MOSCOW, March 10. / TASS/. Evgeny Romasko, the NHL's first-ever Russian referee, has a great potential and long career ahead, ex-referee Paul Stewart, who currently works as a judicial and discipline consultant to the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL), told TASS on Tuesday.

Romasko, 33, officiated 231 ice hockey matches at the KHL, which comprises 28 member clubs based in Belarus, Croatia, Finland, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Russia and Slovakia.

"I've known Evgeny for three years," Stewart said. "I feel the same pride today as I would with my own son."

Stewart who officiated more than 1,000 NHL games praised Romasko as a "fabulously well-conditioned athlete" and "one of the best skaters".

Stewart said Romasko's appointment gives the NHL the opportunity to have an official that’s going to be available for 15 or 17 years."

Romasko has become the league's second European referee after Sweden's Marcus Vinneborg, who joined the NHL during the 2010-11 campaign and retired in 2012.