Matt Pavelich: key obituary facts
Is Matt Pavelich dead? Yes. Matt Pavelich died on October 30, 2026, at age 92.
Cause of death: Matt Pavelich's cause of death has not been publicly confirmed.
What was Matt Pavelich known for?
He was a hockey linesman.
More about Matt Pavelich
Born: 12 March 1934.
Place of birth: Ontario.
Gender: male.
Occupation: ice hockey referee.
Nationality: Canada.
Awards: Hockey Hall of Fame.
Occupations: NHL linesman, UHL off-ice official.
Matt Pavelich, a Canadian ice hockey linesman who became the first National Hockey League linesman elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame, died October 30, 2026, aged 92.
Born March 12, 1934, in Parkhill, Ontario, he began officiating at 14, working minor hockey games in Sault Ste. Marie.
By age 20, he was referee-in-chief of the Northern Michigan Intermediate League, an early leadership role in a career that moved through several levels of the sport. Pavelich worked in the American Hockey League during the 1955–56 season and made his NHL debut on October 11, 1956. His election to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1987 recognized a milestone for NHL officiating: he was the first linesman from the league to be inducted. After his NHL linesman career, he remained involved in the game in off-ice roles with the United Hockey League, serving as Supervisor of Officials and Director of Player Discipline. Those positions involved oversight of officials and player discipline, extending his work in hockey beyond his years on the ice. His career included officiating in minor hockey, the AHL and the NHL, followed by supervisory and disciplinary responsibilities in the UHL.