Red Deer's Kyle Rehman (centre), now an NHL official with 1,000 games under his belt, was honoured before the start of a game between Edmonton and L.A. at Rogers Place on March 28, 2024. He's seen here with his family, including wife Alyssa, daughter Reese, and sons Jaxon and Brody, as well as NHLers Connor McDavid and Anze Kopitar. (NHL)

By Josh Hall | @Vancan19

LIVING OUT A DREAM

NHL ref Kyle Rehman, Red Deer’s own, recognized for 1,000th game

Apr 6, 2024 | 11:25 AM

Listen to the abridged version of our interview with Kyle Rehman

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Red Deer’s own Kyle Rehman is currently living out his dream, and was recently celebrated for it as he reached 1,000 regular season games officiated in the NHL.

Rehman was honoured prior to puck drop on March 28 when the Oilers hosted the Los Angeles Kings. His first game was way back in January 2008 in a game that featured Tampa Bay hosting, coincidentally, Edmonton.

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He’s also officiated 35 playoff games in that span, and as far as the Stanley Cup Playoffs’ second round, with hopes to one day be selected for the Cup Final.

“To be honest, it hasn’t completely sunk in yet because we’re in the midst of the stretch run and there are obviously lots of races going on, so I’m just focusing on one game at a time. But if I do sit back and do some reflection, obviously it’s a significant milestone to hit,” says Rehman.

“I never, ever would have thought that I’d ref one game in the NHL, so to hit 1,000 is an incredible accomplishment. There’s a lot of hard work along the way, and a lot of sacrifices to get there, not only for myself but my family. They sacrifice so much for me to live out my dream.”

The actual moment in Edmonton that he was recognized involved his family, making it extra special, he says.

Rehman received a Tiffany crystal from the league, and his officiating crew gifted him a pair of Adirondack chairs emblazoned with his name, the NHL logo and ‘1,000 games.’

He also received congratulatory texts from past faces, including former Red Deer Rebel Dion Phaneuf, whom Rehman crossed paths with during his days as a WHL ref.

“[The best part of being an NHL referee] is staying involved in the game. These players are so skilled, and any night, anyone can beat anyone. To be out there involved in it, and obviously it’s about the players, but to share the ice with them and see all the skill is… you know, it’s not even work, it’s enjoyable,” he says.

On the challenging side?

“I always share with friends, family and people that just want to talk hockey, [because] they’ll watch on TV and be like, ‘How did you miss that?’, that if you slow it down and spin it to an angle where they can see where you’re at, and you explain to them that there are three bodies in front of me, I can’t see through them to catch everything in real time,” he explains.

“It’s hard. I mean, that’s what we’re paid to do and that’s what our guys do. We make hundreds of decisions, not just penalties, [every night].”

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Oh, and Rehman’s feelings aren’t hurt by the routine chants aimed at officials.

“Especially that one year during COVID when we had no fans in the rink… I will gladly have ‘Refs, you suck!’ rather than no fans any day.”

Rehman began reffing in 2000 in Red Deer, and was, “thrown into the deep end,” at one point with opportunities to do U18 AAA and Senior AAA games.

In 2002, he was hired by the Western Hockey League, and in 2007 got his shot with the National Hockey League.

In the meantime, he’d obtained a degree from the University of Alberta, and when hockey season ended, he had stints as a substitute teacher at St. Francis of Assisi Middle School and Notre Dame High School in Red Deer.

When someone does 1,000 of anything, there must be one that stands out.

“The Winter Classic in Dallas in 2020 was an amazing game. It was really intense, and we had the major on [Corey] Perry like two minutes in. We called a penalty shot in the first and there were lots of big hits. It was rock ’em, sock ’em hockey that night,” he says.

“I got to go to Sweden this season for the NHL Global Series and my wife got to come with me, so that was really cool too.”

Rehman also has a message for youth considering taking up the art of officiating.

“I do get to do a lot of work with young officials, and I always tell them to try and avoid the outside noise in terms of parents and coaches. They’re not yelling at you, they’re yelling at the jersey. They don’t know the rules [like you],” says Rehman.

“They’re the keepers of the game. As long as they can go out there, then come off the ice, take their skates off, look themselves in the mirror, and say they worked their hardest, they should be proud and enjoy it because it’s a great way to stay involved in the game.”

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