HANSARD COPY
LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF ONTARIO
Tuesday 31 May 2011
OHL CORRUPTION
MPP Bill Murdoch: Our national sport of hockey has become plagued with careerending, life-threatening hits to the head.
Earlier this season we saw star NHL players like Sidney Crosby and Marc Savard sidelined for months because of vicious head shots that left them unconscious.
There is no doubt that physical play is a key feature of the game, but there is no excuse were allowing dirty players to get away with vicious, illegal hits to the head.
Recently players from the Owen Sound Attack became victims of vicious attacks at the
Memorial Cup. These illegal hits went unpunished by the referees.
Canada is known around the world for producing the best players the sport has to offer, but the future of our young stars is in jeopardy.
Junior hockey officials in Canada, namely OHL Commissioner David Branch and the
Memorial Cup’s Discipline Chair Brian O’Neill are failing to protect Ontarios most
talented players.
Despite incompetent and corrupt officiating, the Attack not only clinched its first OHL
championship, but captured some of the games highest honours.
Andrew Shaw was awarded the Ed Chynoweth Trophy by NHL Central Scouting for being the Memorial Cups top scorer.
Jordan Binnington was awarded the Hap Emms Memorial Trophy for outstanding
goaltender.
The future of Canadas game and its young stars is in danger from poor officiating and
out-of-touch OHL management that fails to consider the future of the game and safety
of its players.
If there is any honour left in the officials of the 2011 Memorial Cup and the OHL
Commissioner, David Branch, they should resign for failing to protect one of Canadas
most precious assets: our talented young hockey players
