David Branch, Architect of Modern Junior Hockey, Dies at 77
News has been coming in from the Canadian hockey world, and it’s one of those moments that makes you pause and reflect. David Branch, the long-time commissioner of the Ontario Hockey League and a former president of the Canadian Hockey League, has passed away at the age of 77. His death was confirmed by both the OHL and the CHL, with it being shared that he died on Sunday. No cause of death has been made public, but the impact of his passing is already being felt across junior hockey in Canada.
Branch’s name has been almost inseparable from the OHL for decades. He served as commissioner from 1979 all the way until his retirement in 2024, which means nearly 45 years at the helm of one of the most influential junior hockey leagues in the world. On top of that, he also held the role of CHL president from 1996 to 2019, giving him a central voice in shaping the direction of junior hockey across the country.
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What stands out when people talk about David Branch isn’t just how long he served, but what he stood for. He was widely credited with guiding the OHL through a period of unprecedented growth and modernization. Standards were raised, systems were strengthened, and junior hockey in Canada was pushed to become more professional, more structured, and more accountable. Under his leadership, the league evolved far beyond what it had been when he first took over.
Player welfare was made a priority during his tenure, something the OHL itself highlighted in its statement. Initiatives focused on player safety, mental health support, and education were championed at a time when those topics were not always front and center in sports. One of his most lasting contributions was the introduction of the OHL Scholarship Program, which ensured that players who passed through the league would have access to post-secondary education. For countless young athletes whose NHL dreams didn’t materialize, that program quietly changed lives.
Branch’s influence was recognized well beyond league offices. The CHL player of the year award was renamed in his honour in the 2019–20 season, and the top OHL executive award also carries his name. He served on the Hockey Hall of Fame Selection Committee, received the Order of Hockey in Canada in 2016, and was inducted into the Whitby Sports Hall of Fame as a builder in 2017. Born in Bathurst, New Brunswick, and a longtime resident of Whitby, Ontario, his roots remained firmly Canadian.
As the hockey community reflects on his passing, it’s clear that David Branch leaves behind more than titles and awards. A system he helped shape, players he helped protect, and a standard he helped set will continue to define junior hockey in Canada for years to come.
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