NHL Hosts Officiating Combine In Europe

The NHL hosted an officiating course as a part of their European Summer Exposure Combine

Apr 11, 2024; Seattle, Washington, USA; Fans dressed as referees cheer during the first period between the San Jose Sharks and the Seattle Kraken at Climate Pledge Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Brashear-USA TODAY Sports / Stephen Brashear-USA TODAY Sports

The NHL's goal of expanding the game all over the globe is not just focused on producing the next generation of hockey players. They want to grow all parts of it, including the officiating. That's why the league hosted an officiating course in Budapest as a part of their European Summer Exposure Combine.

The course brought 60 officials from 17 different countries together for on-ice and off-ice lessons. The combine featured instruction from the NHL and the International Ice Hockey Federation, giving the attendees the chance to learn from some of the most important leaders of the game. One of those folks teaching was NHL Scouting and Development Officiating Manager Mike Leggo. Speaking to William Douglas of NHL.com, Leggo discussed how skilled the participants were

“The talent level was impressive,” he said. “Lots of good skaters, lots of people who were eager. We had classroom sessions and on-ice sessions, and we also played games and watched them referee, pretty much similar to our combine in Buffalo."

This is the second year that the combine has been held. The event welcomed 55 officials last year, three of which were invited to attend the NHL Exposure Combine in Buffalo. Three more officials from this year's combine, from France, Germany, and Hungary, will also attend the upcoming Exposure Combine in Buffalo this August.

The combine is a great way for the NHL to expand their pool of officials and work internationally to expand the game. Leggo discussed how one of the goals of the camp is to identify international referees who could participate in things like NHL's Global Series.

“I think the combine expands our base of knowledge and identifies potential officials for events like that (NHL Global Series),” he said. “And it also gives those European officials an opportunity to be exposed to us and our expectations and our level of professionalism.”

This year, four teams will participate in the NHL's Global Series. The New Jersey Devils and Buffalo Sabres travel to Prague, Czechia to open their regular seasons and the Dallas Stars and Florida Panthers will play two games in Tampare, Finland in November. Hopefully in the near future, some of the officials participating in the combine will be on the ice with these players during an NHL game.

Make sure you bookmark Breakaway OnSI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, recruiting coverage, and more! 

• Blue Jackets Narrow Coaching Search
• Three NHL Players Set to Sign Long-Term Extension
• Surprise Name Early Leader NHL's Jack Adams Award
• Three NHL Players Poised to Regress in 2024
• Predators GM Details Key Advantage For Free Agency