Ron Asselstine

Last updated

Ron Asselstine (born November 6, 1946) is a Canadian former National Hockey League linesman and World Hockey Association referee and linesman.

He was born in Toronto, Ontario and raised in Guelph, Ontario, Asselstine's NHL officiating career started in 1979 after a long outstanding career with the WHA and ended in 1997. During his career (in which he wore a helmet from the mid-1980s until his retirement), he officiated 2,002 regular season games (both WHA and NHL), 92 NHL playoff games, and three All-Star games. From the 1994–95 NHL season until his retirement, he wore uniform number 38. An imposing man, Asselstine's nickname on the ice was "Bear". This nickname was given to him for his no-nonsense attitude in policing fights, and his 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m), 225 lb (102.1 kg) body. [1]

On January 28, 1989, at the Boston Garden, when a fan came onto the ice during a game, heading towards referee Bill McCreary, Asselstine charged the fan from behind [2] near the goal line, sending the fan sailing into the end boards (a distance of some 12 feet (3.7 m)). The fan, Frank Barbaro Jr., 22, was then handcuffed by Boston Police and taken into custody, and was charged with trespassing besides disorderly conduct. [2]

Asselstine was honoured in 2007 with the Caring Canadian Award for his work as founder of the Guelph Wish Fund for Children (begun in 1984). His award was presented by Governor General Michaëlle Jean. [3]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kerry Fraser</span> Canadian ice hockey official

Kerry Fraser is a hockey analyst, broadcaster and former senior referee in the National Hockey League. During his career, he called 1,904 regular season games, 12 Stanley Cup Finals, and over 261 Stanley Cup playoff games.

Don Koharski is a retired professional ice hockey referee in the National Hockey League. He resides in Tampa, Florida, with his wife, with whom he has two sons. Starting with the 1994–95 NHL season, he wore uniform number 12, and, since the 1987–88 NHL season, he wore a helmet while refereeing NHL games.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ray Scapinello</span> Canadian retired ice hockey referee

Raymond Angelo Joseph "Scampy" Scapinello is a former National Hockey League linesman, known for having the longest on-ice career of anyone in the history of the NHL.

Stephen Walkom currently serves as vice president and director of officiating for the National Hockey League (NHL). This is his second stint in that position, having previously served from 2005 to 2009. From 1990 to 2004, and from 2009 to 2013, he worked as an on-ice referee for the league.

Bruce Melvin Hood was a Canadian author, businessman, politician, and a professional ice hockey referee in the National Hockey League (NHL).

Roy Alvin "Red" Storey, was a Canadian athlete, referee and broadcaster. He played football, lacrosse and ice hockey. While active as an athlete, he turned to officiating in all three sports, and continued as an official after the end of his playing career. While he was a member of the Toronto Argonauts, the team won the Grey Cup championship twice. He refereed in the National Hockey League, and later became a radio and television commentator for Canadian television.

Thomas "Swede" Knox was a National Hockey League (NHL) linesman. He officiated over 2,248 NHL games, starting in 1972, and wore a helmet from the mid-1980s until his retirement in 2000. He also officiated five Stanley Cup Finals, the 1987 Canada Cup and one NHL All-Star Game.

Andy Van Hellemond is a Canadian former National Hockey League referee and a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame since 1999. He is also a former municipal politician, serving on city council for the City of Guelph, Ontario from 2010 to 2018.

