Former Guelph Storm Governor and OHL Chairman Rick Gaetz honoured with Bill Long Award
Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON – The Ontario Hockey League announced today that former Guelph Storm Co-Owner and Governor Rick Gaetz is this year’s recipient of the Bill Long Award for Distinguished Service presented in recognition and appreciation of outstanding contributions to the OHL.
The award was presented Wednesday night at the annual OHL Board of Governors meeting in Niagara-on-the-Lake.
Gaetz served as Co-Owner and Governor of the Storm from 2006-2021, a tenure that saw the Storm capture the J. Ross Robertson Cup as OHL Champions in 2014 and 2019. Named OHL Executive of the Year in 2010, Gaetz demonstrated tremendous leadership throughout his time in the league, serving on the OHL Executive Council starting in 2008 to eventually become Chairman of the Board of Governors from 2015-2019.
“The Ontario Hockey League continues to be a leader in the development of young people, and maintaining that high standard requires great leadership,” said OHL Commissioner Bryan Crawford. “We’re proud to recognize Rick Gaetz as one of those outstanding leaders for his many contributions to both the Guelph Storm and the league as a whole throughout his 15 years of ownership.”
The Storm developed eventual NHL talent in Drew Doughty, Tyler Bertuzzi, Robby Fabbri, Jason Dickinson and Nick Suzuki throughout Gaetz’ ownership tenure, one that also saw the club thrive with incremental gains in corporate sponsorship. He becomes the first representative from the Storm organization to be presented the Bill Long Award.
The Bill Long Award now has 23 recipients since initiated in 1989 to commemorate the efforts and contributions of Bill Long during his days in the Ontario Hockey League, spanning over three decades as a coach and manager of the Niagara Falls Flyers, Ottawa 67’s and London Knights. The most recent recipients of the award have included former Kitchener Rangers Chief Operating Officer Steve Bienkowski (2022), former Kingston Frontenacs and Belleville Bulls Coach/GM Larry Mavety (2018) and former Peterborough Petes executive Pat Casey (2016).
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