Tim Nowak

Tim Nowak becomes just the third on-ice official to earn enshrinement into the ECHL Hall of Fame, joining Joe Ernst (2011) and Brad Phillips (2017). He began his career as a linesman in the ECHL in 1989 and worked three seasons in the league, twice earning an assignment working the Riley Cup Finals. He became the first ECHL on-ice official to reach the National Hockey League when he made his debut on Oct. 8, 1993, and he went on to work over 1,700 NHL games in 26 seasons before retiring in 2019. Nowak was selected to work the 2003 All-Star Game, the 2003 Stanley Cup Final, the 2004 World Cup of Hockey and the first-ever Winter Classic in 2008. He also was selected to officiate in two Winter Olympics, working games in 2002 in Salt Lake City and 2010 in Vancouver. He has served as an ECHL Officiating Development Coach since his retirement from the NHL.