Opening day is finally here!  We’ve got eight preseason games coming up today, but only one that actually counts in the standings: 
 

New Jersey Devils vs. Buffalo Sabres
NHL Global Series: Prague, Czechia
1:00 PM ET

REFEREES

  Chris Lee #28
Ghislain Hebert #22
Games ’24-25 0 0
Career Games (RS/PO) 1418 / 120 931 / 0
First NHL Game 4/2/01 3/3/09
Birthplace St. John, NB Bathurst, NB
Goals/Gm 6.2 (30) 6.5 (12)
PP Opp/Gm 5.5 (39) 6.6 (10)
PPG/Gm 1.1 (39) 1.5 (5)
Penl/Gm 6.9 (37) 8.4 (8)
PIM/Gm 16.1 (38) 20.1 (7)
% of Penl on Home 47.9% (35) 49.1% (18)
% PP Opp for Home 53.1% (6) 51.3% (24)
Penl Diff.* 1.4 (14) 1.3 (29)
Home Win % 55% (31) 62% (12)
Home Rec. 38-31-5 42-24-10
OT/SO Games 20.3% (27) 27.6% (11)
Team Records 23-24 22-23 21-22 23-24 22-23 21-22
NJD 1-1-0 1-1 2-3 4-1-0 3-3 1-0
BUF 0-2-2 0-1 0-4 2-1-1 5-3 2-5
 

 
LINESPERSONS

  Brad Kovachik #71
Michel Cormier #76
Games ’24-25 0 0
Career Games (RS/PO) 1834 / 200 1369 / 99
First NHL Game 10/10/96 10/10/03
First Playoff Game 4/14/01 4/22/06
Birthplace Woodstock, ON Trois-Rivieres, QC

  


 

 Stats have been updated through the end of the 2023-24 regular season. 

     
Games: PS (Preseason); RS (Regular Season); PO (Playoffs) 

Number in orange/parentheses indicated referee’s rank among active officials.

* Penalty Differential represents the absolute value of the variance of penalty calls by team per game. If Team A takes two more penalties (or two fewer) than Team B, this is a 2.  Lower numbers indicate less variance between total penalties in a game – that is, a closer number of calls for both teams. 

 

 

We’ve got new rules, new refs, promoted officials, and an updated pronunciation guide for 2024-25.

Here is the NHL’s officating roster for the 2024-25 season: 

NHL Officials – 2024-25