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Hey Ref- Minnesota Hockey Officials Association Banquet

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Last Updated on Sunday, 27 May 2012 23:31

By Duncan Ryhorchuk

The Minnesota Hockey Officials Association held a "Founders Banquet" this past August at the Canterbury Inn. Mike Mooney, Supervisor of Officials for District 5, and Dennis Alm, Supervisor of Officials for District 1 organized this "as needed" event.

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Hey Ref – Officiating for the right reason

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Last Updated on Sunday, 27 May 2012 23:31

By Duncan Ryhorchuk

Everybody does things for reasons; how the reasons are categorized is each person’s choice or opinion. But sometimes it is nice to see or be part of a group of people who just do things for the right reasons. Let me give you an example of a group of officials who work for the love of the game.

From Sept. 15-18, the North American Prospects Hockey League’s (NAPHL) first event of the season was played in conjunction with the North American Hockey League Showcase Tournament at the Schwan Super Rink in Blaine, Minn. In its third season, the NAPHL is made up of 16 Midget Major, 16 Midget Minor and 10 Bantam Major teams from 17 programs across the United States. The teams compete at the Tier I AAA level. The teams come together five times a year to play a four- or five-game showcase.

The officials chosen by USA Hockey to work these games also come from different parts of the country. After an official applies to work the four-day showcase, they are then notified approximately 10 days prior to the event if they are selected.  

Here is where the “do things for the right reasons” part comes in. The selected officials, half of which are from outside of the tournament area, then need to secure flights or other transportation to the event site. At the Blaine showcase there were officials from numerous cities, including Los Angles, Dallas, St. Louis and Chicago.

Have you tried to get an airline ticket last minute recently? Newsflash: The tickets are not inexpensive! Yes, each official is compensated a specific amount from USA Hockey. However, it is not always enough to pay the full amount of the airline tickets. (USA Hockey needs to set some amount of compensation to keep within budget and be able to accommodate everyone’s travel. Rooms are also budgeted for two officials to a hotel room).

When the officials arrive, they still need to secure rides to the hotel from the airport and from the hotel to the arenas that the games are going to be played. After the officials have secured time off from work, travel, room and ridesharing, they are yet to get a game schedule or what the compensation for the games will be.

Game schedules usually are released four or five days in advance, and game fees are posted after the game is completed. Scheduling does take time, as the scheduler needs to put together the best crew available for each game, all the while assessing what teams are playing among other factors.

One thing the officials know for sure is, their work on the ice will be evaluated. In every game, a USA Hockey Supervisor evaluates the on-ice officials. These evaluations are outstanding. The supervisors have “been there, done that” and they do not miss anything that will help each official improve their on-ice performances. The on-ice officials are usually nervous about getting evaluated, but the feedback they get is priceless. 

The on-ice official’s main reason for doing these games is the evaluations and to be seen by the supervisors. How else can the official move up the ladder to officiate at higher levels of games if they are not seen.

Yes, the on-ice officials for this showcase are compensated. But the compensation in this case is not in the monetary value. It is the bond between the officials working together as a team, to get a great evaluation, at a game they love to be part of. Overall in my opinion, the officials are doing this to get better. And that is doing something for the right reasons!

As I mentioned, half of the officials at this NAPHL Showcase were from outside of Minnesota. Here is a list of some of the Minnesota officials who were selected to work the Prospect League games and the North American Hockey League games: Cameron Voss, Nick Bradshaw, Neil Missling, Darren Glur, Eric Arndt, Neil Missling, Glendon Seal, Brendan Cohen, Tim Ferrel, Mike Diebold, Clayton Smith, Joe Millette, Jake Brenk, Ryan Szymanski, Tyler Landman, Steve Murphy, Joseph Oberg, Mike Trumble and Nathen Birno.

I apologize if I missed anyone.

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Thank you, Gordy Lee

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Last Updated on Sunday, 27 May 2012 23:31

By Duncan Ryhorchuk

This past weekend, a long-time referee, who was a founding father of Minneapolis Hockey Officials Association, an established international hockey referee and also a National Hockey League off-ice official passed away.

Gordy Lee died of complications from a heart attack on Sunday, Oct. 23. Gordy was 79 years young.

This week by default I learned about Gordy’s accomplished hockey résumé as an official. If you grew up playing hockey in Minnesota anytime since the early 1970s to the present day, you were probably involved in a hockey game in which Gordy was a part. If you were a player you may have skated beside him, and as a spectator you may have counted down the seconds to your team’s championship with him. 

Gordy Lee did it all as a hockey official. Every responsibility on and off the ice, he did it and he did it at the highest levels.

A quick conversation with Gordy’s son, John, informed me on just some of his father’s accomplishments:

• 11 Minnesota State High School Tournaments as an on-ice official. Nine years as a WCHA on-ice official.

• 120 International hockey games officiated.

To break down Gordy’s accomplishments even further, in those 11 state tournaments, he was selected five times to referee the championship game. In fact, in the 1977 championship game between Edina and Rochester John Marshall, the coaches agreed to amend a rule to allow Gordy to work the game. At that time a rule was in place not to allow conference officials of a team in the finals to be used as an on-ice official. Gordy was the best official; hence the teams agreed he should referee the game.

On Gordy’s international résumé, he refereed the 1972 Summit Series and the 1976 Canada Cup (now called the World Cup) and also the 1976 Olympics in Innsbruck, Austria.

