David Branch

David Elliott Branch (November 27, 1948 – January 4, 2026) was a Canadian ice hockey administrator. His lengthy involvement in junior ice hockey includes serving as commissioner of the Ontario Hockey League from 1979 to 2024, and as president of the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) from 1996 to 2019. He received the Order of Hockey in Canada in 2016, and the CHL Player of the Year award was renamed in his honour in 2019.

Early life David Elliott Branch was born on November 27, 1948, in Bathurst, New Brunswick, to parents Allie and Margaret Branch. After graduating, he moved to Whitby, Ontario, and became involved in coaching minor ice hockey with the Whitby Wildcats organization, Originally the only paid OHA staff in 1973, he was joined in 1975 by Brent Ladds who then succeeded Branch in 1977. Hired by Gord Renwick in 1977, Branch became the new executive director of the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association for the retiring Gordon Juckes. He served in that role until 1979. He helped develop a scholarship program that affords all players one year of post-secondary education per season played in the league. He advocated for safety and implemented a "Players First" policy for concussions. Fighting had been unlimited when he began as OHL commissioner, which he fought for rule changes to suspend players after four fights. In 2005, he implemented the exceptional player status clause, allowing a 14-year-old John Tavares to be drafted one year sooner than normal. Branch continued as OHL commissioner until his retirement on August 6, 2024, when he was succeeded by Golf Canada executive Bryan Crawford.

Personal life and death Branch was married with three sons and two stepchildren. and was an assistant coach with the Oshawa Generals. Kyle was drafted by the Mississauga IceDogs in 1999. Wade briefly played in the Ontario Provincial Junior Hockey League with the Bowmanville Eagles.

Branch was involved in hockey twelve months per year, became a recreational golfer later in life, In 2025, the OHL established the David Branch Leader of the Year Award to recognize a team executive.

Junior hockey executive Sherwood Bassin felt that, "everything [Branch] did was for the betterment of the game", and "the integrity of the league was very important". National Hockey League (NHL) commissioner Gary Bettman credited Branch with "growing hockey at all levels" and "modernization for the leagues that have long been the greatest source of players who make the NHL".