Hall of Fame NHL referee Scotty Morrison passes away 

An influential member on and off the ice has passed away.

On Wednesday, former NHL referee and league executive Ian “Scotty” Morrison died at the age of 95.

Commissioner Gary Bettman released a statement on Thursday, sending his condolences to Morrison’s family and friends.

“I was deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Scotty Morrison,” Bettman said. “A true Builder of the game, Scotty dedicated his life to hockey and helped shape the Hockey Hall of Fame’s mission of celebrating excellence and preserving hockey’s history. In addition to his lasting contributions to the Hall, Scotty also served the game with distinction as an on-ice official and respected hockey executive, bringing integrity, leadership, and deep knowledge to every role he held. His impact on the game will be felt for generations.”

The Montreal native was known as a great leader who made contributions to various areas of the game. After playing junior hockey, he became an official, working in junior and senior leagues in Quebec before moving west to join the ranks of the Western Hockey League.

It wasn’t long until Morrison saw the lights of the big time. He became an NHL referee in 1954 at just 24 years old, the youngest in league history at the time. After one season, he returned to the WHL, becoming the referee-in-chief. He was hired back by the NHL under the same title 10 years later, later becoming the vice president of officiating in 1981.

In 1986, Morrison became the league’s vice president of project development, with then-NHL president John Zeigler Jr. making him responsible for the expansion and relocation of the Hockey Hall of Fame. It was Morrison who helped direct the Hall’s move from Exhibition Place to Yonge and Front Street in downtown Toronto, with the venue opening its doors in June 1993.

Morrison, who became president of the HHOF in 1991, retired in 1998, and was inducted into the Hall of Fame the following year alongside Andy Van Hellemond and Wayne Gretzky.

Former NHLer Mike Gartner, Chair of the Board of the Hockey Hall of Fame, stated that Morrison will be remembered as a great ambassador of the game, bringing enthusiasm and professionalism to his roles.

“Among his many contributions as an on-ice official and hockey executive,” Gartner explained in a statement. “He is widely credited for providing the creativity and vision for the Hall while building a dedicated team to develop and operate a state-of-the-art museum and place of entertainment for the game of hockey.”

Morrison passed away peacefully, surrounded by his family, in Invermere, B.C.