David Branch | |
|---|---|
 David Branch in 2014 | |
| Born | November 27, 1948 |
| Alma mater | University of Massachusetts Amherst |
| Known for |
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| Awards | Order of Hockey in Canada |
David Branch (born November 27, 1948) is a Canadian ice hockey administrator. His lengthy involvement in junior ice hockey includes serving as commissioner of the Ontario Hockey League since September 15, 1979, and serving as president of the Canadian Hockey League from 1996 to 2019. He received the Order of Hockey in Canada in 2016.
David Branch was born on November 27, 1948, in Bathurst, New Brunswick. [1] He played NCAA hockey while attending the University of Massachusetts Amherst on a scholarship. [1] [2] After graduating, he moved to Whitby, Ontario, and became involved in coaching minor ice hockey with the Whitby Wildcats organization, [1] [2] and hockey camps run by Wren Blair and Jim Gregory. [3]
Branch served as secretary-manager of the Ontario Hockey Association from 1973 to 1977. [3] [4] He was hired by Gord Renwick in 1978 to become the new executive director of the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association for the retiring Gordon Juckes. [5] He served in that role until 1979. [1] Branch played a role in the founding of the Ontario Hockey League, by negotiating the split of its predecessor, the OMJHL from the OHA. He became commissioner of the OMJHL in 1979, and the independent OHL in 1980. [3] He became president of the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) in 1996. [1]
Branch helped develop a scholarship program that affords all players one year of post-secondary education per season played in the league. [2] [6] Branch has advocated for player safety, anti-violence, and mental health. [1] He was instrumental in adopting rules to reduce the number of fights in the OHL. [7] [8] Branch was part of introducing a blindside hit rule in the OHL, [7] and aims to have all members of the CHL introduce similar rules. [8]
Dan MacKenzie succeeded Branch as the CHL president in September 2019, while Branch continued as the OHL commissioner. [9] [10] [11]
Branch is a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame selection committee. [1] He was honoured with the Order of Hockey in Canada in 2016, [1] [6] and he was inducted into the Whitby Sports Hall of Fame as a builder in 2017. [2]
Branch is the father of Barclay Branch, who served as a general manager in the OHL. [1] [12]
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Clarence Vincent "Tubby" Schmalz was a Canadian ice hockey administrator. He served as vice-president of the Western Ontario Athletic Association from 1940 to 1950, and coached and managed the senior ice hockey team in Walkerton, Ontario. He was elected to the Ontario Hockey Association executive (OHA) in 1956, and served as its president from 1969 to 1972. He was the first commissioner of the Ontario Major Junior Hockey League (OMJHL), serving from 1974 to 1978. He became vice-chairman of the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association (CAHA) in 1979, and was elected its chairman in 1981. He was a graduate of St. Jerome's College, and operated the Hartley House hotel in Walkerton. He served on the Walkerton Town Council for 17 years, including three years as reeve from 1979 to 1981.
Brent Ladds is a Canadian former ice hockey administrator. He served as president of the Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL) from 2016 to 2022, president of the Ontario Hockey Association (OHA) from 1980 to 2012, commissioner of Allan Cup Hockey from 2013 to 2016, and chairman of the Hockey Canada junior hockey council from 2014 to 2016. He marketed the CJHL as a development program for players seeking a professional career or an education, with exposure to National Hockey League talent scouts at the annual CJHL Prospects Game and World Junior A Challenge. He also sought to increase marketing opportunities, have consistent administrative practices, and to co-ordinate public relations across the CJHL. His tenure as president also saw the withdrawal of the British Columbia Hockey League, and subsequent format change of the Centennial Cup tournament to include all nine league champions.
