A Trio of OHA Officials Named to the 2026 Olympic Roster
by – David McPherson
(L to R) Laura Gutauskas, Justine Todd, and Erin Zach
Cambridge, ON – In sports, few honours are greater than the chance to represent your country on the world stage at the Olympics. For a trio of Ontario Hockey Association (OHA) officials that lofty goal is now a reality with the recent announcement of Hockey Canada’s 10-person roster for Milano 2026.
Justine Todd, a veteran of two previous Olympic Games (2018 and 2022), is joined by a pair of her OHA colleagues—Brampton’s Laura Gutauskas and Elmira’s Erin Zach—to represent Canada as linespersons on the 2026 Winter Olympics officiating roster.
The International Ice Hockey Federation announced this trio along with the other seven members of the 10-person Hockey Canada roster (five referees and five linespersons) who will form our country’s officiating team at the 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy next February. Joining the three Ontario-based officials are referees: Mike Campbell, Cianna Murray, Elizabeth Mantha, Michelle McKenna, Shauna Neary and linespersons: Alex Clarke and Tarrington Wyonzek.
“Officiating at the Olympic Games is the pinnacle of an amateur official’s career,” Dan Hanoomansingh, officiating manager, said in the press release announcing the final Hockey Canada crew. “These officials have been working tirelessly towards this goal for the last four years, and it is a credit to their determination and skill that they have made it a reality.”
For Gutauskas—who makes her Olympics debut—getting named to the Milan Winter Games 2026 is a dream come true. It’s also apropos that Todd joins her on the roster.
“It’s truly an honour to be selected to officiate in the Olympics,” she says. “It was never something I dreamed possible for myself when I began officiating. Sharing this experience with Justine will be somewhat of a full circle moment for me. She was one of the very first people to see something more in me as an official and push me onto this path.”
The selected officials participated in a lengthy evaluation process beginning in 2023 as part of the IIHF’s “Road to Milano.” Officials were evaluated in domestic competition, professional hockey and multiple IIHF tournaments prior to their final selection.
The officials for the men’s tournament will gather for a preparation camp in August in Buffalo, New York. The officials for the women’s tournament will attend a preparation camp in December in Europe.
