""David's contributions to the game of hockey will continue to impact the game for generations. The entire league mourns the loss of a great leader and visionary who oversaw the growth and evolution of the Ontario Hockey League, always prioritizing the players and putting their experience first.""
""His relentless focus on the player experience, both on and off the ice, will be his greatest legacy, as the game is safer, faster, and more skilled because of his influence and leadership. "David had both the vision and the will to do big things, and he brought people together to get them done. He was a true builder, and his rightful place should be in the Hockey Hall of Fame one day.""
David Branch, commissioner of the Ontario Hockey League from 1979 to 2024 and president of the Canadian Hockey League from 1996 to 2019, died Sunday at age 77; no cause of death was revealed. Branch guided the OHL through substantial growth, established standards that elevated junior hockey across Canada, and prioritized player welfare and experience on and off the ice. The CHL player of the year award and an OHL leader of the year award were renamed in his honour. Branch received the Order of Hockey in Canada in 2016, served on the Hockey Hall of Fame Selection Committee, and was inducted into the Whitby Sports Hall of Fame in 2017.
Read at www.cbc.ca
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