AHL Officials Complete Two-Day Rochester Training Camp

American Hockey League referees and linespeople gathered at Rochester's Tim Hortons Iceplex on Thursday and Friday for two days of on-ice work, conditioning and rulebook sessions ahead of the 2026-27 season.

The league's hockey operations department and NHL officiating managers led the camp. The Iceplex announced the September 17-18 event before it began, while local station WROC reported from the sessions and spoke with Stephen Thomson, the AHL's vice president of hockey operations.

Thomson said the gathering gives officials a rare chance to train together. Unlike a team, they do not share a rink and locker room every day. The league also uses the camp to identify areas for development among officials hoping to move up to the NHL.

One rule change on the agenda is the AHL's new offside review. The league confirmed that coaches may challenge a potential offside on a play that results in a goal this season. This expands the league's video-review system, previously limited to questions of whether the puck crossed the goal line.

The camp was open to the public, according to the Iceplex. WROC reported that Rochester's proximity to Toronto helps with travel logistics for officials arriving from the western part of North America.