David Branch
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"David E. Branch" has served as the Commissioner of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) since September 15, 1979, and as the President of the Canadian Hockey League since 1996. Under his management, the OHL has grown from 12 teams to 20, and has become a marketable television commodity.

Branch attended the University of Massachusetts Amherst on a hockey scholarship. He has previously served as the Executive Director of the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association, and Secretary-Manager of the Ontario Hockey Association.

Branch is a minor hockey coach with the Whitby Wildcats organization. His son Barclay also works with the Wildcats and is currently the Director of Player Personnel for the Belleville Bulls, and previously of the Oshawa Generals.

Branch is known to be a strict disciplinarian, and he has handed out some of the most severe suspensions in the history of organized hockey. Notable suspensions administered by Branch include:

*The 20-game suspension of Guelph Storm’s Todd Bertuzzi for the remainder of the 1991-92 season and the playoffs for kicking Kitchener Rangers defenseman Brad Barton in a game at the Kitchener Auditorium in January 1992.

*The suspension of Sudbury Wolves’ Gary Coupal for the remainder of the 1993-94 season and the playoffs for a high-sticking incident.

More David Branch on Wikipedia.

We are happy to welcome these new owners into our league. It speaks great volumes of the quality of the young men that graduate from our league and their desire to give back to the communities that supported them through their junior careers.

It is most unfortunate that one of the most esteemed coaches in major junior hockey should express his opinions in the fashion that he chose.

I think it's been a very good day.

The league and its members are committed to providing an environment where each player joining the league is welcomed in a professional and dignified manner.

The actions of the players at the commencement of the game were most concerning and not consistent with the expectation the League has established.

John has performed as most thought he would and set the bar at a very high level, which we are all very thankful for.

We're so grateful that we're able to provide this opportunity for our current and past graduates.

Any form of hazing must be eradicated from our league. I feel comfortable in stating that the activity which occurred on the Spitfires bus is not common and will never be tolerated.

It demonstrated that maybe junior hockey, properly presented, was a great entertainment sports property. It marked a renaissance and awareness of junior hockey across the country.