Brian O’Neill, a longtime NHL executive who helped oversee the league’s first major expansion and drafted its first 12-team schedule, has died at 94.
The NHL confirmed O’Neill’s death in a news release on Friday. The cause of death has not been disclosed.
O’Neill was hired as the NHL’s chief administrative officer in 1966, by then-president Clarence Campbell.
The Montreal native was responsible for crafting the 1967-68 NHL schedule, which had just added six teams to double its size.
While the Chicago Blackhawks were the westernmost team of the original six teams, O’Neill had to create a schedule of 444 games to be played over a 25-week span, with rosters spanning the entire continent from Boston to Los Angeles.
Four years later, O’Neill was named executive director of the NHL, and he began a long tenure overseeing the amateur draft, a series of expansion drafts, and season and playoff schedules.
He retired in 1992 and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame two years later.
“Elegant and erudite, Brian has served the league in countless ways for more than 50 years, culminating as Executive Vice President of Hockey Operations,” NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said in a statement. He played each role with a modest grace, uncommon dignity and meticulous attention to detail that earned universal respect and admiration – from fans, players, team owners and managers, and the media.
“On a personal level, for much of my 30 years as NHL Commissioner, Brian has been a trusted advisor, providing advice that has helped grow our sport. »
O’Neill earned a Bachelor of Arts from Loyola College in Montreal and a Bachelor of Commerce in Economics from McGill University. He played varsity hockey for both schools.
After graduating from McGill and before joining the NHL, he spent nine years in the publishing business in Montreal.