Andy Van Hellemond

Who is Andy Van Hellemond?

Andy Van Hellemond is a former National Hockey League referee and a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame since 1999.

His NHL officiating career began in 1969 and included 21 Stanley Cup Finals. In 1984, he became the first NHL on-ice official to wear a helmet. Subsequently, several officials followed his lead and beginning with the 2006–07 NHL season, all NHL on-ice officials must wear helmets.

From the 1994–95 NHL season until his retirement in 1997, Van Hellemond wore uniform number 25, which is now worn by Marc Joannette. Prior to the 1994-95 season, NHL officials' uniform shirts displayed their last names on the back.

After retiring, Van Hellemond went to the East Coast Hockey League, where he held a management position there until being hired by the NHL in 2000 to replace Bryan Lewis as Director of Officiating. Van Hellemond remained director of officiating until July 2004 when he resigned to pursue other interests.

On September 3, 2010 Van Hellemond declared he would run for Ward Two City Councillor during the October 25, 2010 Guelph municipal election in the city of Guelph, Ontario. On October 25, 2010 Van Hellemond was elected to Ward Two, winning with 29.86% of the vote over both incumbents.