Officiating Alumni Spotlight

As we round the corner towards yet another season in the North American Hockey League, the league officially enters its 50th year, with an extravagant number of success stories coming from players, coaches and officials alike. Officials within the NAHL footprint have the opportunity to develop within the NAPHL and NA3HL, working with Keith Kaval (Director of Officiating), Kendall Hanley (Manager of Officiating) and Ian McCambridge (Coordinator of Officiating) to learn the ins and outs of being a linesman and referee at the next level.

The mission is to identify, coach, and develop top aspiring amateur officials, to help them successfully officiate higher levels of hockey including professional, collegiate and international competition. Additionally, we seek to motivate these officials so that they return to their local areas and are valuable assets in mentoring the next generation of officials.

Officials receive in-depth coaching and educational resources aimed at developing their officiating skills. Pre-season training camps and resources such as NAHLTV access, video analysis, and ongoing education materials are utilized to assist officials in mastering crucial skills essential for their success.

Like the players of the NAHL, officials climb the ladder within the NAHL’s family of leagues, ultimately moving on to the next level and finding success. Below are 7 highlighted officials who have found success within the NAHL umbrella and at the next level. 

Kilian McNamara

McNamara was a linesman during the 2017-18 season in the NAHL, working both the Fraser and Robertson Cups. Since working in Tier 2 juniors, Kilian has advanced to professional hockey, first working in the ECHL and AHL before becoming a full-time linesperson in the NHL. 

“My time in the NA3HL and NAHL was a great experience and allowed me to officiate a high level hockey and develop as an official both on and off the ice. I was able to experience various on ice situations that ultimately prepared me for the levels ahead in my career. This was in part to the elite coaching from both Keith and Kendall. From educational zoom calls about standard of play and other key topics, I always felt I learned more after each call. The time and effort they put into helping all their officials develop is something that I am extremely grateful for. They put officials in positions to help them succeed and learn so they are composed when they advance on to the next leagues.”

Andrew Bruggeman

Bruggeman spent a considerable amount of time developing within the league, working across the NA3HL and NAHL from 2010 to 2015. While he did not work a Robertson or Fraser Cup, he started as a Linesperson and transitioned to Referee over his career and went on to work a USHL Clark Cup Final. Following his time in junior hockey, Andrew spent time in the IIHF, AHL and ECHL, including a trip to the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics where he was part of the Gold Medal Game officiating crew. You can now find Andrew refereeing at the NCAA Division 1 level in addition to serving as the USA Hockey Coordinator of Youth Officiating Development. 

“I believe that the North American Hockey League helped me to build a solid foundation of skills that would eventually turn into a career in professional and international hockey. The care and instruction from the league staff and officiating coaches allows for effective feedback that officials can implement quickly into their game,” stated Bruggeman. “The league itself challenges officials to perform at a high level every night. As an official, these challenges helped to foster an attitude of resiliency and mental toughness within me that was required for success in climbing the ladder and trying to achieve high aspirations.”

Logan Gruhl

Gruhl is considered to be the unicorn of the NAHL family in terms of league championships as he has worked the 2017 NAPHL Dixon Cup, the 2018 NA3HL Fraser Cup and the 2018 NAHL Robertson Cup. Currently, Gruhl has advanced to the IIHF and ECHL as a referee. He has continued his trend of working in league championships as he worked his second ECHL Kelly Cup Finals during the 2023-24 season. 

“My time in the NAHL was by far the most important year of officiating in my life and helped me grow into the official I am today. From a small town in Richmond, VA to one of the most established junior hockey leagues in the country, I learned so much,” stated Gruhl. “The NAHL not only taught me how to be a great referee, it also taught me valuable life experiences and created memories that will last a lifetime. Keith Kaval and Kendall Hanley are both top notch officiating coaches and even better human beings, and the NAHL is fortunate enough to have those two at the helm.” 

Jack Young

Young climbed the ladder through the officiating program, working both the 2019 NA3HL Fraser Cup and the NAHL Robertson Cup as a linesperson. After continuing to develop within the league footprint, Young was selected as a referee for the 2021 Fraser Cup and Robertson Cup. Currently, Jacks works as a referee in the IIHF, ECHL and AHL, including a trip to the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship. As a decorated alumni, Young attended the 2023 NA3HL Showcase, providing support for our current officials who look to replicate his career. 

“I can surely say that I would not be the type of official that I am without the NA3HL and NAHL.  Between the experiences that I have had in the two leagues and two great bosses in Keith Kaval and Kendall Hanley, I’m not sure there’s something else I can point to that has had more of an impact on my development.  I have been able to create lifelong friendships between the long car rides, days at the rink, training camps and all in between,” stated Young. “It’s a blast to be able to progress from junior leagues such as the NA3HL or NAHL to pro leagues like the ECHL and AHL and still be working with some of my best friends that I met way back when we were grinding in the trenches. I always truly viewed the NAHL and NA3HL as a family, and that extends beyond just the officials to the league staff, teams, coaches, it all feels like a family.  I don’t get to come back and serve much anymore, but whenever I do, it’s always fun to be around family.” 

Sean MacFarlane

MacFarlane came into the NAHL as a referee, being selected to work the 2013 NA3HL Silver Cup before going on to work the 2014 NAHL Robertson Cup. He would then climb the ladder and stay in the United States working as a referee for the ECHL and AHL before making a move to Germany. While in Germany, Sean has been working full-time as a referee in the DEL, getting the opportunity to work the 2024 IIHF Men’s World Championship Bronze Medal Game. With hopes to referee in the 2026 Winter Olympics, he will continue to develop his skills at the international level. 

“The North American Hockey League was my first opportunity at treating officiating as a career. Because of this opportunity, I was able to learn valuable lessons in officiating that helped me have a successful career at the professional and international level. Because of my time in the NAHL, I was able to learn the importance of managing emotions of a hockey game as a referee,” stated MacFarlane. “My time in the NAHL I dealt with some of the best coaches, but also had the challenge of working with some coaches that were difficult to work with, helping me understand that being a strong communicator was a big part of becoming a good referee. Along with learning how to be a strong communicator, the NAHL was my first experience at being apart of a hockey league that was a business, where livelihood were dependent on how their team performed, which forces officials on valuing consistency throughout a game and the season. The North American Hockey League is a unique junior league in the aspect that the footprint is so large, which causes the officials to travel an absurd amount of miles throughout the season, helping the officials understand how to balance travel with their game preparations, which was a crucial lesson to learn before beginning a career in a professional hockey where the travel is very similar to the NAHL.” 

Austin O’Rourke

O’Rourke has had a unique experience on his journey to officiating, playing two seasons of Tier 2 hockey for Lone Star Brahmas and Amarillo Bulls, including being crowned a 2016-17 Robertson Cup Champion. Following his playing career, Austin made the switch to officiating where he was a referee at the 2022 Fraser and Robertson Cup. He has since advanced to the realm of professional hockey, refereeing in the ECHL and AHL, including a trip to the 2024 ECHL Kelly Cup Finals.

“The NAHL has played a big role in my life both as a player and a referee. I was able to play 2 years in the NAHL and earn a division 1 commitment. Then the NAHL welcomed me back 4 years later as a referee,” stated O’Rourke. “As a referee, the opportunity I was given was immense. Keith put me in situations to help me grow as an official, and they gave me the reps I needed to learn and elevate myself to the next level. Keith was an advocate for me to move into professional hockey, and the things I learned and fun times I had stick with me today. “

Shane Gustafson 

Gustafson has worked his way up as a linesperson not only in the NAHL, but in professional hockey as well and was part of the officiating team at the 2015 NA3HL Fraser Cup and the 2017 NAHL Robertson Cup. In addition to being a current ECHL and AHL linesperson, Gustafson was selected to referee at the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship where he was able to work the Gold Medal game. Following the World Junior Championship, Shane was then activated to work the IIHF Men’s World Championship as well. 

“The NA3HL and NAHL were the first two junior hockey leagues that I ever worked for. Those years of skating in the NA3 and NAHL were some of the most crucial learning moments for me as an official, and were where I felt like I had one of the biggest jumps in skill and knowledge in my career. The NA3HL and NAHL are a blast to work because the players play with so much passion and intensity, which can really bring out some very unique situations in the game, which helps you grow immensely as an official,” stated Gustafson. “ In my years working in the NA3HL and NAHL, I learned so much. I learned how to handle difficult situations, with a lot going on at one time, all while working with my team of officials to get the right players and calls. I also learned how to communicate better with players and coaches who really understand the game and challenge you. You truly need to back up your calls with confidence and knowledge in order to gain respect. My years in these leagues helped translate into pro hockey, and really gave me the opportunity to advance through the officiating ranks. I had a blast working in the NA3HL and NAHL with so many amazing officials all over the country. I would highly recommend it to anyone who earns the opportunity to work at these levels!”