Former OHL Officials get first taste of NHL

Wednesday January 28, 2015

A pair of recent OHL officiating graduates have made their NHL debuts this month after spending much of the season in the American Hockey League. Garrett Rank and Kendrick Nicholson both got a taste of the NHL, with Rank wearing the bands in Buffalo on January 15 and Nicholson doing so on January 17 in Ottawa.

A native of Elmira, ON, Garrett Rank began his OHL duty during the 2010-11 season and officiated the 2014 MasterCard Memorial Cup in London.

Also an accomplished golfer, Rank won the 2014 Canadian Mid-Amateur championship in Barrie and has been a member of Golf Canada’s national amateur golf team for the past three years. Rank’s golfing resume also includes winning the Toronto Star Amateur in 2011, claiming the 2012 national championship with the Waterloo Warriors golf team, and medaling at the USGA Public Links Championship in 2013.  He was runner-up at the 2012 USGA Mid-Amateur, just missing out on an invitation to the Masters in Augusta.

“Garrett comes from a solid officiating blood line,” said OHL Director of Officiating Conrad Hache. “He was able to establish himself rather quickly as one of our top referees. He has brought the mental toughness that he acquired to be successful in his golf game right into his officiating.”  

Rank drew praise for his game management skills. “He doesn’t get rattled easily and is able to slow things down and process them accordingly,” Hache continued. “Garrett will be a great NHL referee.”

Rank has overcome a great deal of adversity in his career, persevering through the testicular cancer he was diagnosed with at the age of 23 to come out healthy on the other side.

The 27 year-old University of Waterloo graduate was back on the ice last night in Nashville alongside partner Paul Devorski, calling the shots as the Predators played host to the Colorado Avalanche.

A 32 year-old native of Milverton, ON, Kendrick Nicholson joined the OHL as a linesman in 2003, eventually putting on the bands shortly after he worked the 2008 MasterCard Memorial Cup in Kitchener. Nicholson refereed two OHL Championships, the 2013 MasterCard Memorial Cup, and the 2014 World Under-18 Championship and has now made the jump to regular duty in the American Hockey League.

“Kendrick is great person on and off the ice,” Hache said of Nicholson. “He proved his ability to officiate at the highest amateur level when he was selected to work the 2013 MasterCard Memorial Cup. During this tournament, Kendrick worked in six of the nine games, and worked the final three deciding games including the Championship Final.”

Nicholson made his NHL refereeing debut on January 17 when the Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Ottawa Senators 3-2. Like Rank, Nicholson worked his first game alongside 25 year NHL veteran Paul Devorski.

Both officials will continue handling regular AHL assignments this season with a small number of NHL games on the schedule as well.