Toronto, ON – The Ontario Hockey League’s Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors in Niagara-on-the-Lake signals the transition from one OHL season to the next as the league reflects on the successes of 2023-24 and forges ahead into 2024-25 under the leadership of new Commissioner Bryan Crawford.
The league’s 45th and final season with Commissioner David Branch at the helm was a very successful one that included a 4% increase from 2022-23 in attendance figures across the league, with the OHL’s third-highest total in league history of 3.16 million fans through the turnstiles during the regular season and playoffs. OHL clubs continued the league’s long-standing tradition of supporting charitable initiatives, with a total of $6.9 million raised for a total of 812 different local causes across the league. OHL member teams contributed more than $800,000 in support of local minor hockey programs, with OHL players participating in 1,254 coach mentoring hours. Players were also engaged in their respective communities, partaking in 1,186 different community visits at locations such as schools and hospitals throughout the course of the season. Academically, OHL clubs invested more than $3.4 million in the league’s scholarship program throughout the past year, on top of a total of $479,115 in education payments in support of current OHL players.
The OHL also saw record viewership numbers on league streaming platform OHL Live on CHL TV, while also renewing regional broadcast agreements on multi-year contracts with partners Eastlink, Rogers tv and YourTV.
On the ice, the OHL produced a pair of champions, with the Memorial Cup host Saginaw Spirit hoisting the Canadian Hockey League’s top prize on home ice after the London Knights were crowned OHL champions, capturing the J. Ross Robertson Cup for the fifth time in franchise history. The OHL produced a 2024 NHL Draft-leading total of 39 players selected this past June in Las Vegas, NV. While the league continues to be a top supplier of talent to the NHL, it also featured 228 alumni competing on U SPORTS men’s hockey rosters in 2023-24.
Among the chief focuses of last week’s meetings included player safety and the OHL player experience, with a pair of initiatives earmarked for further action in the coming weeks.
League to hire new Director of Player Safety
Effective for the 2024-25 season, the OHL will be hiring a new Director of Player Safety who will prioritize the well-being of players while overseeing the league’s disciplinary process. The Director of Player Safety will work alongside Vice President of Hockey Operations Barclay Branch and Director of Officiating Conrad Haché in this vital area of the game, ensuring the OHL continues to be a place where players can safely develop and strive to maximize their potential.
Reviewing and expanding current policies around minimum player standards
Also green-lighted at last week’s meetings is the creation of a committee that will conduct a league-wide assessment of minimum standards surrounding the OHL player experience to be applied across all 20 member teams.
“The OHL prides itself in offering players the very best development experience both on and off the ice,” said Commissioner Bryan Crawford. “As a league we want to ensure we’re challenging ourselves to ensure players are enjoying a first-class experience with any one of our teams. Relevant areas could include team facilities, the billeting experience, travel schedules, educational resources and other day-to-day environments experienced by OHL players.”
The launch of OHL training camps is right around the corner, but not before this week’s OHL Alumni Golf Classic set to take place at Hockley Valley Resort just north of Orangeville, ON. It will also serve as the site of the league’s Leadership Meetings for hockey operations staff as clubs prepare for players to report to their respective cities as soon as next weekend, providing valuable resources and education to both new and returning players as camps get underway.
About the Ontario Hockey League
The Ontario Hockey League (OHL) has long been regarded as the number one development league in the world, continuing to serve as a leading supplier of talent for the National Hockey League. The OHL consists of 20 teams, with 17 located in Ontario, two in the state of Michigan and one in the state of Pennsylvania. A proud member of the Canadian Hockey League, the OHL is also a leading provider of hockey scholarships, with over 330 graduates receiving OHL Scholarships to pursue a post-secondary education of their choice in 2023-24, resulting in a collective investment of over $3.4 million by OHL member teams.
