While more than 200 players have signed contracts to play in Europe, some of the league's 80 on-ice officials have turned to unlikely employment.

Newell said the decision was up to Rappleye, not the on-ice officials.

After several years as an on-ice official, he was named head coach of the Hamilton Tigers for one season.

As the name implies, on-ice officials do their job in the hockey rink.

- The referee skating over to the other on-ice officials with a giant grin on his face before saying "wooooo."

The league invited coaches, general managers and on-ice officials - more than 150 people in all - to a hotel in Toronto.

In any given year, a maximum of four players, two builders, and one on-ice official are inducted as members.

Player and on-ice officials must have been retired for a minimum of three years to be eligible for nomination.

After working as an on-ice official for a few years, he became head coach of the Hamilton Tigers for one season.

This was the beginning of his long standing career as an on-ice official.