Jordan Samuels-Thomas | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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.jpg) Samuels-Thomas with theOntario Reign | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | (1990-05-28)May 28, 1990 (age 35) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Alma mater | Quinnipiac University | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Occupation | Ice hockey referee | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years active | 2022–present | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Employer | National Hockey League | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Ice hockey player
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Jordan Blaine Samuels-Thomas (born May 28, 1990) is an AmericanNational Hockey League referee and former professionalice hockey player. He was selected by theAtlanta Thrashers in the seventh round (203rd overall) of the2009 NHL Entry Draft.[1] He made his officiating debut during the2021–22 NHL season and has refereed 55 regular season games as of the start of the2024–25 season[update]. He wears uniform number 42.[2][3]
Samuels-Thomas was born inWest Hartford, Connecticut. He played junior hockey with theWaterloo Black Hawks of theUnited States Hockey League (USHL) before attendingBowling Green State University to play the2009–10 and2010–11 seasons with theBowling Green Falcons. He then transferred toQuinnipiac University,[4] where he played the2012–13 and2013–14 seasons with theQuinnipiac Bobcats men's ice hockey team.[5][6] During his four years of college hockey Samuels-Thomas played 148 games, registering 50 goals, 54 assists, and 162 penalty minutes.[7] He earned a bachelor's and master's degree in journalism from Quinnipiac University.[8]
On July 9, 2014, theWinnipeg Jets traded his NHL rights to theBuffalo Sabres in exchange for a conditional seventh-round pick in the2015 NHL Entry Draft,[9] and three days later, on July 12, 2014, the Buffalo Sabres signed him to a one-year,entry-level contract.[10] The Sabres chose not to retain his rights after that season.[11]
On September 24, 2015, Samuels-Thomas was signed by theOntario Reign.[12] He was briefly assigned to theManchester Monarchs of theECHL at the beginning of the season, but then was recalled back to the Reign.[13]
On December 30, 2017, while in the midst of his second season with the Gulls, Samuels-Thomas was released from his AHL contract after appearing in 18 games for two points.[14] On January 3, 2018, he signed his first contract abroad withMladá Boleslav of theCzech Extraliga (ELH) until the end of the 2017–18 season.[15] After just four games with them Samuels-Thomas switched teams again and signed withAugsburger Panther of theDeutsche Eishockey Liga on January 25, 2018.[16]
As a free agent from the Panthers in the off-season, Samuels-Thomas moved to the neighboringAustrian Hockey League, agreeing to a one-year deal with Croatian-basedKHL Medveščak Zagreb on August 1, 2018.[17] In the 2018–19 season, Samuels-Thomas contributed with 11 points through 17 games before opting to leave the club mid-season. On January 18, 2019, having returned to North America, he signed an AHL contract with theHershey Bears for the remainder of the season and was immediately assigned to ECHL affiliate, the South Carolina Stingrays.[18]
On September 29, 2019, approaching the2019–20 season, Samuels-Thomas agreed to continue his career in the ECHL, signing with theWorcester Railers.[19] He registered 11 goals and 29 points in 33 games with the Railers, before leaving the club to return to Europe for the remainder of the season, agreeing to a contract with GermanDEL2 club,Heilbronner Falken on February 3, 2020.
On January 29, 2021, Samuels-Thomas ended his playing career after six professional seasons and began a career as an official.[20][21] He was hired on a minor-league contract by the NHL for the2021–22 season, working a few preseason games with veteran officials.[22] His first game in the NHL was on April 14, 2022, between theSan Jose Sharks andChicago Blackhawks.[2] Upon officiating the game, Samuels-Thomas became the third known Black official to work in the NHL after linesmenJay Sharrers andShandor Alphonso, and the first to be initially hired as a referee.[a] He also became the firstAfrican-American official, as Sharrers and Alphonso areCanadian.[22][21] The game’s other officials were refereeEric Furlatt, and linesmen Alphonso andRyan Galloway.[23]
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 2006–07 | Hartford Jr. Wolfpack | AtJHL | 43 | 21 | 38 | 59 | 44 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 2007–08 | Waterloo Black Hawks | USHL | 56 | 8 | 3 | 11 | 65 | 11 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 10 | ||
| 2008–09 | Waterloo Black Hawks | USHL | 59 | 32 | 22 | 54 | 59 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | ||
| 2009–10 | Bowling Green State U. | CCHA | 35 | 11 | 14 | 25 | 30 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2010–11 | Bowling Green State U. | CCHA | 36 | 9 | 12 | 21 | 46 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2012–13 | Quinnipiac University | ECAC | 43 | 17 | 12 | 29 | 40 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2013–14 | Quinnipiac University | ECAC | 34 | 13 | 16 | 29 | 46 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2014–15 | Rochester Americans | AHL | 63 | 5 | 3 | 8 | 70 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2015–16 | Manchester Monarchs | ECHL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2015–16 | Ontario Reign | AHL | 58 | 12 | 10 | 22 | 46 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 8 | ||
| 2016–17 | Utah Grizzlies | ECHL | 4 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2016–17 | Florida Everblades | ECHL | 5 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2016–17 | San Diego Gulls | AHL | 56 | 12 | 12 | 24 | 17 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | ||
| 2017–18 | San Diego Gulls | AHL | 18 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 18 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2017–18 | BK Mladá Boleslav | ELH | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2017–18 | Augsburger Panther | DEL | 6 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2018–19 | KHL Medveščak Zagreb | EBEL | 17 | 2 | 9 | 11 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2018–19 | South Carolina Stingrays | ECHL | 26 | 6 | 12 | 18 | 13 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | ||
| 2019–20 | Worcester Railers | ECHL | 33 | 11 | 18 | 29 | 18 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2019–20 | Heilbronner Falken | DEL2 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| AHL totals | 195 | 28 | 28 | 56 | 151 | 23 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 10 | ||||
| Award | Year | |
|---|---|---|
| College | ||
| NCAAAll-Tournament Team | 2013 | |