As the Director of Player Safety, Dennis LaRue serves as the Chairman of the Player Safety Committee. LaRue also administers player supplemental discipline for all games in accordance with the league's player safety initiative. The player safety initiative is a cumulative penalty system designed to track, intervene and establish standards for supplemental discipline in instances of dangerous play, particularly for repeat offenders.
LaRue, a native of Spokane, Wash., joined the USHL after serving as an NHL referee for 1,222 games, the most by any American referee and ranked eighth overall all-time as of his retirement in 2016. LaRue began his NHL career as a referee in 1991 and went on to officiate the 2009 Stanley Cup Final, becoming only the second-ever American to referee a Stanley Cup Final. He also officiated the 2012 NHL Winter Classic, 2003 NHL All-Star Game and the Olympics in 1988, 2002, 2006, and 2010. LaRue was just the third referee ever to work four separate Olympics and was later honored with the USA Hockey Distinguished Achievement Award in 2011.