NEWS RELEASES
ONTARIO HOCKEY LEAGUE HOCKEY CANADA
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Canadian Hockey League mourns passing of Ed Chynoweth
The Canadian Hockey League is mourning the passing of junior hockey icon Ed Chynoweth, who passed away in Calgary on Tuesday.
Chynoweth was the first President of the CHL, serving in that capacity from 1975 until 1996 and was the President of the Western Hockey League from 1972-1996. He was most recently the President and Governor of the Kootenay Ice as well as the Chairman of the Board of the Western Hockey League and a Director for the CHL.
The 66 year old was diagnosed with kidney cancer in 2006.
“This is a huge loss for the entire hockey community,” said CHL President David Branch. “Ed was the architect of the Canadian Hockey League. It was through his leadership, vision and energy that we have grown and evolved to the position that we now hold in the hockey community. The Canadian Hockey League will be a lasting legacy of his career. He will be missed greatly by the entire league and we send our deepest sympathies to his wife Linda, sons Jeff and Dean and their entire family.”
Chynoweth received the CHL’s Distinguished Service Award in 1977 and 1983 and in 1996 the CHL introduced the Ed Chynoweth Trophy to be presented annually to the top scorer in the Memorial Cup tournament. In May, 2007, the WHL Board of Governors renamed the WHL’s championship trophy the Ed Chynoweth Cup.
Chynoweth was inducted into the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame in 2000 and was a member of the selection committee for the Hockey Hall of Fame.
Chynoweth’s sons are both general managers in the Western Hockey League, Jeff with the Kootenay Ice and Dean with the Swift Current Broncos. Ed Chynoweth had the unique experience of presenting the Memorial Cup to his son Dean, who was the captain of the champion Medicine Hat Tigers in 1988.
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WHL Chairman Of The Board, Ed Chynoweth, Passes Away
Calgary, AB. - It is with great sadness the Western Hockey League today announced that Ed Chynoweth, WHL Chairman of the Board and President of the Kootenay Ice Hockey Club, passed away this morning in Calgary.
Born in Dodsland, Saskatchewan, Chynoweth, 66, was the driving force behind the growth and development of Major Junior Hockey throughout Canada over the past four decades. Chynoweth’s career in both the WHL and the Canadian Hockey League spanned 37 years. He was appointed President of the WHL in 1972 and held that position for 23 years before becoming the majority owner of a WHL expansion franchise in Edmonton in 1996. The franchise relocated to Cranbrook, British Columbia in 1998. Chynoweth also played a major role in the game at the national level, serving as President of the CHL for 20 years from 1975 – 1995. During his tenure as CHL President, Chynoweth was instrumental in forming the partnership between CHL and Hockey Canada in 1981 to oversee Canada’s National Junior Hockey Team. The Hockey Canada and CHL partnership led to the formation of Hockey Canada’s Program of Excellence and Canada’s dominance in International Hockey at the junior level. Chynoweth, the WHL Chairman of the Board until his passing, has served in this capacity on two separate occasions since 1996 and also has served as a member of the CHL Board of Directors. “The WHL and the entire Canadian hockey community have lost a great leader today in Ed Chynoweth”, commented WHL Commissioner, Ron Robison. “The success the WHL and our Member Clubs are experiencing today is a direct result of the vision and leadership Ed Chynoweth provided to this League over the past 37 years.” As President of the Kootenay Ice, Chynoweth together with his son Jeff, who is Vice-President and General Manager, have operated one of the most successful franchises in the WHL, having recorded the top winning percentage in the WHL over the past 10 years. The Kootenay Ice captured the WHL Championship twice in 2000 and 2002, and went on to win the Memorial Cup National Championship in Guelph in 2002. Ed’s son Dean was a defenseman with the Medicine Hat Tigers when they won back to back Memorial Cup Championships in 1987 and 1988. In his capacity as CHL President in 1988, Ed had the privilege of presenting his son Dean, as Captain of the Tigers, the Memorial Cup. Dean is enjoying a successful WHL career currently serving as General Manager and Head Coach of the Swift Current Broncos. Ed is also survived by his wife Linda of 45 years. Ed and Linda have resided in Calgary since 1976. Prior to moving to Calgary with the transfer of the WHL headquarters, Ed and Linda resided in Saskatoon. Funeral arrangements are pending and will be announced later this week.
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