Alliston, ON -- The 128th Ontario Hockey Association (OHA) Annual General Meeting (AGM) was held on Saturday June 17, 2017 at the Nottawasaga Inn Resort in Alliston.

The meeting was opened by OHA Chairman of the Board of Directors Brad Grant who welcomed everyone in attendance and thanked them for coming. The AGM included representation from the governing body’s Board of Directors, Officers, Life Members, Staff, League Convenors, Team Delegates, the Ontario Hockey Federation (OHF), the Northern Ontario Hockey Association and the Minor Hockey Alliance of Ontario. Before proceeding with the meeting, all attendees stood for a moment of silence for those lost this year.

The 2017 OHA AGM was attended by 78 members of the Association with 91 voting delegates.

OHA President Karen Phibbs provided an overview of events and highlights from all four OHA Leagues (Ontario Junior Hockey League - OJHL, Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League - GOJHL, Provincial Junior Hockey League - PJHL, Allan Cup Hockey - ACH) that took place throughout the year, including: the OJHL Governors’ Showcase and Winter Showcase, the GOJHL Top Prospects Games, the PJHL vs. EHC Dübendorf tour, and the PJHL’s Lakeshore Canadiens who played the Canadian National Women’s Team as they prepared for the 2017 IIHF Women’s World Championships in Plymouth, MI. 

All of the 2016-17 OHA Champions were recognized with their OHA Championship trophies and Championship banners during a special video tribute for each team:
Buckland Cup Champions - Georgetown Raiders (OJHL)
Sutherland Cup Champions - Elmira Sugar Kings (GOJHL)
Schmalz Cup Champions - Ayr Centennials (PJHL)
Robertson Cup Champions - Stoney Creek Generals (ACH)

The OJHL’s Trenton Golden Hawks were congratulated and recognized for hosting and winning the 2017 Dudley-Hewitt Cup, the Central Canadian Junior A Championship and the Ontario Hockey Federation’s Ruddock Cup.

The OJHL’s Cobourg Cougars were congratulated and recognized for hosting and winning the 2017 RBC Cup over the heavily favoured Brooks Bandits in a thrilling come from behind overtime victory to win the National Junior A Championship. 

Terry Lynch, OHA 1st Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors and Co-Chairman of the Tomorrow’s Game Committee provided an update on Tomorrow’s Game and recognized teams who have reached OHA Club 90 status and indicated the positive trend for each league in increasing the number of OHA Club 90 teams. Lynch also provided the future plans for the Tomorrow’s Game Committee and continued with an overview of the work being completed by other OHA Committees.

OHA Officiating Manager Rick Morphew was surprised with the OHA Gold Stick Award. Morphew has served as an OHA Officiating Manager for almost 20 years. It’s nearly impossible to list all of Rick Morphew’s achievements and accomplishments, but the OHA is extremely fortunate to have someone with his expertise, background and respect from the hockey community part of the Association. The Gold Stick is an order of merit in hockey awarded by the OHA for outstanding service to the game by a non-player. Such outstanding service must have been for a period of at least 10 years of continuous duration. 

The OHA Crystal Puck Award winners were Rick Bartlett from the Alliston Hornets and Lloyd Stockley from the Mississauga Chargers. The OHA Crystal Puck Award recognizes an individual or organization’s outstanding achievements or contributions within the Ontario Hockey Association.

The 2016-17 OHA Award winners were recognized with a highlight video from the OHA Awards Presentation that was held at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto on May 26, 2017. 

OHA Chairman Brad Grant was recognized for receiving the Hockey Canada Order of Merit (Central). Grand had been presented with the award at the 2017 Hockey Canada Spring Congress on May 27 in St. John’s, NL.

Kincardine Bulldogs’ General Manager Doug Kennedy was recognized and thanked for his leadership in helping to organize the PJHL vs EHC Dübendorf tour, and received a signed jersey from EHC Dübendorf.

OHA Director and Finance Chairman Bruce Schlitt updated the membership on the Treasurer’s Report. 

OHA President Karen Phibbs followed with a review of the Motions that were submitted prior to the AGM and announced a number of policy changes.

The OHA Board of Directors for the 2017-18 season: 

Brad Grant (Milton, ON) – Chairman                                       
Gary Moroney (Aurora, ON) – 1st Vice Chairman
Jeff Beatty (Bothwell, ON) - Director 
Mark Davies (Ancaster, ON) - Director
Dan Gibson (Strathroy, ON) - Director
Arnie Lawlor (Dorchester, ON) - Director
Shawn McKelvie (Kitchener, ON) - Director
Bob Farrow (Milton, ON) - Director
Bruce Schlitt (Guelph, ON) - Director
Tom Strauch (St. George, ON) - Director
Trevor Tinney (Campbellford, ON) - Director

Terry Lynch, who is taking a leave of absence from the OHA Board of Directors, was thanked and recognized for his work on the Board.

The OHA would like to thank everyone who assisted in making the 2017 AGM a success, including the entire staff at the Nottawasaga Inn Resort for their incredible hospitality and support.