Referee Daniel Schrader at the 2021 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship.
photo: Jukka Rautio / HHOF - IIHF images
The International Ice Hockey Federation has named 32 on-ice game officials for the 2023 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship, which will take place from 12 to 28 May in Tampere, Finland and Riga, Latvia.
The list includes two referees who have previously called IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship gold medal games (Bjoerk, Schrader), as well as newcomers who have shown their abilities both in IIHF competitions and at domestic events. The on-ice officials have been selected based on their performances in their leagues.
“Selecting top game officials for an IIHF event is a long-term process,” said IIHF Council Member Marta Zawadzka, who is the Chairperson of the Officiating Committee. “Our focus is on transparent cooperation with the federations’ referees-in-chief and evaluation until the very possible end of the respective league playoffs. We are very confident that the strong season performance of the selected team of officials will be reflected in the tournament in Riga and Tampere.”
Among the off-ice officials, two (Larking, Sindler) also previously called Men’s Worlds gold medal games as referees.
The 16 referees and 16 linesmen hail from 12 different nations. The nominations from the IIHF Officiating Committee have been approved by the IIHF Council.
“As all the international leagues played their games with no interruptions, we are sure that this group is ready and motivated to work as a team, along with the coaches and staff, in the environment that the IIHF creates for them at a top-level event,” Zawadzka added.
The list includes two referees who have previously called IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship gold medal games (Bjoerk, Schrader), as well as newcomers who have shown their abilities both in IIHF competitions and at domestic events. The on-ice officials have been selected based on their performances in their leagues.
“Selecting top game officials for an IIHF event is a long-term process,” said IIHF Council Member Marta Zawadzka, who is the Chairperson of the Officiating Committee. “Our focus is on transparent cooperation with the federations’ referees-in-chief and evaluation until the very possible end of the respective league playoffs. We are very confident that the strong season performance of the selected team of officials will be reflected in the tournament in Riga and Tampere.”
Among the off-ice officials, two (Larking, Sindler) also previously called Men’s Worlds gold medal games as referees.
The 16 referees and 16 linesmen hail from 12 different nations. The nominations from the IIHF Officiating Committee have been approved by the IIHF Council.
“As all the international leagues played their games with no interruptions, we are sure that this group is ready and motivated to work as a team, along with the coaches and staff, in the environment that the IIHF creates for them at a top-level event,” Zawadzka added.
Game Officials Assignment
| Referees | Linesmen | ||
| ANSONS, Andris | LAT | BRIGANTI, Nicholas Philip | USA |
| BJOERK, Tobias | SWE | CATTANEO, Eric Daniele | SUI |
| BLOSKI, Adam Carl Peter | CAN | CONSTANTINEAU, Nicolas | FRA |
| FERNANDEZ, Sean Thomas | USA | DAVIS, Jake Ryan | USA |
| FRANDSEN, Mads | DEN | HAUTAMAKI, Onni | FIN |
| HEIKKINEN, Lassi Sakari | FIN | HOFER, Andreas | GER |
| HOLM, Christoffer Back Per Oscar | SWE | HYNEK, Daniel | CZE |
| HRIBIK, Jan | CZE | KROYER, Andreas Weise | DEN |
| HUERLIMANN, Stefan | SUI | MACKEY, Brett Raymond | CAN |
| HUNNIUS, Sirko | GER | NIITTYLA, Tommi | FIN |
| KAUKOKARI, Mikko | FIN | NOTHEGGER, David | AUT |
| LANGIN, Mike Shaun | CAN | ONDRACEK, Jiri | CZE |
| MACFARLANE, Sean Kenneth Michael | USA | SYNEK, Simon | SVK |
| SCHRADER, Andre | GER | WYONZEK, Tarrington Mitchell | CAN |
| SEWELL, Liam Thomas | GBR | YLETYINEN, Emil | SWE |
| STOLC, Miroslav | SUI | ZUNDE, Davis LAT | LAT |
Off-Ice Official name MNA Function
PUOLAKKA, Masi FIN Officiating Coach
SINDLER, Vladimir CZE Officiating Coach
TORSBRINK, Tomas Karl SWE Officiating Coach
ZELKIN, Scott Austin USA Officiating Coach
JANKOVIC, Lukas CZE Officiating Video Coach
KUPCUS, Kriss LAT Officiating Video Coach
LAHTI, Jere Tapani FIN Officiating Video Coach
LARKING, Christer Stig Lars SWE Officiating Video Coach
NODARI, Flavio SUI Officiating Video Coach