I am not the only former NHL player to have gone on to become an NHL referee. I'm the only one from the United States to do it, but a handful of Canadians have also accomplished the feat. Current NHL referee Dean Morton is the only still-active official in the league who also suited up in the league as a player.
I've said this in past blogs and I will say it again: In order to improve both the depth and the overall quality of officials in the pool -- not just in the NHL and AHL but it all leagues -- those of us involved in recruiting, training, supervising and/or assigning referees and linemen should make a concerted effort to recruit reasonably young former players who played the game at a reasonably high level to consider working toward an officiating career.
Not everyone who plays is suited to officiate, of course. But if someone who has played the game has the right combination of coachability mental toughness and work ethic to go along with the athleticism and feel for the game, it is possible to make the leap from player to official. There are many adjustments involved and no guarantees of success but at the end of the rainbow there's a whole new hockey life and, to steal a famous slogan, "the toughest job you'll ever love."
Although no two paths are ever identical, there are role models to follow. A good current example is 32-year-old Mike Mullen.
Mike, who played professionally in the ECHL among other leagues, comes from one of the most illustrious hockey families in the United States. He's the son of Hockey Hall of Famer Joe Mullen, the brother of current AHL defenseman Patrick Mullen and the nephew of former NHL muti-time 20-goal scoring forward Brian Mullen and minor league forward Tom Mullen Jr.
For Mike, the dream of rising up in the pro playing ranks to at least the AHL rung came to a premature end because of concussion-related issues. The dream of a career in hockey, however, did not die.
As Mike's health improved, he decided to pursue training as an official and devoted himself heart and soul to learning the craft. Never once did he think his famous last name and some pro games on his playing resume would be enough to carry him through. That was not a surprise, though. Just like the Howes, Dineens, Sutters and other top hockey families, the Mullens have always believed in each individual working to earn his own keep.
Mike Mullen has put in the work to learn not only the rule book but also to incorporate the strategic positioning and skating techniques needed to be a good official. He's very coachable, has good psychology for someone of his experience level, is a reliable teammate for his partners, learns from mistakes and strives for continual self-improvement. Add that to his athletism and skating abilty, and Mike is the prototype of the sort of fomer player whom we should be should be actively encouraging to give officiating a try.
On Jan. 9, Mike Mullen will referee the Harvard vs. Quinnipiac game at Madison Square Garden in New York. His dad and uncle grew up in Hell's Kitchen, and both Joe and former Rangers player Brian played many memorable games at MSG. A generation before that, grandfather Tom Mullen Sr. was a member of the New York Rangers ice crew for many years.
Congratulations go out to Mike. He's earned the assignment on merit, and has a chance to go places as an official. Taking the journey from player to zebra is a special sort of challenge, and he's handled it with aplomb on his path to date.
Lastly, if there are are any former players out there who are serious about trying to make the transition that Dean and Mike and some others have made, contact me. I'd like to speak to you.
************************************************************************ 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 serves as director of hockey officiating for the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) at both the Division 1 and Division 3 levels.
The longtime referee heads Officiating by Stewart, a consulting, training and evaluation service for officials. Stewart also maintains 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.
Blogger •Former NHL Referee • 
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