John G. Ashley

John Ashley was born in Galt and lived in Preston until Grade 12. John played minor hockey in Preston and later he played for the Toronto Marlboros and the Guelph Biltmores. Ashley signed a contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1950, and in the ensuing three years, played for their Pittsburgh farm team in the AHL. Ashley sought and gained reinstatement as an amateur in 1954. He then played three years with Stratford in Senior A hockey.

Ashley became interested in officiating in 1957. By 1959 he signed a contract to officiate in the NHL. Ashley spent eighteen years in the NHL – thirteen as a referee and five as a scout and councillor to referees.

Ashley refereed 1075 games. Of this, 622 were regular NHL games and fifty-eight were NHL play-off games. In the last eight of his thirteen on-ice seasons, Ashley was rated the NHL’s number one referee. Ashley’s overall record in Stanley Cup play-offs was one of high quality performance, under sustained pressure, over a period of ten years.

On September 15, 1981, Ashley was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.