The Niagara IceDogs ended the 2022-23 season at the bottom of the Ontario Hockey League’s (OHL) Eastern Division with a record of 12-47-8-1. They are now facing significant sanctions from the OHL for violations of league policies and the Code of Conduct. There was hope before the 2022-23 season due to new ownership: Darren DeDobbelaer and minority stakeholder Wayne Gretzky purchased the team in July 2022 from Bill and Denise Burke. The Burkes decided to sell after their sons, Billy and Joey Burke, were suspended following an investigation that found they used inappropriate language to describe a female colleague in a WhatsApp conversation. The team was fined $150,000 for violating the league’s Harassment & Abuse/Diversity Policy, which stresses respect for women.
DeDobbelaer, the majority owner, served as governor and General Manager for the 2022-23 season but is now suspended from his GM role for two years. The team was fined $100,000 and forfeited their first selection in the 2024 OHL Priority Selection draft. These sanctions, announced on May 4, 2023, followed an OHL investigation into violations of the Maltreatment, Bullying, and Harassment Protection and Prevention Policy and the Code of Conduct. The investigation, which involved interviewing around fifteen former players, coaches, staff, and officials, found that defenseman Landon Cato and goaltender Joshua Rosenzweig seriously violated the Player Maltreatment Policy and the OHL Code of Conduct. Both players have been permanently banned from the league.
DeDobbelaer’s suspension and the team fine are partly due to violating a league directive to keep the investigation confidential and not discuss it with players or staff. It is unclear if the investigation found that DeDobbelaer or any current staff participated in or allowed inappropriate conduct. DeDobbelaer had previously praised Cato as a “class act” and the obvious choice for captain.
The OHL’s actions indicate a serious stance on player well-being. The Mayor of St. Catharines, Mat Siscoe, has sought more information from the league and the IceDogs about how a culture of abuse could exist. In a joint statement with Chief Administrative Officer David Oakes, Siscoe expressed a sense of betrayal, emphasizing the need for immediate action.
Organizations must take Code of Conduct violations seriously to uphold integrity and avoid potential liability.
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