According to scountingtherefs.com, former Robert Morris men’s hockey player and coach Brandon Blandina has joined seven others as a new official for the NHL. He will start his officiating career in the AHL. Joining Blandina in the AHL are Mitch Dunning, Beaudry Halkidis, Michael Markovic, Conor O’Donnell and Brandon Schrader. Linemen Tyson Baker and Jesse Marquis are expected to split time between the AHL and the NHL.

Blandina previously played for Robert Morris from 2008-2012 after a one-year stint with the Indiana Ice in the USHL during the 2007-2008 season. During his time at RMU, Blandina compiled 11 goals and 27 assists.

After graduating from Robert Morris following the 2011-2012 season, Blandina would go on to play for the Elmira Jackals and Reading Royals of the ECHL in both the 2012-2013 and 2013-2014 seasons. For those two teams, he compiled a total of 14 goals and 28 assists in those two years. He wouldn’t suit up on the ice again after the 2013-2014 season.

He did, however, return to RMU as a volunteer assistant coach for the 2016-2017 season. That season, the men’s hockey team finished with a 22-12-4 overall record and a 15-10-3 conference record. They fell to Air Force by the score of 2-1 in the AHA Conference Finals.