NHL Provides A Positive Update On Injured Referee

There was a scary scene in the NHL on Monday night when referee Mitch Dunning had to be stretchered off the ice after colliding with Colorado Avalanche defenseman Josh Manson.

Fortunately, the league has provided a very positive update on his condition.

On Tuesday, the Associate Press reported that the league says Dunning has returned to his home and is expected to make a full recovery after a trip to the hospital following the incident which occurred at the Welles Fargo Center in Philadelphia during a game between the Avs and Flyers which ended in a 3-2 Colorado win.

Obviously, a scary scene whenever someone had to be stretchered off the ice, but the game continued with one referee and two linesmen.

The league hasn't said when Dunning will be back in action, but I can assure you — based solely on my thorough understanding of the typical Hockey Guy brain — it will be as soon as he gets cleared by the doctors because hockey officials are built differently, just like the players.

NHL Referee Mitch Dunning is attended to by the Flyers trainers after a violent collision with Colorado Avalanche Defenseman Josh Manson. (Photo by Gregory Fisher/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Now and then I watch what hockey's on-ice officials do during a game — jump over pucks, climb onto the boards, break up fights — and it just kind of blows my mind. There's some insane athleticism on display every night.

That's why a lot of these guys played at high levels. In fact, Dunning played parts of three seasons in the Ontario Hockey League before turning to officiating. He became a full-time NHL regular in 2022.

But as we saw last night, it's dangerous as hell and freak things like having Josh Manson (who you have to feel for too; sucks to be the guy responsible for an injury like that) plowing you over.