Here is the latest on the investigation.
Niagara IceDogs under new investigation, ‘organizational culture’ probed by law firm - St. Catharines Standard
On the verge of their first playoff appearance in five seasons, the Niagara IceDogs franchise is under another dark cloud.
Ontario Hockey League confirmed Thursday it retained a Toronto law firm to investigate the “organizational culture” of the team following a series of complaints.
Multiple sources close to the IceDogs said the team’s owner, Darren DeDobbelaer, has been involved in game-day decisions, including setting lines, which impacts ice time for the players.
OHL suspended DeDobbelaer from the general manager’s role for two years after the end of the 2023 season following an incident involving IceDogs captain Landon Cato and goalie Joshua Rosenzweig, who were both permanently banned by the league. The league also fined the organization $100,000.
Reached by phone, DeDobbelaer directed the reporter to the league office and said “no comment” when asked if the league was investigating him for involvement in the team’s on-ice operations while suspended.
Multiple sources also said the league may be looking into an incident of sexual harassment — not involving DeDobbelaer — as well as player misbehaviour at a party that resulted in the “trashing” of a house.
Asked about those issues, DeDobbelaer also replied, “No comment.”
The OHL statement said the league has appointed director of player recruitment and player support services, Brodie Barrick, to work on site with and support team ownership, leadership and players on matters related to its Players First Program.
The program promotes the league’s post-secondary scholarships, on-ice development, player welfare and support systems, and diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.
“The league takes these matters very seriously and has launched a third-party internal investigation into the allegations,” the statement emailed to The Standard said.
Former St. Catharines city councillor and IceDogs fan Lori Littleton took to Facebook with a post saying she had cancelled her season tickets — but would renew them if the league forces a team sale, adding it’s “time for the OHL to say enough’s enough.”
“I loved going to games, and the atmosphere was great,” Littleton wrote. “It was a lot of fun. Until it wasn’t.
“I have refused to renew my tickets, and this year, I forfeited my turn in my company’s box because I had heard rumblings. The team is again being investigated by the Ontario Hockey League and is basically getting babysat while a firm looks into its ‘culture.’
“Such a horrible thing for players and coaches and others involved with this franchise to deal with.”
Littleton, when asked about the Facebook post, said she hopes the team fixes its issues “so fans can have confidence in the team and the culture being fostered.”
The incident that resulted in DeDobbelaer’s suspension occurred in 2022.
At that time, commissioner David Branch advised DeDobbelaer that to protect the integrity of the process, the investigation was to be kept confidential, and he was not to speak with players or others concerning the subject matter.
During the 2021-22 regular season, general manager Joey Burke and head coach Billy Burke were suspended indefinitely for violating the league’s harassment, abuse and adversity policy,
The brothers, together with the team owned by their parents, were fined $150,000.
OHL imposed the sanctions after receiving transcripts of a March 6, 2022, WhatsApp conversation involving the head coach and general manager that contained offensive language.
The league said in a news release at the time that based on the results of its investigation, “it is the position of the league that their conduct is prejudicial to the welfare of the OHL as it violates the harassment, abuse and diversity policy.”
In 2019, OHL stripped the IceDogs of a first-round draft pick and fined the team $150,000 for player recruitment violations.
A former player had told OHL investigators the IceDogs had a secret “side deal” to pay him $10,000 for each of the four years he played for the team, but the IceDogs had reneged on the agreement.
The Burkes took the league to court seeking an interim injunction that would have stayed the disciplinary proceeding until a dispute between the team and the former player was arbitrated. Superior Court Justice James Ramsay denied the request.
The team also appealed the penalties to the league’s board of governors, which resulted in OHL reducing the fine from $250,000 and restoring one of the two first-round picks the team had been docked.
The team acknowledged violating the league’s player recruitment rules as part of the settlement.
