The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League confirms the hiring of Mario Cecchini as commissioner. The president of the members’ office of the QMJHL, Richard Létourneau, confirmed the news in a press release published in the middle of the afternoon on Tuesday.
Cecchini will officially take office on May 8, 2023.
He succeeds Gilles Courteau, who resigned on Sunday, when the league he led for 37 years is splashed by allegations of sexual abuse against players during initiation activities.
Shortly after the announcement of Courteau’s resignation, the name of Cecchini, former president of the Montreal Alouettes, began to circulate to take over.
Mario Cecchini is acting president of the Montreal football club during the process of selling the Alouettes, which are under the supervision of the CFL following the buyout of the team by the league. Due to Cecchini’s files with the Montreal Alouettes, the QMJHL will announce the date of a press conference to present him to the media at a later date.
“Mr. Cecchini has extensive experience as a manager in the business world, both in sports and in the media. He has acted as president of several reputable organizations. He will be an important asset for the League and we are very happy to welcome him,” Létourneau said in the official press release.
In the same statement, Cecchini said he was looking forward to taking on this mandate and joining the team.
“The QMJHL is more than fifty years of developing elite players, including some of the biggest stars in the history of the National Hockey League. But above all, it is an incredible school of life that offers players all the tools to develop on a sporting, academic and social level.
“Several excellent mentoring programs have been established. Over the next few years, we will have the chance with the resources in place to see how we can improve them and better communicate them. »
The interim commissioner, Martin Lavallée, will continue to assume the functions of commissioner until the date of entry into office of Cecchini, specified the LHJMQ in its press release.