Eric Furlatt (born December 2, 1971) is a

National Hockey League The National Hockey League (NHL; , ''LNH'') is a professional ice hockey league in North America composed of 32 teams25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. The NHL is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Cana ...

referee A referee is an official, in a variety of sports and competition, responsible for enforcing the rules of the sport, including sportsmanship decisions such as ejection. The official tasked with this job may be known by a variety of other title ...

, wearing number 27. He made his debut during the

2001–02 NHL season The 2001–02 NHL season was the 85th regular season of the National Hockey League. Thirty teams competed in an 82-game regular season. The regular season began on October 3, and the playoffs concluded on June 13, with the Detroit Red Wings defe ...

. , Furlatt has officiated 1,464 regular season games and 180 playoff games, including one

Stanley Cup Finals The Stanley Cup Finals in ice hockey (also known as the Stanley Cup Final among various media, ) is the annual championship series of the National Hockey League (NHL). The winner is awarded the Stanley Cup, North America's oldest professional spo ...

appearance.

Early life

Eric Furlatt was raised in

Cap-de-la-Madeleine Cap-de-la-Madeleine () is a former city in Quebec, Canada at the confluence of the Saint-Maurice River and the St. Lawrence River. It was amalgamated into the City of Trois-Rivières in 2002. Population (2006 census) 33,022. History Cap- ...

, where he attended . He frequently watched his father play hockey at the former Jean-Guy Talbot Arena, stating in an interview with

Radio-Canada Radio-Canada may refer to: * CBC/Radio-Canada, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation *Ici Radio-Canada Télé, the CBC's main French-language television network *Ici Radio-Canada Première Ici Radio-Canada Première (formerly Première Chaîne) i ...

that " ewas practically raised" there. He began officiating after seeing his brother referee

senior hockey Senior hockey refers to amateur or semi-professional ice hockey competition. There are no age restrictions for Senior players, who typically consist of those whose Junior eligibility has expired. Senior hockey leagues operate under the jurisdicti ...

, and officiated

junior hockey Junior ice hockey is amateur-level ice hockey for 16 to 20 year-old players. National Junior teams compete annually for the IIHF World Junior Championship. The United States men's national junior ice hockey team are the defending champions from t ...

, including

Major Junior Junior ice hockey is amateur-level ice hockey for 16 to 20 year-old players. National List of members of the International Ice Hockey Federation, Junior teams compete annually for the IIHF World Junior Championship. The United States men's nationa ...

, before being hired by the NHL.

Career

After being hired by the NHL in 1998, Furlatt refereed his first game on October 8, 2001, between the

Philadelphia Flyers The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia. The Flyers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Conference. The team play ...

and the

Columbus Blue Jackets The Columbus Blue Jackets (often simply referred to as the Jackets) are a professional ice hockey team based in Columbus, Ohio. The Blue Jackets compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern C ...

Nationwide Arena Nationwide Arena is a multi-purpose arena in the Arena District of Columbus, Ohio, United States. Since completion in 2000, the arena has served as the home of the Columbus Blue Jackets of the National Hockey League (NHL). It is one of two faci ...

. He worked the game with referee Mark Faucette, and linesmen Mike Cvik and Steve Miller. His

Stanley Cup playoff The season structure of the National Hockey League (NHL) is divided into the pre-season, regular season, and the Stanley Cup playoffs. In the pre-season, which is generally held during the last two weeks of September, each team plays several not-fo ...

debut was game two of the 2003 Western Conference quarterfinals between the

Anaheim Ducks The Anaheim Ducks are a professional ice hockey team based in Anaheim, California. The Ducks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Confere ...

and the

Detroit Red Wings The Detroit Red Wings (colloquially referred to as the Wings) are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit. The Red Wings compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the East ...

. Eighteen years after his first playoff game, Furlatt worked the

2021 Stanley Cup Finals The 2021 Stanley Cup Finals was the Stanley Cup Finals, championship series of the National Hockey League's (NHL) 2020–21 NHL season, 2020–21 season and the culmination of the 2021 Stanley Cup playoffs. The series was between the 2020–21 ...

. Furlatt was assigned to the 2012 NHL All-Star Game, the

2014 The year 2014 was marked by the surge of the Western African Ebola epidemic, West African Ebola epidemic, which began in 2013, becoming the List of Ebola outbreaks, most widespread outbreak of the Ebola, Ebola virus in human history, resul ...

2017 2017 was designated as the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development by the United Nations General Assembly. Events January * January 1 – Istanbul nightclub shooting: A gunman dressed as Santa Claus opens fire at the ...

and

2019 NHL Stadium Series The 2019 NHL Stadium Series (officially the 2019 Coors Light NHL Stadium Series) was a regular season National Hockey League (NHL) game played outdoors, as part of the Stadium Series of games held at football or baseball stadiums. The Philadelph ...

, and refereed in the

2016 World Cup of Hockey The 2016 World Cup of Hockey (abbreviated WCH2016) was an international ice hockey tournament. It was the third installment of the National Hockey League (NHL)-sanctioned competition, 12 years after the second World Cup of Hockey in 2004. It was ...

. Furlatt worked his 1,000th game on February 18, 2017, between the

Winnipeg Jets The Winnipeg Jets are a professional ice hockey team based in Winnipeg. The Jets compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. The te ...

and the

Montreal Canadiens The Montreal Canadiens (), officially ' ( Canadian Hockey Club) and colloquially known as the Habs, are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal. The Canadiens compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic D ...

. He was joined at the

Bell Centre Bell Centre (French: ''Centre Bell)'', formerly known as Molson Centre, is a multi-purpose arena located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Opened on March 16, 1996, it is the home arena of the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League (NHL), ...

by Marc Joannette,

Jonny Murray Jonny Murray (born August 10, 1974) is a Canadian National Hockey League official (ice hockey), linesman, who wears uniform number 95. He made his debut during the 2000–01 NHL season, and has officiated 1,506 regular season games and 192 play ...

and Michel Cormier, forming an all- Québécois officiating crew. Furlatt referred his 1500th game on January 6 2025 at the Bell Centre in Montreal, between Montreal Canadian and the Vancouver Canucks.

Personal life

Furlatt is married, with two daughters. He received a

bachelor’s degree A bachelor's degree (from Medieval Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six years (de ...

in 1997.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Furlatt, Eric 1971 births Living people Canadian ice hockey officials Ice hockey people from Trois-Rivières National Hockey League officials

Early life

Career

Personal life

See also

References