A former Edmonton Oilers prospect made his NHL debut last night, though not in the way you might expect.
Back in 2013, the Oilers selected a massive 6-foot-5, 227-pound defenceman named Ben Betker in the fifth round of the NHL Draft.
Betker spent two more seasons in the WHL after being drafted before turning pro for the 2015-16 campaign. He went on to spend parts of three seasons in the Oilers organization, splitting his time between the AHL and ECHL before heading overseas for six seasons.
After that lengthy journey, Betker has finally reached the level he once dreamed of, though not as a player.
Following the end of his playing career, Betker decided to pursue officiating. He attended the 2024 NHL Officiating Combine and soon began working games in the BCHL and ECHL before eventually making his way to the AHL.
Betker’s rise through the officiating ranks continued last season when he refereed his first NHL preseason game between the Vegas Golden Knights and San Jose Sharks. Now, he’s taken another significant step forward.
On Thursday night, Betker refereed the first regular-season NHL game of his career, working the matchup between the Chicago Blackhawks and Winnipeg Jets. It wasn’t exactly a quiet night on the ice, either, as the two teams combined for 18 penalty minutes.
Referee Ben Betker to make his season debut tonight, working Jets vs. Blackhawks – details, stats, and more on the site #WPGvsCHI pic.twitter.com/zWPBP0yO7g
— Scouting The Refs (@ScoutingTheRefs) October 15, 2026
It was quite the debut, as the Blackhawks and Jets were tied 3-3 after 60 minutes before Chicago defenceman Artyom Levshunov scored the overtime winner.
While Betker’s first appearance at the NHL level came with a whistle in his hand rather than a stick, reaching the league is still a significant accomplishment for the former Oilers prospect.
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