NHL Hires Two

It’s never easy to reach your goal in life and as with most jobs and/or positions, it’s not what you know, but rather who you know.

Officiating can take the same turn, but to achieve your end success and officiate in the best league (NHL) in the world you have to be good.

It’s not just about positioning, signals and skating, but rather your overall knowledge, understanding, communication and well rounded feel for the game that makes you a pro.

Some spend years in the minor leagues only to be told, they simply don’t have what it takes, while others achieve success by the dedication they not only have, but deliver night in and night out.

On Canada’s west coast we are fortunate to have officials that have reached this level of success and several have been in the league for years, but sadly they might be looking at retiring and taking on new roles at different levels of the game.

With the turnover ratio the NHL see’s but not all that often, this year they have reached out and hired two full time officials.

The first is TJ Luxmore of Timmins who managed to work 21 games this past season, which was the most of any part-time referee.

He’s officiated 23 NHL games, having made his debut in the 2013-14 season.

This past spring he worked the AHL’s 2015 Calder Cup Finals between the Manchester Monarchs and the Utica Comets.

Luxmore got his officiating start in minor hockey before moving up to the OHA, where he started as a linesman before transitioning to referee.

He followed the same path in the OHL, going from linesman to referee.

During his final OHL season, Luxmore also worked part time in the IHL, CHL, and ECHL.

From there, he made the jump to work full time in the ECHL, where we worked as a referee full-time from 2010-12, working the Kelly Cup Finals in both 2011 and 2012.

He signed with the NHL in 2012 and began working full-time in the AHL.

The second official Trevor Knorr calls Powell River home and managed to work his way up the ranks as a linesman in the WHL.

He joined the ECHL in 2005 where he officiated from 2005-11 and was scouted by the NHL, where it was suggested he consider switching to a referee role due to the lack of opportunities for linesmen.

Knorr (17) made the jump to referee in 2010-11, overseeing 45 games in the WHL and one in the ECHL and as a rookie he refereed the first two rounds of the WHL playoffs.

He continued as a ref and worked full-time in the WHL and BCHL (2011-12) but worked part-time as a linesman in the ECHL.

He was offered a job with the NHL as a referee in 2012 and was assigned to work full time in the AHL.

In only his second year in the league he was assigned to officiate in the AHL’s Calder Cup Final.

He made his NHL debut as a referee November 13/13, working a game between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Minnesota Wild.

That night he worked with season NHL veteran Dan O’Halloran with Mike Cvik and Scott Driscoll calling the lines.

A short month later, he would work only his second NHL game as referee, but that fortunate or unfortunate would also be his last as a referee.

He grew up working the lines, so for him the switch was easy and February 26/14 he officiated a game that saw the Kings and play Av’s.

Working with him on that night was long time linesman and BC product Jay Sharrers, with both Eric Furlatt and Dean Morton wearing the bands.

Congrats to both young officials on making the jump in their career and if you think no one’s watching you – think again!!

No doubt both will have a better summer!!