Jordan Samuels-Thomas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jordan Samuels-Thomas
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Samuels-Thomas with the Ontario Reign
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| Born | May 28, 1990 West Hartford, Connecticut, US
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| Alma mater | Quinnipiac University | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Occupation | Ice hockey referee | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years active | 2022–present | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Employer | National Hockey League | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Jordan Blaine Samuels-Thomas (born May 28, 1990) is an American NHL referee. He used to be a professional ice hockey player. The Atlanta Thrashers picked him in the 2009 NHL Draft. He started working as an NHL referee in the 2021–22 NHL season. As of the start of the 2024–25 season, he has refereed 55 regular season games. He wears uniform number 42.
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Early Life and College Hockey
Jordan Samuels-Thomas was born in West Hartford, Connecticut. He played junior hockey for the Waterloo Black Hawks. This team is part of the United States Hockey League (USHL).
After junior hockey, he went to Bowling Green State University. He played college hockey there for two seasons. Later, he moved to Quinnipiac University. He played for the Quinnipiac Bobcats for two more seasons.
During his four years in college hockey, Jordan played 148 games. He scored 50 goals and made 54 assists. He also earned two degrees in journalism from Quinnipiac University.
Playing Professional Hockey
After college, Jordan Samuels-Thomas began his professional playing career. In 2014, the Winnipeg Jets traded his NHL rights to the Buffalo Sabres. The Sabres then signed him to a one-year contract.
He played for various teams in different leagues. These included the AHL and the ECHL. He also played in Europe. He joined teams in the Czech Extraliga and the DEL in Germany.
Later, he played in the Austrian Hockey League for KHL Medveščak Zagreb. He returned to North America to play for the Hershey Bears and the South Carolina Stingrays. His last playing team was the Heilbronner Falken in Germany. He played professional hockey for six seasons.
Becoming an NHL Referee
On January 29, 2021, Jordan Samuels-Thomas stopped playing hockey. He decided to start a new career as an official. The NHL hired him to work as a referee.
His first game as an NHL referee was on April 14, 2022. It was a game between the San Jose Sharks and the Chicago Blackhawks. When he refereed this game, he made history.
Jordan became the third known Black official to work in the NHL. He was also the first to be hired as a referee. The other two, Jay Sharrers and Shandor Alphonso, started as linesmen. He is also the first African-American official in the NHL.
Awards
Jordan Samuels-Thomas received an award during his college hockey career.
| Award | Year | |
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| College | ||
| NCAA All-Tournament Team | 2013 | |
See also
- List of NHL on-ice officials
