David Branch, a transformational figure for junior hockey throughout Canada having led both the Ontario Hockey League and the Canadian Hockey League in a long tenure as commissioner, passed away Sunday at the age of 77.

Branch spent 45 years at the helm of the OHL, from 1979 to his retirement in 2024. He also led the CHL from 1996 to 2019.

"This is a very sad day for a lot of people," OHL Commissioner Bryan Crawford said in a statement. "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."

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

For his work in junior hockey in Canada, Branch received the Order of Hockey in Canada and the CHL’s Player of the Year award is named in his honor. The OHL’s top executive each year also earns the David Branch Leader of the Year Award. Branch also served on the Hockey Hall of Fame’s selection committee.

Born in Bathurst, New Brunswick, Branch lived most of his life in Whitby, Ontario.

Branch is survived by his wife Patsy, and sons Barclay, Kyle, and Wade, and their families.

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