From Griffins player to pro referee, Hayden Verbeek’s on-ice career has come full circle.

When Hayden Verbeek steps onto the ice at Van Andel Arena these days, the feeling is familiar, but the vantage point is entirely new.

Once a forward known for his relentless energy and attention to detail, Verbeek still possesses those same qualities as he watches the game unfold all around him. To see him in action is to see a quick and polished skater who doesn't miss a thing amidst a ballet of speed, spacing, and split-second decisions.

But these days he's not backchecking or forechecking, not killing penalties or blocking shots, not trying to light the lamp or earn more ice time. 

He’s still working hard, but the ice time is plentiful – all 60 minutes – as the former Grand Rapids Griffin has traded his stick for stripes, embracing one of hockey’s most demanding and, ideally, least visible roles: American Hockey League referee.

“Stepping onto the ice in stripes brings a familiar focus, but from a completely new center point,” Verbeek said. “I actually keep my same pregame warm-up routine from my playing days, which helps me tap into that same feeling of readiness.”

After playing eight games with Grand Rapids during the COVID-truncated 2020-21 season, then another 21 in 2021-22, Verbeek finished that second season with ECHL Toledo. He then plied his trade overseas in Slovakia (2022-23) and Germany (2023-24) before deciding to follow a new career path in the sport he loves.

“After stepping away from playing, officiating became the next natural step in my career,” he said. “What’s surprised me most, and been the most rewarding, is how much I’ve grown to love this role. You see the game from a different perspective and have a new appreciation for its flow and strategy.” 

Hockey as a First Language

Verbeek’s love for the game was formed early. Born on Oct. 17, 1997, and raised in Winchester, Ontario, he grew up in a household where hockey wasn’t just played, it was spoken.

“Growing up in the Verbeek family, hockey was the language of our household for as far back as I can remember,” he said. “It was simply the center point of everything.”

His family’s hockey roots run deep, beginning with his father Brian, who played in the OHL, IHL, AHL, and Europe. 

His uncle, Pat Verbeek, enjoyed a long NHL career, playing 1,424 games with 1,062 points and 2,905 penalty minutes, while also wearing one of hockey's most infamous monikers: The Little Ball of Hate. Pat Verbeek, who was the GM of the Griffins for the first part of the 2021-22 season before departing to become GM of the Anaheim Ducks – a role he still fills – was given the nickname during his time with the New York Rangers as a bookend to Ray Ferraro, who was The Big Ball of Hate.

Despite those big skates to fill, Hayden Verbeek said he never felt burdened by the family surname. Perhaps the opposite.

“No, I never really felt pressure,” he said. “But it certainly motivated me. I always hoped to make everyone proud through the way I played and by chasing the dream of playing pro hockey.”

He added that at every step of his hockey journey, he learned to lean into the habits he could control: competing hard, showing up prepared, and earning respect shift by shift.

Earning Every Step

That approach defined his junior career with the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds, where he became known as a dependable, hard-working forward and a respected teammate.

His coach at the time, Drew Bannister, once told Sportsnet that Verbeek’s compete level and intensity, at not just games but also practices, earned him his spot in the lineup. And once he was there, Verbeek took every advantage of his opportunity.

He remembers his time in the Soo fondly.

“What stands out most is the closeness of our teams,” he recalled recently. “We were a tight-knit group, and we had competitive, successful teams every year.”

His final OHL season was his strongest — 30 goals, 61 points — and it led to an achievement that still defines how he sees himself as a player.

“As for a moment that best reflects me as a player, it would have to be signing an NHL contract as an undrafted player at the end of my final OHL year,” Verbeek said. “That moment wasn’t given; it was earned. It perfectly captured the persistence that defined my entire playing career.”

The professional journey that followed took him across leagues and continents, with each stop adding layers of perspective.

“That grind built a strong foundation for me going forward in my career,” he said. “Each stop brought unique experiences and introduced me to incredible people and cultures I wouldn’t trade for the world. That journey taught me resilience and adaptability, lessons I still carry with me every day.”

A New Way to Stay in the Game

Officiating wasn’t an option Verbeek had always envisioned, but once his playing chapter came to a close, it quickly felt right.

“The path to officiating wasn’t something we specifically talked about,” he says, “but it doesn’t feel like a departure from tradition at all. It feels like a natural evolution. I’m still deeply connected to the game, and in many ways, I feel more involved with and understanding of hockey than ever before.”

The early days came with a learning curve.

“There were mistakes, and in some ways you do have to relearn the game from an entirely different angle,” he said. “The toughest adjustment is shifting your focus from being in the play to being responsible for the entire game’s flow and fairness.”

