Former OHL commissioner David Branch dies at 77

One of hockey’s most well-known executives has passed away.

On Monday, the Ontario Hockey League announced that former league commissioner David Branch died on Sunday at the age of 77.

Branch was hired into the role in 1979 through the end of the 2023-24 season, when the OHL’s Saginaw Spirit won the Canadian Hockey League’s Memorial Cup for the first time.

Branch was heavily involved in the game prior to being appointed the OHL’s commish. He served as Secretary-Manager of the Ontario Hockey Association from 1973 to 1977 and as Executive Director of the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association until 1979.

Bryan Crawford, who took over as OHL commissioner after Branch retired, stated that it was a somber day in the province.

“This is a very sad day for a lot of people,” Crawford said in a release. “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.”

In addition to serving as the OHL’s top executive, Branch was president of the CHL from 1996 until he stepped down in 2019, handing the reins to Dan MacKenzie.

MacKenzie noted that the CHL wouldn’t be the same without Branch’s impact.

“The CHL would not be the top development hockey league in the world without David Branch,” MacKenzie said. “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.”

Along with his endeavors in junior hockey, Branch was a member of the HHockey Hall of Fame Selection Committee.

Branch received the Order of Hockey in Canada in 2016 and was inducted into the Whitby Sports Hall of Fame as a builder in 2017. The CHL renamed its player of the year award the CHL David Branch Player of the Year Award for the 2019-20 season.