In a sport like ice hockey, the stories of victory came unexpectedly, Mitch Dunning started his journey as a player and ended up being a referee in the NHL. Born and raised in Tecumseh, Ontario, Dunning's journey started with Sun County minor hockey. He was selected in the fourth round by the Sarina Sting in the Ontario Hockey League in 2008. He initially played as a defenseman for the Sarina Sting and the Windsor Spitfires, where he showcased his hockey skills in the OHL from 2008 to 2011.
Dunning also played in the OHA Junior League from 2008 to 2012. He played for the Chatham Jr. Maroons, the Belle River Canadiens, and the Elmira Sugar Kings when he was playing in the OHL. However, Dunning unfortunately faced a knee injury during the 2010-2011 season, forcing stop playing the game.
Dunning did not give up and kept contributing to the sport he loved. From 2012 to 2013, he played for the Windsor University hockey team, and alongside he pursued a degree in Labour Studies. The following season, he officially stopped playing hockey but his passion for ice hockey stayed with Dunning.
He took the role of coach of the minor hockey team in Belle River, Ontario where he coached for almost three seasons. In the summer of 2014, his destiny took a new turn. Windsor Essex County Referee Association asked Dunning to officiate. He debuted as a referee in the Ontario Hockey League where he started his career as an ice hockey player. Dunning gradually progressed to Midget AAA and worked there as a linesman during his inaugural season.
His extensive experience in the game established the base of his understanding of the sport and slowly earned him big contracts and achievements. His momentum happened in 2015 while officiating for Don Koharski''s School, considering his dedication he was invited to join the OHL camp for referee. Not only that he was invited to attend the NHL Officiating Exposure to showcase his skills in front of the NHL officiating recruiting staff. Dunning has officiated a total of 157 Games and worked as linesman in five games. He became a full time NHL referee in 2022.
Mitch Dunning Salary
Unfortunately, Dunnin’s contracts and compensation is not known to the public domain. However, an experienced referee in the NHL makes $1,000 to $2,000 per match and early income around $3,000k to $7,000k. Dunning is still new in the NHL and we are not sure of how much he is earning. Considering his experience and the salaries of other referees, his income may be between $200k to $400k per annum.
Mitch Dunning journey to NHL
Dunning worked as a linesman for two years from 2015 to 2017 in leagues like OHL, EHL, and AHL. Dunning got his momentum when he became a referee in a prestigious league like the American Hockey League. His talent got noticed on the international stage where he officiated at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge.
In 2018, Dunning was invited to attend his fourth NHL Officiating Exposure Combine but he got a new job offer to be a referee in a minor league. In 2022, Dunning finally became a regular NHL referee and is still counting. His journey from a player to NHL referee is incredible.
FAQs
A.Mitch Dunning was born and raised in Tecumseh, Ontario, Canada.
A. In 2022, Dunning finally became a regular NHL referee and is still counting
A.Dunning started his hockey journey as a player and played in the league like OHL with the Sarina Sting.
A.Unfortunately, Dunnin’s contracts and compensation is not known to the public domain. However, an experienced referee in the NHL makes $1,000 to $2,000 per match and early income around $3,000k to $7,000k.
A.Yes, he is a full-time NHL referee
