Watson NHL Ref
NHLOA Alumni

NHL Official: 1993 to 2019

Birthplace: Regina, SK

Regular Season: 1393 Games (Referee)

Playoffs: 214 Games

Stanley Cup Finals: 8

Brad Watson

Watson who was hired by the National Hockey League in the summer of 1993 under a minor league contract started his officiating journey at the age of 16 in small town rinks of Saskatchewan. His road to the NHL included stops in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL), the Western Hockey League (WHL), the International Hockey League (IHL) and the American Hockey League (AHL). During his amateur journey, he was selected to work 2 Memorial Cups (1986 in Portland, OR as a linesman & 1992 in Seattle, WA as a referee), the 1989 World Junior Hockey Championship (Anchorage, AK), the 1991 Isvestia Cup in Russia representing Canada as a referee and the 1992 Spengler Cup (Davos, Switzerland). Before joining the National Hockey League under a minor league contract, Watson also spent 3 seasons in the defunct NHL trainee program traveling across North America working games in different professional and semi-professional hockey leagues. He would go on and work a total of 6 full seasons under contract before being promoted to a full-time NHL status in the summer of 1999. He made his NHL debut on March 7th, 1996 at the old Mellon Arena in Pittsburgh when the Ottawa Senators where in town to play the hometown Penguins.

Milestones

First NHL Game

March 7, 1996

Ottawa Senators
at
Pittsburgh Pengiuns

First Playoff Game

April 13, 2000

Arizona Coyotes
at
Colorado Avalanche

1000th Game

January 21, 2014

Toronto Maple Leafs
at
Colorado Avalanche

Final Game

March 23, 2019

Chicago Blackhawks
at
Colorado Avalanche

All-Star Games

2008 -- ATLANTA, GA

Atlanta All Star Game

Philips Arena
January 27, 2008

Stanley Cup Finals

2014 Stanley Cup

LA Kings
vs
New York Rangers

2013 Stanley Cup

Chicago Blackhawks
vs
Boston Bruins

2012 Stanley Cup

LA Kings
vs
New Jersey Devils

2008 Stanley Cup

Detroit Redwings
vs
Pittsburgh Pengiuns

2007 Stanley Cup

Anaheim Ducks
vs
Ottawa Senators

2006 Stanley Cup

Carolina Hurricanes
vs
Edmonton Oilers

2004 Stanley Cup

Tampa Bay Lightning
vs
Calgary Flames

2003 Stanley Cup

New Jersey Devils
vs
Anaheim Ducks

International

2004 World Cup of Hockey

2004 World Cup of Hockey

CAN / USA / FIN / SWE / CZE /GER

2010 Vancouver Olympics

Vancouver Olmypics

WINTER OLYMPICS

Outdoor Games

2017 NHL 100 Classic

2017 100 Classic

December 16, 2017

TD Place Stadium
Ottawa, ON

Montreal Canadiens
at
Ottawa Senators

2017 Winter Classic

2017 Winter Classic

January 2, 2017

Busch Stadium
St. Louis, MO

Chicago Blackhawks
at
St Louis Blues

2016 Stadium Series

2016 Stadium Series

February 27, 2016

Coors Field
Denver, CO

Detroit Redwings
at
Colorado Avalanche

2014 Stadium Series

2014 Stadium Series

January 25, 2014

Dodger Stadium
Los Angelas, CA

Anaheim Ducks
at
LA Kings