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Last Tuesday, a HockeyBuzz reader messaged me to ask if I am the only American referee or lineman to officiate in 1,000 or more NHL games. The answer, thankfully, is no. I was the first American referee to reach the 1,000-game milestone but I'm not the only official to do it.
Far and away, retired linesman Kevin Collins -- who ought to be in the Hockey Hall of Fame -- is the NHL games-officiated leader among Americans. Kevin worked 2,438 regular season games and 296 playoff games in his stellar career.
Just the other night, linesman Andy McElman reached the 1,400-mark in the NHL when the 22nd-season veteran worked a game in his native Chicago featuring the Blackhawks against the New York Rangers.
Andy worked his first NHL game way back on Oct. 7, 1993 when the St. Louis Blues hosted the Florida Panthers. To put McElman's longevity in perspective, only 33 players in the history of the NHL have appeared in more games than he has officiated in the league. Today, there is only one still-active player in the entire NHL -- the ageless Jaromir Jagr -- who was playing during McElman's rookie season of 1993-94.
I am very happy for Andy that the NHL did the right thing and gave him the honor working his milestone 1,400th game in his hometown. I know that had to be a special thrill for him, just as refereeing my 1st and 1,00th NHL games in my native Boston as well as making my NHL playing debut at the Boston Garden are memories that I cherish.
In McElman's first NHL game, he missed a call on a two-line pass play in the first period and received some words of encouragement from veteran partner Leon Stickle, who was helping to break him in as an NHL linesman. Having missed a vital goal/ no goal call in my own NHL debut (Montreal at Boston) after I replaced an injured Dave Newell, I can relate to how Andy felt on that long ago night. He showed the mental fortitude to put the mistake aside and get the next call right. He's been doing it ever since.
As with many officials, McElman has worked through a variety of injuries during his career; the most serious of which was a cracked orbital bone, badly broken nose and fractured cheekbone in a 2012 game involving (coincidentally enough) the Florida Panthers. In that game, the Panthers were playing Washington. He missed the remainder of the season but fought his way back to return.
Linesmen in general are often unfairly overlooked for the work they do and their vital importance not only to the success of officiating teams but to the quality and flow of the game itself. McElman is one of the good ones in the NHL and his longevity speaks for itself. He's earned it.
In officiating, we don't have a lot of highly qualified people. We need to keep finding them, recruiting them, coaching them, assigning them, challenging them and supporting them. Andy is a success story as a Chicago boy made good, who has gone on to have a fine career through hard work and dedication.
I know very well of the discrimination that exists in this field. I have heard from Russian GMs and coaches that I or others shouldn't work in the KHL because we aren't Russian. I heard similar stuff when I started to referee -- just substitute Canadian for Russian -- as an American who was a former enforcer as a player when I was working in the WHL in particular, but also the OHL and even just trying trying to pass through customs at Canadian airports.
Take it from me: for Andy McElman to reach 1,400 games as an NHL official is an incredible accomplishment regardless of where he was born. However, to do it as an American who first worked his way up to the NHL in an era where there was still plenty of barely-disguised -- or outright open -- disdain for non-Canadians among some of the smaller-minded people in power in the game is even more impressive.
Over on Scouting the Refs -- a great resource for anyone who appreciates the job of hockey officiating and the dedicated professionals who make their livings in it -- there is a nice commemorative article on McElman and his accomplishment.
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Paul Stewart holds the distinction of being the first U.S.-born citizen to make it to the NHL as both a player and referee. On March 15, 2003, he became the first American-born referee to officiate in 1,000 NHL games.
Today, Stewart is the chairman of the officiating and discipline committee for the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) and serves as director of hockey officiating for the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC).
The longtime referee heads Officiating by Stewart, a consulting, training and evaluation service for officials, while also maintaining a busy schedule as a public speaker, fund raiser and master-of-ceremonies for a host of private, corporate and public events. As a non-hockey venture, he is the owner of Lest We Forget.
Stewart is currently working with a co-author on an autobiography.