David Branch

Who is David Branch?

David E. Branch has served as the Commissioner of the Ontario Hockey League 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.