2 officials have been promoted to full-time NHL status for this season
The NHLOA would like to recognize the promotion of two full time officials.
Jean Hebert
Referee Jean Hebert from Bouctouche New Brunswick played hockey with the Clement-Cormier Cavaliers of the Eastern Conference High School Hockey League before moving on to join the Richibucto Bears junior B team for two seasons then spent four years with the Bouctouche Maritime Door and Windows senior club.
While playing, he began to officiate and quickly climbed the ladder into higher leagues. Eight years ago, he was offered the chance to work the lines in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. The Bouctouche native and former prison dog handler quickly moved up the ranks as a Referee. In 2009 he worked the Memorial Cup Finals in Rimouski, QC. The following year, Jean moved to Reading, to pursue his career in the ECHL. He worked the Kelly Cup Finals at his first season. Prior to his full time promotion with the NHL, Jean worked three season in the AHL with a chance to work the Finals in 2011,12 and 13. He was hired by the NHL in 2010.
Jean’s first NHL regular season game was on March 30, 2011 when The New-York Islanders visited the New-Jersey Devils at the Prudential Center. Jean now resides in Nashua, NH.
Kiel Murchison
Linesman Kiel Murchison from Cloverdale, British Colombia, played junior B hockey for the Port Coquitlam Buckaroos, sustained one too many concussions as a player and chose the life of a linesman over coaching as his means of staying in the game. The former Vancouver Policeman, started lining Western Hockey League games at the age of 18. He steadily gained a reputation as being world class. He has not only been a linesman in the WHL for nearly a decade, during which time he participated at the 2010 Memorial Cup tournament in Brandon Manitoba. He then started working a handful of games in the ECHL and AHL as well. And, in 2011, he was nominated by Hockey Canada to participate in the IIHF World Championship in Slovakia where he worked the Gold medal game and to the 2012 World Junior Championships in Edmonton and Calgary, AB. Kiel was hired by the NHL in 2012
Kiel Murchison saw his first NHL regular season action on Wednesday, January 30th, in Vancouver, B.C., for the game between the Vancouver Canucks and the Colorado Avalanche. He now resides in Surray, BC
The NHLOA and its members would like to congratulate both officials and wish them long successful healthy careers.