Don Henderson (linesman)

{{Short description|Canadian ice hockey official}}

{{Infobox person

|birth_place=Calgary, Alberta, Canada

|birth_date={{birth date and age|1968|9|23}}

|occupation=Ice hockey official

}}

Don Henderson (born September 23, 1968) is a former Canadian National Hockey League linesman, who wears uniform number #91. He began officiating NHL games in 1994 and has worked more than 1,300 games including the Stanley Cup Playoffs.{{cite web |url=http://www.nhlofficials.com/previous_fo.asp?member_id=2050 |title=National Hockey League Officials Association - Members |website=www.nhlofficials.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061226215225/http://www.nhlofficials.com/previous_fo.asp?member_id=2050 |archive-date=2006-12-26}} {{cite news|url=https://www.tsn.ca/nhloa-veteran-nhl-linesman-henderson-out-for-season-1.452374|title=NHLOA: Linesman Henderson out for season|publisher=TSN.ca|date=2016-03-12}} He is the younger brother of Archie Henderson.[https://toronto.citynews.ca/2011/02/01/spector-on-nhl-tribute-to-a-lost-colleague/ "Spector on NHL: Tribute to a lost colleague," CityNews (Toronto, ON), Tuesday, February 1, 2011.] Retrieved December 22, 2020

Henderson has not officiated since sustaining a concussion after a check from Calgary Flames player Dennis Wideman in a game on January 27, 2016. Despite the injury, Henderson was able to finish the game, but developed concussion symptoms and back and neck pain in the following days.{{cite web| url = http://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/14805442/nhl-referee-don-henderson-indefinitely-concussion-symptoms| title = NHL referee Don Henderson out indefinitely with concussion symptoms| date = 19 February 2016}} Wideman was initially suspended for 20 games by the league for deliberate physical abuse of an official, but an independent arbitrator concluded the check to be unintentional and reduced the suspension to 10 games.

On April 20, 2017, the CBC reported that Henderson was suing both Wideman and the Calgary Flames for {{CAD|10.25 million|link=yes}} as a result of the alleged injuries sustained from the hit.{{cite news|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/dennis-wideman-calgary-flames-linesman-lawsuit-10-million-1.4078617|title=$10.25M lawsuit against Calgary Flames, Dennis Wideman filed by injured linesman|publisher=CBC.ca|date=April 20, 2017}} A judge dismissed the lawsuit, referring the case to an NHL arbitrator, and ordered Henderson to pay partial legal costs of $8,000 to the Flames and $3,000 to Wideman.{{Cite news |last=Grant |first=Meghan |date=April 27, 2018 |title=Injured NHL linesman ordered to pay legal costs to Flames, ex-defenceman Dennis Wideman after failed lawsuit |work=CBC News |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/dennis-wideman-calgary-flames-linesman-lawsuit-costs-don-henderson-1.4638584 |access-date=May 5, 2023}}