wohlford is in his fourth season as an ECHL referee, where he has been selected to work the Conference Finals in each of the last two postseasons. He began his career with USA Hockey’s Officiating Development Program in 2016 and worked through the NA3HL, NAHL, USHL and SPHL. Wohlford has worked the Silver Cup in 2017, the Robertson Cup in 2018 and the SPHL finals in 2021.
D’Loughy is in his 13th season with the ECHL, while also currently working games in the American Hockey League, and as a referee in the Federal Prospects Hockey League. Previously, he was a linesman in the SPHL, and he has been a USA Hockey official since the 1999-2000 season. He was the recipient of the Wayne Bonney Top Crew Award in the FPHL during the 2022-23 season.
Gorcoff is in third season with the ECHL, while also working games in the AHL. He has earned assignments working the Conference Finals in the Kelly Cup Finals each of the last two seasons. Prior to joining the ECHL, Gorcoff spent time in the NAHL, working the 2018 Robertson Cup Final, the USHL, working the 2021 Clark Cup Final, and in the SPHL. He also was selected to officiate the 2022 USA Hockey BioSteel All-American Game.
The All-Star Classic isn’t just a special moment for the officials. It’s also an opportunity for them to give back.
“This November, the ECHL Officiating Staff collected donations for the Memorial Health Dwaine and Cynthia Willett Children’s Hospital of Savannah,” Yerkovich added. “The four officials will be presenting this donation in person during All-Star Weekend in Savannah.”
Three current NHL referees have worked the ECHL All-Star Game: Brian Pochmara (2001), Justin St. Pierre (2002), and Tom Chmielewski (2011). Retired NHL officials Brian Mach, Jeff Smith, and Ian Walsh have also officiated the game.
There are 40 former ECHL officials who are scheduled to work as part of the NHL officiating team in 2023-24 with referees Riley Brace, Jake Brenk, Francis Charron, Tom Chmielewski, Mitch Dunning, Trevor Hanson, Beau Halkidis, Ghislain Hebert, Jean Hebert, Pierre Lambert, T.J. Luxmore, Peter MacDougall, Morgan MacPhee, Michael Markovic, Wes McCauley, Jon McIsaac, Dan O’Rourke, Brian Pochmara, Kevin Pollock, Kyle Rehman, Chris Rooney, Carter Sandlak, Graham Skilliter, Furman South, Justin St. Pierre and linesmen Steve Barton, Ryan Daisy, Julien Fournier, Brandon Gawryletz, Brandon Grillo, Mitchell Hunt, Trent Knorr, Matt MacPherson, Jesse Marquis, Kilian McNamara, Bevin Mills, C.J. Murray, Kory Nagy, Ben O’Quinn and Bryan Pancich.
Thirty-three of the 77 referees working in the American Hockey League, came from the ECHL, while 77 of the 164 linespeople in the AHL have worked games in the ECHL.
Congratulations to referees Logan Gruhl and Trevor Wohlford and linespersons Sean D’Loughy and Bryan Gorcoff on their selection to the ECHL’s 2024 All-Star Classic. The game will be broadcast live on NHL Network and streamed via FloHockey.
(Featured image via ECHL/ECHL.com)
