Marc Joannette

The Verdun, QC native started his officiating journey at the early age of 14 after his father, an organizer in the local minor hockey association, suggested he attend an officiating camp. It didn’t took long before he fell in love with the challenge and started wearing the black and white uniform that same season.

He would continue his playing days until the age of 17 when he decided to turn his attention to officiating. Joannette spent his first three seasons mainly working all levels of minor hockey in the Lac Saint-Louis region and in the west portion of the Montreal Island. His natural talent was quickly recognize at age of 18 when he made the officiating team of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) as a linesman, a league where he would spend a total of 11 seasons. He would eventually transition to the referee position in the QMJHL.

Joannette realized around the age of 23 that his passion could potentially land him a position with the National Hockey League when he was offered to join the defunct “NHL Officiating Trainee Program”, where he was assigned to work several minor pro and junior major leagues across North America learning the ropes and gaining valuable experience while still working the QJMHL.

In the summer of 1998, after completing five full seasons in the “Trainee program”, the NHL offered him a full-time minor leagues referee contract, working primarily American Hockey League (AHL) games while gradually earning some NHL assignments.

He made his NHL debut on October 1st, 1999 in Buffalo at the old Marine Midland Arena in a game between the Tampa Bay Lightning and the hometown Sabres. Joannette was promoted to a full time NHL referee status in the summer of 2000.