Referee Michael Markovic will reach a milestone tonight in Music City.
Markovic (#31) is slated to work his 400th NHL regular-season game this evening when the Vegas Golden Knights visit the Nashville Predators at Bridgestone Arena.
He’ll be joined by referee Justin Kea (#36) – the two are working together for the second time this season – along with linespersons Brandon Gawryletz (#64) and Matt MacPherson (#83).
The Scarborough, Ontario native made his NHL debut on March 7, 2019. He worked 75 games last season and has been a steady presence on the NHL’s officiating roster, earning his first Stanley Cup Playoff assignment on April 23, 2024. Tonight’s game is his seventh of the 2026-27 season.
Markovic’s games were high-event matches last season. He ranked 6th among NHL referees in penalties per game (7.9) and 4th in penalty minutes per game (20.1). His games produced power-play opportunities at the highest rate in the league – 6.3 per game, first among all referees.
The whistles didn’t slow the scoring, either: his games averaged 6.5 goals (5th), 31% of them went past regulation (8th), and home teams won 59% of the time (9th). On review, he was on the ice for six goaltender-interference challenges in 2025-26, with three overturned (50%) – well above the league-wide goaltender interference overturn rate of 39%.
Congratulations to Michael on 400 games!
