NHL Hires Four

North Vancouver’s Ryan Gibbons is a certified NRCP Level 4 official and worked in the American Hockey League in 2014-15 making it as far as the playoffs.

He is also a linesman in the Western Hockey League and started with them in 2011 and his skills have advanced him to various levels of the game.

He has worked in the IIHF 2014 World Junior A Challenge, the 2014 Royal Bank Cup, and 2013 Memorial Cup

He is a former Seattle Thunderbird player and was a sixth-round draft pick of the Phoenix Coyotes in 2003.

In today’s game size means a lot and at no slouch to this area he stands 6’4” (six-foot-four) and a scrappy size of 210-pounds.

Gibbons went on to play three seasons in the ECHL before his playing career came to a close and will wear #58 on his back.

Evgeny Romasko

Romasko was born in Tver, Russia, about 100 miles northeast of Moscow and at age  33 he spent last season splitting time between the AHL and the KHL, where he’s officiated for the past few seasons.

He also worked in the 2013 IIHF World Junior Championship and was selected to referee the gold-medal game at the 2013 World Under-18 Championship.

Former NHL Referee Stephen Walkom met him (Romasko) at a referee combine in Europe last summer.

He worked five games in the NHL last season and this season the referee from Russia has committed to North America full-time for the upcoming season.

Jake Brenk

At the young age of 26 he spent time officiating in the AHL and ECHL last season working to perfect his skills in hopes of taking that next big jump.

In the seasons prior he officiated in the CHL (Central Hockey League) and worked the 2014 CHL Final.

Brandon Gawryletz

Gawryletz (32) joins the NHL from the American Hockey League and the ECHL.

He calls Trail home (obviously making Steve Tambellini pleased) has spent the past few seasons in the AHL.

He also worked in the Central Hockey League, handling their Cup Finals in 2013 and 2014.

He stands 6’4” – 194 lbs and played junior hockey in the BCHL with the hometown Trail Smoke Eaters, as well as with the Langley Hornets on the coast.

When playing in Trail that he posted a career high 6 goals and 27 assists plus 122 PIM’s in 58 games.

He eventually moved to advance his playing career by playing college hockey at the University of Alaska – Fairbanks.

Gawryletz also attended the 2014 NHL Exposure Camp. He will wear #64.

In August of 2014, he took part in the 2014 NHL Combine which is something that works under the area Stephen Walkom which invites former players to see if they have what it takes to make it to the NHL.

It looks to promote the transition of former players into possible league officials and some “get it, while others don’t”.

He comes from Detroit Lakes Michigan and is the eighth US-born official among the 42 current NHL referees.

Both Brenk and Romasko fill the void left by the retirement of long-time referee Paul Devorski.

Former NHL Referee Darcy Burchell was coming off his third (part-time) season and has been released from further officiating duties.

Jean Morin was the only departure among the linesman and he recently retired after 24 full seasons in the NHL.

Watch for these four to find their way into some preseason games with hopes of making their respective NHL debuts later this season.

For those just starting – stay focused, cause it’s a great ride!!