NEWS

North York Rangers GM Claude Desjardins with Rangers' goalie Jett Alexander during an OJHL player of the month presentation. (File photo by Ray MacAloney / OJHL Images) 

Claude Desjardins of the North York Rangers is the 2018-19 recipient of the Executive of the Year award in the Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL). The award was voted on by a committee of OJHL general managers and media representatives.

A native of Ottawa, Desjardins grew up watching the likes of future Hockey Hall of Famer Denis Potvin and realized “there was no way I was going to be good enough”.

He found success in the music industry, winning Gemini awards and playing on Juno-winning recordings, working as a musician, composer and producer.

Desjardins returned to hockey with the GTHL Rangers and Goulding Park Rangers minor programs while his son was a player beginning in 2003. He became North York’s general manager in 2008 and team governor in 2016

The common denominator – the owner of the Jr. A team and the president of the minor hockey clubs, Brant Snow, who passed away two years ago.

“We dedicate this recognition to my long-time mentor, Brant, who is no longer with us but that we all miss dearly as a pioneer and friend of the OJHL,” said Desjardins. “He’s one of those guys who just had the passion. I was lucky enough to have him as mentor. We shared a lot of those same passions and philosophies. He would be really happy about his team right now.”

This year’s Rangers finished the regular season with the second-best record (40-9-1-4) in the 22-team OJHL.

Ranked sixth in the nation this week, the Rangers lead the Toronto Jr. Canadiens 3-1 in their first-round playoff series.

“I’m humbled to be recognized,” Desjardins said. “Our organization stands for everything that we believe should be the priority for a league such as ours: ‘The players’. The success and the culture that these players have nurtured for the last couple of years is about them. ‘They’ are what we are most proud of.”

The hiring of head coach Geoff Schomogyi three years ago was also key.

“This award really belongs to the staff,” the GM said. “It’s the most cohesive and proficient group that I’ve experienced since I’ve been here. The trust and chemistry that I have with Geoff, whom is the most prepared analytical coach I’ve encountered. We have a common passion for what we’re trying to do.”

­­­­­Desjardins and other OJHL trophy winners will be honoured at a ceremony this spring.

 

Adam Yahn of the Cobourg Cougars was voted runner-up for the Executive of the Year award.

Yahn was appointed general manager of the team in the fall of 2017. The native of Cambridge joined the Cougars in 2015 as a scout and analytics co-ordinator and was with them through their ride to winning the RBC Cup national championship on home ice in 2017.

The Cougars went 36-12-0-6 this season to capture the OJHL East Division regular season championship. They are ranked 18th in Canada.

About the OJHL – “League of Choice”

The Ontario Junior Hockey League is the largest Junior ‘A’ league operating under the auspices of the Canadian Junior Hockey League with 22 member clubs. A proud member of the CJHL and Ontario Hockey Association, the OJHL was originally named the Ontario Provincial Junior ‘A’ Hockey League and it was formed out of the Central Junior ‘B’ Hockey League in 1993-94. With a long and storied history of developing players for the next level, including U Sports, the NCAA, CHL, minor pro ranks and the NHL, the OJHL had more than 135 commitments in 2017-18, including 65 NCAA Division I scholarships.

For more information on the Ontario Junior Hockey League, please visit www.ojhl.ca or follow us on Twitter (@OJHLOfficial) and Facebook (OJHLOfficial).