Dean Warren
Dean Warren is a former ice hockey official, best known for working in the National Hockey League.
NHL career
In April 2008, Warren was fired by the NHL for what the league said was "substandard performance". Warren had not worked in the playoffs after the 2006 season, which gave the league the right to release him from his contract through the union's collective bargaining agreement.[1] He claimed that when he became the Vice-President of the NHL Officials Association in 2006, he noticed "league bias against him".[2] A year before his termination, e-mails were sent during an exchange between Stephen Walkom and Colin Campbell; the e-mails were sent after a 24 February 2007 game between the Florida Panthers and Boston Bruins. Campbell suggested that "there must be a way to get rid of this guy".[3]
The move came as a surprise to some of the members of the NHLOA; linesman Brian Murphy said that he was "surprised that any official could fall that far that fast".[4] Other officials critiqued Warren post-firing, with referee Paul Devorski calling him "horse shit".[5]
In 2009, one year after his release from the league, Warren went to the Ontario Labour Relations Board in an attempt to be re-hired. While the Board ruled against his request, the Ontario Superior Court stepped in when it came to severance pay. The Court said that the NHL had to pay Warren his severance, even though the OLRB said too much time passed after he was released.[6] In an April 2016 letter to Warren's lawyer, the NHL said they would take the case to the Supreme Court.[7]
References
- Klein, Jeff Z. (2 December 2009). "N.H.L. Referee Says Union Work Led to Dismissal". The New York Times. Retrieved 8 May 2017.
- "Former referee dishes on NHL, Colin Campbell". Toronto Sun. 16 November 2010. Retrieved 8 May 2017.
- Wilbur, Eric (15 November 2010). "Did a grudge against Savard let Cooke get away clean?". Boston.com. Retrieved 8 May 2017.
- Cribb, Robert (11 March 2010). "Decline for fired NHL referee Warren confounds union head". Toronto Star. Retrieved 8 May 2017.
- Spector, Mark (7 October 2009). "NHL referees divided on Warren case". Sportsnet.ca. Retrieved 8 May 2017.
- "Former referee's legal fight with NHL could reach Supreme Court". CTV News. 13 April 2016. Retrieved 8 May 2017.
- Westhead, Rick (13 April 2016). "NHL turns to Supreme Court of Canada in battle with former referee". TSN.ca. Retrieved 8 May 2017.