David Branch
| David Branch | |
|---|---|
 David Branch in 2014 | |
| Born |
November 27, 1948 Bathurst, New Brunswick |
| Alma mater | University of Massachusetts Amherst |
| Occupation | Commissioner of the Ontario Hockey League (1979–present), President of the Canadian Hockey League (1996–present) |
David E. Branch (born November 27, 1948) 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 General Manager for the Sudbury Wolves.
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:[1]
- 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.
- A 25-game suspension and then lifetime ban (later appealed) handed to Jeff Kugel of the Windsor Spitfires on November 2, 1998 for coming off the bench to sucker-punch Owen Sound's Juri Golicic.
- In 2005 he expelled Sudbury Wolves’ Kyle Musselman from the OHL for the remainder of his junior eligibility for the sucker-punch to Ottawa player Mark Mancari.
- On October 18, 2005 he suspended coach and General Manager Moe Mantha, Jr. of the Windsor Spitfires for an entire season due to a team hazing incident.
- During the 2009-10 season, after Erie Otters’ Michael Liambas' boarding hit on Kitchener Rangers defenseman Ben Fanelli sent Fanelli to the hospital, Branch suspended Liambas completely to end his career in junior hockey.
- Windsor Spitfires’ Zack Kassian received a 20-game suspension during the 2009-10 season for his hit on Barrie Colts’ Matt Kennedy.
- Tom Kuehnhackl of the Niagara Ice Dogs received a 20-game suspension for his head shot on Ryan Murphy of the Kitchener Rangers on November 8, 2011.
- Riley Bruce of the North Bay Battalion was suspended 10 Games for a hit on Owen Tippet of the Mississauga Steelheads on December 31st 2015