Matt Pavelich

Early career

Pavelich began officiating when he was fourteen, working minor hockey games in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, and by the time he was twenty years old, was referee-in-chief of the Northern Michigan Intermediate League.

He worked in the American Hockey League in the 1955–56 season, and he made his National Hockey League début on October 11, 1956, at 22.

His older brother Marty Pavelich had been a player with the Detroit Red Wings since 1947, and when the younger Pavelich joined the NHL in 1956, it marked the first time in NHL history where there had been a player/official brother combination.

Career in the NHL

Pavelich retired after 23 years and 1,727 regular-season games, second only to Neil Armstrong. He also officiated 245 playoff games, second only to John D'Amico. He also worked seven Stanley Cup Finals.

After that, Pavelich became the NHL's supervisor of officials for referee-in-chief Scotty Morrison.

In 1987, Pavelich was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

On January 24, 1979, Pavelich refereed the first period of the game between the New York Rangers and the Washington Capitals. This was because the scheduled referee for the game Bruce Hood, was unable to make it to the Capital Centre in time, arriving late and taking over the referee chores at the start of the second period.

In his ninth season with the United Hockey League, he served as a Supervisor of Officials as well as the Director of Player Discipline for the first half of the 1998–99 season.

Death

Matt Pavelich died on October 30, 2026, at the age of 92.