Steve Kozari
NHL Referee

Age: 46

NHLOA Member since 2003

Birthplace: Penticton, BC

Regular Season: 1085 Games

Playoffs: 123 Games

Stanley Cup Finals: 3

* Game numbers updated as of Sep 1, 2022

Steve Kozari

Kozari, who started officiating at a young age back in the Peach City, made several stops during his officiating journey to the National Hockey League. He first started officiating all levels of minor hockey around his hometown before reaching the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) after a few years. From there, he made the jump to the Western Hockey League (WHL) where he would spend a total of 10 seasons.

The man who wears number 40 since being hired by the NHL, also worked with the B.C. Sheriff’s office in Pentiction during his early days as a part-time hockey official. Kozari was named best referee of the WHL after the 2002-03 season and was assigned to work the prestigious 2003 CHL Memorial Cup held in Quebec City that spring. His strong showing at the tournament and his consistency as an official during the past several seasons in the WHL earned him an invitation to the defunct NHL Officiating Prospects Camp which was held in Guelph, Ontario in late June that summer. He was offered a NHL Minor League Referee contract while attending the camp. 

Steve spent a total of four seasons under the Minor Leagues status before being promoted to a full-time NHL status in the summer of 2007.

Milestones

First NHL Game

October 15, 2005

Nashville Predators
at
St Louis Blues

First Playoff Game

April 14, 2010

Ottawa Senators
at
Pittsburgh Pengiuns

1000th Game

October 22, 2021

Edmonton Oilers
at
Las Vegas Golden Knights

Stanley Cup Finals

2020 Stanley Cup

Dallas Stars
vs
Tampa Bay Lightning

2019 Stanley Cup

St Louis Blues
vs
Boston Bruins

2014 Stanley Cup

LA Kings
vs
New York Rangers

Outdoor Games

2020 Winter Classic

2020 Winter Classic

January 1, 2020

Cotton Bowl Stadium
Dallas, TX

Dallas Stars
at
Nashville Predators

2016 Stadium Series

Minnesota Stadium Series

February 21, 2016

TCF Bank Stadium
Minneapolis, MN

Chicago Blackhawks
at
Minnesota Wild

2014 Heritage Classic

2014 Heritage Classic

March 2, 2014

BC Place
Vancouver, BC

Ottawa Senators
at
Vancouver Canucks

Allstar Games

2022 - LAS VEGAS, NV

Las Vegas NHL All Star

T-Mobile Arena
February 5, 2022