Jason La Rose
Hockey Canada has announced the management group that will lead the Hockey Canada Officiating Program through the 2026-27 season.
Dan Coles (Sherwood Park, AB), Matthew Fergenbaum (Thornhill, ON), Fraser Lawrence (Edmonton, AB), Vanessa Stratton (Windsor, ON) and Sean Tobin (Goulds, NL) will work alongside officiating manager Dan Hanoomansingh (Vancouver, BC) and officiating coordinator Megan Howes (Burnaby, BC) to oversee the program.
At the conclusion of the 2023-24 season, Hockey Canada referee-in-chief Todd Robinson (Sackville, NS) announced his retirement, having served in the role since 2017. Through consultations with its 13 Members, Hockey Canada determined a new structure was required to lead the Officiating Program. The creation of a management group, staffed by individuals with focused mandates in their area of expertise, was identified as a key step forward for the program.
“Hockey Canada is grateful to Todd Robinson for his years of dedicated service to our officials,” said Hanoomansingh. “As Todd prepared to step down, it was clear that the size and diversity of the Officiating Program required multiple experts in positions of leadership. Our Members were supportive of this new direction and we are looking forward to seeing the program develop under the leadership of our new management group.”
Dan Coles will serve in the position of Officiating Education Lead and take responsibility for the development of the officiating curriculum and assisting in the development and delivery of training for officiating instructors. Coles began officiating with the St. Albert MHA at the age of 13 and has served in a variety of leadership roles across the officiating program, including as an assigner, clinic instructor and referee-in-chief. He holds a bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education, with a specialization in educational technology. Away from the rink, Coles has worked as a teacher and principal, primarily in physical education and mathematics, and currently works with the Alberta Teachers’ Association, focusing on labour relations and supporting teachers.
Matthew Fergenbaum takes on the role of Para Officiating Lead, supporting the Members with recruitment and development of officials for para hockey, as well as identifying and training officials for competitions sanctioned by World Para Ice Hockey (WPIH). Fergenbaum brings over two decades of on-ice officiating experience, including two Paralympic Winter Games and eight world championships. In the past year, he has become integral to the development of WPIH’s officiating staff, leading their officiating camp in South Korea, and will continue his work in parallel to this role with Hockey Canada.
Fraser Lawrence will take the role of OPOE Men’s Head Coach, leading the development of high-performance officials in the men’s hockey stream of the Officiating Program of Excellence. Lawrence recently finished a glittering on-ice career, officiating league championships in the Western Hockey League and American Hockey League, as well as the Canada Winter Games, two IIHF World Junior Championships and the 2022 IIHF World Championship. While pursuing success in business as a senior sales executive, Lawrence has continued his involvement in the Alberta Junior Hockey League and Western Hockey League, as well as participating in Hockey Canada’s 2024 Men’s Elite Development Camp and the 2024 Hlinka Gretzky Cup. Lawrence will bring his focus to mentoring the next generation of Hockey Canada officials and elevating the standard across the program.
Vanessa Stratton takes on the role of OPOE Women’s Head Coach, leading the development of high-performance officials in the women’s hockey stream of the Officiating Program of Excellence. Stratton currently splits her time between roles with BC Hockey, Hockey Canada and the IIHF, where she has coached officials at the last two editions of the IIHF Women’s World Championship, as well as being part of the core coaching group for the Road to Milano Olympic preparation program. In 2023, she was also nominated to join the IIHF Officiating Committee, where she contributes to the global growth and advancement of officiating. Off the ice, Stratton works full-time at Western University and will be starting her PhD in the fall 2025 at the University of Windsor, focusing her research on the officiating ecosystem.
Sean Tobin will serve in the position of Officiating Coaching Lead and take responsibility for the development of officiating coaches and leaders at the grassroots level across the country. Tobin most recently served as a senior instructor with several Members and is the former assistant referee-in-chief of Hockey Eastern Ontario (HEO). Tobin developed the YouTube series Rule of the Week, promoting better understanding of the Hockey Canada Playing Rules, and was responsible for introducing the Green Armband Initiative to HEO. Alongside his hockey work, Tobin is a registered mental health clinician with extensive leadership experience in the public sector. His professional background has helped him foster practical training, mentorship and a thoughtful approach to officiating education and coaching across Canadian hockey.
The Hockey Canada Officiating Program is for anyone who is interested in officiating, from the grassroots to the international game. The 13 Members provide a path for anyone to participate in officiating, develop a love for the game and achieve their goals. For more information about the Hockey Canada Officiating Program, visit HockeyCanada.ca/Officials.