• Dan Schachte - 2018

Dan Schachte was born in Madison and played his youth hockey with the Monona Hockey Association.  He began his officiating career at the age of 13 with the Dane County Hockey Officials Association.  Schachte played high school hockey at Monona Grove High, and after graduation, went to the University of Wisconsin where he was a varsity reserve player from 1976 – 1979.  He continued his officiating career as a high school official at the age of 18, and worked the AHAUS National Bantam Tournament that same year.  Expanding his officiating career, Schachte began working the Wisconsin State League and USHL in 1979, and moved on to the college ranks, working the WCHA beginning in 1980.

Schachte broke into the National Hockey League in June 1982, when he was hired as a linesman.  Before he retired in 1982, Schachte spent those 30 years compiling an impressive resume, not only as an NHL official, but also as an American-born official.  Over the length of his service in the NHL officiating ranks, Schachte worked 2008 regular season games, the fifth all-time among all officials, and the most by an American.
 
Schachte worked a total of 221 playoff games, eighth among all officials and second most by an American.  In the course of those playoffs, he worked 22 seventh place games and five Stanley Cup finals, including Game 7 of the Finals.  He also worked the 1991 Canada Cup and the 1996 World Cup of Hockey.  His officiating resume also includes the 1991 NHL All-Star Game in Chicago and the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City in 2002.

Schachte is the Co-founder of the WAHA Cup and the WEHL, and is an instructor in the USA Hockey Officiating Program.  He is currently the Coordinator of Officials for Hockey East.  To quote one of his colleagues who recommended Schachte for induction to the Hall of Fame:  “…he was a man you wanted with you in any game as he was not only committed and accountable to himself at the highest level, but he also was the same as a teammate, always there to make sure the integrity of the game was kept in place.”  Another supporter cited the fact that “what separated Dan from his peers and made him so successful on the ice was his dedication, professionalism and leadership he brought to the rink each and every night.  He was a true professional and a credit to the vocation of officiating.”