Thunder Bay, Ont. – The Superior International Junior Hockey League is proud to announce the appointment of Darrin Nicholas as its new league commissioner.
Nicholas has over three decades of involvement in the highest levels of amateur hockey and now becomes the sixth commissioner of the Superior International Junior Hockey League in its 19-year history.
He has over thirty years of experience in corporate leadership with an emphasis on business development and sales. That experience in combination with his many years of experience with hockey at multiple levels makes him the perfect candidate to lead the SIJHL into its next phase of growth and development.
“It is my honour to have the opportunity to serve as the next commissioner for the Superior International Junior Hockey League,” stated Nicholas.
“To add my name to a list of such distinguished and esteemed builders in league history is truly humbling and I am eager to carry the torch for the SIJHL,” he added.
Nicholas, a Thunder Bay native, graduated from Lakehead University with a bachelor’s degree in business administration, is no stranger to the SIJHL over the years having enjoyed a brief coaching stint and having both his sons spend time in the league as players with the Thunder Bay North Stars. With his professional background experience, experience in hockey and his knowledge of the workings of the SIJHL, he’s ready to hit the ground running.
Of note, his oldest son Nolan was the 2019-20 recipient of the NCAA Senior CLASS Award for on-ice success and academic excellence, off it, while serving as captain of the University of Alaska-Anchorage Seawolves D-I program.
“We had over 50 applicants for this position and as we paired down our list, many of which would have been excellent choices we started to see a clear pathway leading directly to Darrin,” said Doug Lein, SIJHL chairman of the board of governors.
“He checked every box that we as a league set out to check. We as a group were able throughout the process to see Darrin’s vision for the position as well as a level of drive and dedication that made him the clear-cut choice when everything shook out.”
The SIJHL is one of 10 Junior ‘A’ Hockey Leagues in Canada and is a proud member of the Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL). The SIJHL and its seven-member clubs take pride in providing the best development opportunities for players to advance on and off the ice.