Paul Stewart is an American former professional ice hockey player and referee. Inducted in the United States Hockey Hall of Fame in 2018, he is the grandson of Bill Stewart. He played 65 games in the World Hockey Association (WHA) between 1976 and 1979, and 21 games in the National Hockey League (NHL) during the 1979–80 season. He later worked as a referee in the NHL from 1986 until 2003

Matt Pavelich is a Canadian retired former National Hockey League ice-hockey linesman, the first to ever be elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1987. After his career as an NHL linesman, Pavelich served as Supervisor of Officials as well as the Director of Player Discipline for the United Hockey League.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bill McCreary (referee)</span> Canadian ice hockey referee

William McCreary is a former National Hockey League referee. Before retiring in 2011, McCreary officiated 1,737 regular season games, 297 playoff games, and one NHL All-Star Game. McCreary wore uniform number 7 since the 1994–95 NHL season and wore a helmet for most of his refereeing career. He worked fifteen Stanley Cup Finals, the 1991 Canada Cup, the 1996 World Cup of Hockey, and the 1998, 2002 and 2010 Winter Olympics, where he officiated the gold medal game each time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Garry Howatt</span> Canadian ice hockey player

Garry Robert Charles Howatt is a Canadian former ice hockey forward. He played in the National Hockey League with the New York Islanders, Hartford Whalers, and New Jersey Devils between 1972 and 1984. With the Islanders Howatt won the Stanley Cup in 1980 and 1981. Howatt was known for his toughness and, due to his small size, had the nickname "Toy Tiger."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paul Devorski</span> Canadian ice hockey official

Paul Devorski is a retired National Hockey League referee, who wore uniform number 10 beginning in the 1994–95 NHL season. He refereed his first NHL game on October 14, 1989, and has been wearing a helmet while refereeing NHL games since the 2005–06 NHL season. He was one of the selected referees who officiated the 2007 Stanley Cup Finals with Dan O'Halloran, and was selected again to officiate the 2008 Stanley Cup Finals along with O'Halloran, as well as the 2009 Stanley Cup Finals alongside Dennis LaRue. He is the older brother of NHL linesman Greg Devorski.

Michael Stephen Volcan is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman who played 162 National Hockey League games for the Hartford Whalers and Calgary Flames from 1980 until 1984. He recorded eight goals and 33 assists in his career. Volcan was a third round draft pick, 50th overall by the Whalers in the 1980 NHL Entry Draft. He was the youngest player in the NHL in the 1980–81 season. Volcan retired following the 1990–91 season.

Wayne Bonney is a retired National Hockey League linesman. His NHL career started in 1979 after a brilliant career with the WHA, and ended in 2004. During his career, he officiated 2,470 regular season games, 134 playoff games, five Stanley Cup finals, the 1996 World Cup of Hockey, and one All-Star game. From the 1994-95 NHL season until his retirement, he wore uniform number 94. He also became the first NHL official to wear a visor. On November 3, 1990, Bonney worked two games in one day. He worked a matinee game between the Chicago Blackhawks and the Philadelphia Flyers at The Spectrum in Philadelphia, later that day he worked the game between the Buffalo Sabres and the Boston Bruins at the Boston Garden, when Gerard Gauthier the linesman who was scheduled to work the game was ill and couldn't make it.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shane Heyer</span> Canadian ice hockey official (born 1964)

Shane Heyer is a retired National Hockey League (NHL) linesman. He officiated the 2010 Olympics, two World Cup of Hockey tournaments, one NHL All-Star Game, and six Stanley Cup Finals. His career started in the 1988–89 NHL season, and he wore uniform number 55.

Mark Paré is a Canadian retired National Hockey League linesman who wore uniform number 79.

Art Skov was a referee and Supervisor of Officials in the National Hockey League, officiating more than 1,000 NHL games. He was also a Supervisor of Officials in the World Hockey Association.

Mike Cvik is a Canadian former National Hockey League linesman, who wore uniform number #88. At 6 foot, 9 Inches, Cvik was the same height as the NHL's tallest player, Zdeno Chára. He worked more than 1800 NHL games, including his highlights such as the gold medal game at the 2002 Winter Olympics, the NHL All-Star Game and the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

References

  1. ↑ Bear to men; teddy to cubs
  2. 1 2 Associated Press (1989-01-30). "Bruins' fan goes after official". The Hour (Norwalk, Conn.). p. 25. Retrieved 2012-07-14.
  3. ↑ Former NHL linesman recognized for off-ice work
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.