From Goal Scorer to Referee: Dean Morton's Story

Published on September 29th, 2025 8:58 pm EST
Written By: Dave Manuel


The NHL has seen its share of legends. Gretzky, Lemieux, Orr. But for every superstar, there are players who barely leave a mark. In fact, some careers are over before they even start.

Take the case of Dean Morton. His entire NHL career consisted of a single game for the Detroit Red Wings in 1989. He was a defenseman. He logged one game, one shift, and was gone. His name might be forgotten by most, but hockey fans love stories like these.

Morton's lone game came against the Calgary Flames. He did not just play a shift. He actually scored a goal. Imagine that - your one game in the NHL, and you put the puck in the net. Most players go years without scoring. Morton got one in his debut. It was also his last.

Detroit never called him back. He was shipped down, bounced around the minors, and eventually left the playing side of the game. But he stayed in hockey. Morton later became a referee, logging hundreds of games in the league with a whistle instead of a stick.

Few players can say they had a career like that. One game. One goal. Then a lifetime on the other side of the ice.

There are other short careers too. Larry Zeidel's son-in-law, Don Cherry's brother - hockey is littered with cameos. But Morton stands out for one reason. He scored. The stat line will always show it. One game, one goal, one unforgettable oddity.