Much of what made him a successful player translated naturally. Reading plays, anticipating movement, and understanding the emotional temperature of a game became tools rather than instincts.

“Combining my playing experience with my new officiating role gave me a unique perspective,” Verbeek said. “That growth was accelerated immensely by the support of the AHL and NHL officiating managers. They’re incredible mentors and genuinely great people.”

The mindset, he added, remains familiar.

“It’s the same as playing: you take it game by game, learn every time you step on the ice, and review video constantly to be the best you can be in your next outing.”

Composure, Communication, and the Craft

As an official, Verbeek has seen his temperament intentionally evolve.

“When I was a player, it was about controlled emotion and intensity,” he said. “Now it’s about controlled perspective and clarity.”

That composure is essential when tensions rise along the boards or behind the bench.

“My experience as a player helps me understand frustration,” he said. “But my role now is to manage it.”

Clear communication has become his most valuable tool.

“Clear, calm, respectful communication is the most effective way to de-escalate tension,” Verbeek said. “Listening, briefly explaining a call when possible — that builds trust and keeps the game under control.”

A successful night, he says, is one where the spotlight never lands on the officials.

“A good game is one that’s safe, fair, and allows the players’ skill to decide the outcome,” he said. “Where our officiating crew is a steady, consistent presence, but isn’t the story after the final buzzer.”

Behind that steadiness is significant preparation, much of it unseen.

“My preparation is actually very similar to when I was a player,” Verbeek said. “It’s the same focused routine and mental approach to being ready.”

And the evaluation doesn’t stop when the horn sounds.

“If I feel I’ve made a mistake, I review that scenario constantly afterward to learn and make sure it doesn’t happen again,” he said. “I will lose sleep over a bad call. But just like in playing, you let it sting, learn from it, and move forward to be better next time.”

It’s a level of accountability that surprised even him.

“When I played, I had no idea how hard officiating was,” he admitted. “I didn’t understand the angles, the perspective, or the behind-the-scenes work. That’s why communication is so important. It’s our most effective tool to manage the game together.”

Returning to Grand Rapids

That steady presence brought Verbeek back to Van Andel Arena for a pair of games between the Griffins and Iowa Wild on Nov. 28 and 30. It’s a place he once thought he’d never return to professionally.

“When I left Grand Rapids, I honestly thought it might be a place I’d never see again,” he said. “But walking in now, a lot of the core feelings are surprisingly similar, because I take the same focused, prepared approach.”

The difference, of course, is perspective.

“You’re no longer locked into the battle of one bench,” he said. “You’re responsible for the entire flow and fairness of the game between both teams. It gives you a deep appreciation for the arena’s atmosphere from a whole new angle.”

Officiating has reshaped how Verbeek even watches the sport.

“When I watch an NHL game now, I find myself studying the officials’ positioning and calls more than the play itself,” he said.

The transition has reinforced familiar principles.

“You still need confidence in yourself to succeed,” he said. “It’s given me a renewed sense of purpose — staying at the highest level of the sport I love, but with a new challenge and a different kind of responsibility.”

His goal remains clear.

“Wearing the NHL crest is absolutely the goal,” said Verbeek, who was selected to officiate several games during the recent 2026 World Junior Championship in Minnesota. “But the path is the same as when I played. You can’t look too far ahead. You focus on the next game, the next assignment, and doing the job in front of you to the absolute best of your ability.”

A Message to the Kid He Was

If he could speak to his younger self, Verbeek knows exactly what he’d say.

“I’d tell him to soak in every single moment: the early-morning practices, the bus rides, the wins, and even the tough losses,” he said. “The path won’t be a straight line, but every experience will teach you something valuable if you’re willing to learn.”

And the constant, through every chapter?

“The work ethic you’re building now,” Verbeek said. “That’s the one thing that will never let you down, no matter where the game takes you.”

And while there are still destinations ahead, Verbeek knows better than to rush the process. He’s learned that progress is built assignment by assignment, shift by shift, call by call.

Whether the future brings another return to Van Andel Arena or new rinks altogether, one thing is certain: Verbeek will arrive prepared. From player to official, competitor to caretaker, his second life in hockey reflects the same truth that defined his first: the game rewards those willing to serve it well.

Phil de Haan brings years of experience as a writer and communications professional to the pages of Griffiti, having crafted features and stories for organizations across West Michigan. A hockey fan since his childhood in Exeter, Ontario, and a longtime member of a local 6 a.m. hockey group, he combines a lifelong love of the sport with a storyteller’s instinct for bringing players and teams to life.

Photo by Nicolas Carrillo/Griffins