Newly-hired linesperson Dylan Blujus will be working his first NHL game Thursday when the Minnesota Wild host the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Blujus will take the ice wearing #57 alongside fellow liney Trent Knorr (#74) and referees Gord Dwyer (#19) and Garrett Rank (#7).
The Buffalo native played four seasons with the OHL’s Brampton Battalion, relocating with them to North Bay in his final season; there, he was teammates with NHLers Barclay Goodrow, Nick Paul, and Michael Amadio.
Blujus, 31, was drafted by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the second round of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, 40th overall, ahead of current NHLers Jake McCabe, Anthony Stolarz, Colton Sissons, Chris Tierney, Damon Severson, Esa Lindell, Chandler Stephenson, Shayne Gostisbehere, Colton Parayko, Josh Anderson, Jaccob Slavin, and Alex Kerfoot, among others.
He made his pro debut with the AHL’s Syracuse Crunch in 2014, going on to score 23 goals and 77 assists along with 218 penalty minutes in 362 AHL games from 2014-2023 for the Crunch, Utica Comets, Milwaukee Admirals, and Belleville Senators. He also had two short stints in the ECHL, picking up 27 games with the Jacksonville Icemen and rival Florida Everblades.
Blujus wrapped up his professional playing career in 2023, joining the AHL’s officiating staff the following season.
The former defenseman was hired by the NHL prior to the start of the 2025-26 season, alongside Jeremy Faucher and Shawn Oliver He’ll be splitting time between the NHL and AHL this season. With Blujus debuting tonight, all three have now worked in the NHL.
Congratulations to Dylan Blujus on the start of his National Hockey League officiating career!
