OHL Announces Officiating Team for 2026 Championship Series Presented by Nissan
Published on May 6, 2026 under Ontario Hockey League (OHL) News Release
KITCHENER - The Ontario Hockey League (OHL) today announced the 10 officials selected to work the 2026 OHL Championship Series presented by Nissan that begins Wednesday night at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium as the Kitchener Rangers host the Barrie Colts at 7:00 pm and can be seen live on TSN or streamed online on FloHockey.
OHL Director of Officiating Conrad Haché confirmed the selections following what he described as one of the most competitive evaluation processes in recent years.
"In my 19 years, these were among the toughest selection decisions I have had to make," said Haché. "The margins were very thin. The review process included playoff performance, overall body of work, consistency, game management, teamwork, communication, and readiness for this stage. There are officials who were not selected who are fully capable of working the Championship Series, which speaks to the strength of our group."
Haché also acknowledged the standard set by officials throughout the postseason.
"The professionalism, preparation, and commitment shown throughout the playoffs have made this selection process as competitive as it has ever been," he added. "To those selected, this is a tremendous accomplishment that should be earned with pride, humility, and continued focus."
The League also recognizes Chad Ingalls and Spencer Knox, who were selected to work the Gold Medal Game at the IIHF Men's World Under-18 Championship. Brian Birkhoff also earned Championship Series consideration, but will not be available due to his selection to work the IIHF Men's World Championship.
The 2026 OHL Championship Series Officiating Team is as follows:
2026 OHL Championship Series Officiating Team
Number of OHL seasons in brackets
Referees:
Nick Bet (8) - 1st OHL Championship Series
Damian Figueira (3) - 1st OHL Championship Series
Chad Ingalls (4) - 2nd OHL Championship Series
Jason Faist (17) - 6th OHL Championship Series
Mac Nichol (8, 7 as referee) - 4th OHL Championship Series
Linespersons:
Spencer Knox (5) - 4th OHL Championship Series
Dan Kovachik (3) - 2nd OHL Championship Series
Dustin McCrank (17) - 11th OHL Championship Series
Justin Noble (7) - 4th OHL Championship Series
Luke Pye (5) - 1st OHL Championship Series
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