Newly-hired linesperson Anthony Lapointe is the first official of the Class of 2026 to make his NHL debut.
Lapointe took the ice wearing #63 alongside fellow linesperson Scott Cherrey (#50), with referees Frederick L’Ecuyer (#17) and Cody Beach (#12), getting the call for Saturday’s Blackhawks at Sabres game at KeyBank Center.
The 27-year-old Montreal native is the only one of the NHL’s six new hires to go straight to a full-time position, which he did after just four seasons of professional officiating. Lapointe concluded his junior playing career in 2021, then started officiating with Hockey Québec and quickly advanced through the Hockey Canada Officiating Program. His development earned invitations to the NHL Officiating Exposure Combine in both 2022 and 2023.
He told Hockey Canada his path to this point was anything but ordinary.
“As a player and an official, I haven’t had what you would call a ‘traditional’ path in hockey,” Lapointe said. “It’s a lot, but I love the game.”
Prior to joining the NHL, Lapointe worked the AHL, ECHL, QMJHL, and PWHL, and was selected to work the Calder Cup Finals in consecutive seasons.
His resume is already stacked with marquee assignments. Lapointe worked the 2022 Junior A Challenge, the 2023 Centennial Cup, the 2024 TELUS Cup, and the 2026 U SPORTS University Cup. Internationally, he represented Hockey Canada at the 2023 IIHF U20 Division II Group A World Championship and the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship, where he was selected to officiate the Gold Medal Game.
Congratulations to Anthony Lapointe on the start of his National Hockey League officiating career!