In the 1976 Canada Cup, Gordy was again assigned to the championship game. The highly anticipated final was between Canada and the USSR. This game had a lasting memory for Gordy due to a Lanny MacDonald slap shot that hit Gordy in the forehead and required 26 stitches to close.

Also on his international résumé, Gordy worked an 11-game exhibition series in Mexico to help that country prepare to advance to the International Ice Hockey Federation level of ice hockey.

Every Minnesota Wild or Minnesota North Star fan will be envious of Gordy’s off-ice officiating duties. Since 1968 he has been an NHL goal judge, timekeeper, penalty box attendant or satiation.

Oh, the stories I am sure he could tell from his time in the penalty box. He worked at the old Met Center for the North Stars and at the Xcel Energy Center for the Wild. He also worked for the International Hockey League’s Minnesota Moose before they were moved to Winnipeg. On Saturday, October 22, the evening before he passed away, Gordy was in charge of the game clock for the Wild game vs. the Detroit Red Wings at the Xcel Energy Center.

The hockey community has benefited greatly from what Gordy has accomplished and done in hockey, and speaking for on-ice officials, we will be forever grateful.

Gordy is survived by his wife, Donna, and children, Lisa, Susie, John and Danny.

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Hey Ref – Zebra Open

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Last Updated on Sunday, 27 May 2012 23:31

By Duncan Ryhorchuk

This past August, on a sunny day on Stonebrooke Golf Club, JB Olson volunteered to help a cause. No, wait, that is not completely correct. As an organizer of the Zebra Open Golf Tournament, JB Olson volunteered his time and organizational skills for a good cause that has had a close effect on his life. No, wait, that still is not completely correct. For the last seven years, JB Olson has volunteered his time, effort and organizational skills to make a difference in millions of Americans lives.

The Zebra Open Golf Tournament is like all other summer golf tournaments participated in by hockey enthusiasts; it is a great time. But unlike all the others, all the money raised goes to a cancer-related cause.

The following question and answer session with Olson shows how this golf tournament has evolved into a must attend event for many.

Q: What is the history of this event?

JBO: This tournament started seven years ago, with six people who played 18 holes of golf. The participants then took all of their betting money from the golf game, $350, and donated it to the American Cancer Society. 

In 2005, there were two Zebra Open events. The first one, The Northern Tournament, had four participants. The donation from that event was $240; it was donated to American Cancer Society. The second open, The Twin Cities Event had 12 participants, who donated a total of $650 to Jon and Kelley Campion (Jon was a WCHA ref and Kelley had terminal cancer). 

In 2006, the event was held for the first time at Little Falls Country Club. It had 27 participants, who raised $3,100 for Jon and Kelley Campion. In year four, 2007, the tournament in Little Falls drew 31 people who raised $3,000 for the Zebra Foundation. 

This year was the fourth year in a row that it was held at Stonebrooke Golf Course in Shakopee. Over the last four years, the tournament raised $1,250, $1,760, $2,700 and $2,490, respectively. The number of golfers attending has been between 40-50 golfers the past four years in Shakopee. Ideally, the tournament would get a foursome from each Minnesota Hockey District (13 districts = 52 golfers). Singles are very welcome to register as some teams need a extra player.

Q: Where has the money raised been donated?

JBO: • 2004 – $350 (Monticello CC) - American Cancer Society

• 2005 – $240 (North version at Fertile CC) – American Cancer Society; $650 (South version at Rush Creek) – Jon and Kelley Campion

• 2006 – $3,100 (Little Falls CC) – Jon and Kelley Campion

• 2007 – $3,000 (Little Falls CC) – $500 to Little Falls Youth Hockey Association; $2,500 to Hockey Fights Cancer

• 2008 – $1,250 (Stonebrooke) – Hockey Fights Cancer

• 2009 – $1,760 (Stonebrooke) – Hockey Fights Cancer

• 2010 – $2,700 (Stonebrooke) – NHL Officials Association Zebras Care

• 2011 – $2,490 (Stonebrooke) – Zebras Care

TOTAL MONEY RAISED: $15,510

Q: What team had this year’s best score?

JBO: 15-under, by Brian Thul, Jeff Beckers, Tom Sterns and Zach Nelson

Q: What is the date for next year’s tournament?

JBO: The prospective 2012 date is August 10, 2012, with the prospective course being TPC Twin Cities in Blaine. The cost is TBD (around $75 entry fee). Hole sponsorships are available ($50 minimum, most donate $100). Mulligans are also available for purchase.

Q: Are there any other people or organizations that help with this event that should be thanked?

JBO: Brian Thul – This tournament was started in 2004, shortly after Brian and I had both lost a parent to cancer.

MHOA – Supporting and sponsoring the event.

Brian Mach – NHL linesman, event coordinator at the Little Falls events, NHLOA Zebras Care contact.

The Zebra Open Golf Tournament did not come about from necessity but from a desire to do for others. Although the tournament is primarily attended by hockey referees, all golfers, whether they are involved in hockey or not, are welcome!

Did you know that each year 12 million Americans are newly diagnosed cancer patients? That is approximately four percent of the United States population directly effected each year by this sickness. [11.7 million people were newly diagnosed with cancer out of 312 million population in 2007; source = US National Cancer Institute (SEER data)].

If you have any comments on this article or any other Hey Ref articles or would like to submit a topic to read about, please send an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .