Essex-born NHL referee officiates 1,500th game

Dan O’Halloran, born in Essex, Ontario has joined elite company after working his 1,500th National Hockey League (NHL) game this past Sunday.  

The milestone came Feb. 9 during an ‘Original Six’ match-up between the Detroit Red Wings and the Boston Bruins. There are now seven referees in league history that have broken such a threshold.  

During O’Halloran’s youth, his father, Ted, served as the president and convener of Essex’s minor hockey league program for several years, ultimately encouraging him to spend many days at the rink. O’Halloran began officiating at a young age but truly took stride following his playing days in the Junior C league.  

After officiating numerous local games, as well as some time spent in the now obsolete International Hockey League (IHL), he signed a minor league contract with the NHL in the summer of 1992. Three years later O’Halloran made his NHL debut, in October of 1994.  

Alongside his on-ice resume, O’Halloran has been serving as the president of the NHL’s Referee’s Association for nearly a decade. He has been an official in 10 Stanley Cup finals and is planning to retire at season’s end.