A former Edmonton Oilers prospect reached the NHL on Thursday night, just not as the player many once expected.
Ben Betker, a 6-foot-5, 227-pound defenceman drafted by Edmonton in the fifth round in 2013, worked his first regular-season NHL game as a referee when the Chicago Blackhawks met the Winnipeg Jets. It was a long road to get there, and it took him through every stop you’d expect before he finally got the call at the game’s highest level.
Betker spent two more seasons in the WHL after being selected, then turned pro for the 2015-16 campaign. He later logged parts of three seasons inside the Oilers organization, moving between the AHL and ECHL before spending six seasons overseas.
After his playing career ended, Betker shifted into officiating. He attended the 2024 NHL Officiating Combine and quickly got to work in the BCHL and ECHL, then advanced to the AHL. Last season brought another milestone when he refereed his first NHL preseason game, a meeting between the Vegas Golden Knights and San Jose Sharks.
His regular-season debut came in a lively one. Chicago and Winnipeg finished tied 3-3 after 60 minutes before Blackhawks defenceman Artyom Levshunov scored the overtime winner. The two teams combined for 18 penalty minutes, giving Betker a busy first night in the league.
#WPGvsCHI pic.twitter.com/zWPBP0yO7g
- Scouting The Refs (@ScoutingTheRefs) October 15, 2026
For a former Oilers prospect who once chased the dream as a player, the NHL now looks a little different - whistle in hand, but still very much at the center of the action.
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