Retired, but far from forgotten. Peter Ham is an OHA trailblazer, hockey builder and marketing wizard
By – David McPherson
Cambridge, ON – The former general manager of the Brantford Alexanders in the late 1970s—who later became the owner of the Brantford Blast (now Bulldogs) in the 2000s—left senior hockey in 2018, putting the team up for sale, but not before leaving a legacy.
“When we started in 2002, our Brantford Blast was more than just the city’s newest hockey team, it was another step in the revitalization of the city and a new tenant for the Brantford Civic Centre,” Peter wrote in a thank-you letter to the local community that was posted on the team’s website following the announcement. “It would play on a national stage in a boomtown city and provide another opportunity to come together.”
Peter owned the Blast for sixteen years and was a leader in the Brantford community. Under his ownership, the Blast were three-time league champions, winning a trio of J. Ross Robertson cups. His first—and also the franchise’s inaugural trophy—came in 2008 when Brantford won Canada’s 100th Allan Cup on home ice, defeating the Bentley Generals 3-1 in the final game.
“Peter was the best marketing guy I’ve ever seen in senior hockey in my lifetime and I’ve been doing this as long as anybody,” says Don Robertson, general manager of the Dundas Real McCoys and a member of the OHA’s board of directors. “He knew how to put people in the building and he knew how to build excitement. Peter made you feel like you could smell the ice from the moment you walked into their building … his abilities to market the Brantford Blast are legendary.”
Don’s relationship with Peter goes back nearly four decades to the tailend of his OHA officiating career. In 1977, Don was working the lines for a Brantford Alexanders’ home game when Peter Ham, as that Senior A team’s general manager, won its first Allan Cup; that’s when he first got a whiff of Ham’s chutzpah. “The game was not even over and he started playing ‘We are the Champions!’” Robertson recalls. “Right then, I thought, ‘I like this guy’s style!”
As owner of the Dundas Real McCoys, the Blast were one of Robertson’s biggest rivals; he witnessed firsthand Ham’s passion for senior hockey and his marketing savvy. Despite the fierce on-ice competition between their teams, the hockey executives always had shared a mutual respect for one another.
“I had a total respect for him on and off the ice,” Don says. “I enjoyed sharing a beer, a plate of wings, or breakfast with him because you could always learn a lot from Peter. He was so passionate about growing senior hockey and making it work. He also knew how to do everything with a lot of class … he really was in a league of his own.”
About the Ontario Hockey Association
The Ontario Hockey Association (OHA) was founded on November 27, 1890, and is the governing body for the majority of Junior and Senior hockey in the Province of Ontario. It is comprised of three Junior hockey leagues and two Senior hockey leagues: Junior A – Ontario Junior Hockey League; Junior B – Greater Ontario Hockey League; Junior C – Provincial Junior Hockey League, Senior –Allan Cup Hockey (AAA) and Ontario Elite Hockey League (AA). For the 2025-2026 season, these five leagues encompass 132 teams. 3100 players, and about 6,000 games each hockey season. The majority of our players are 16 to 21 years of age.
The objectives of the OHA are to foster and encourage the sport of amateur hockey, to conduct competition in the various categories established, to determine teams for entry into the inter-branch competitions that may be provided by Hockey Canada, and to provide for the affiliation of other hockey organizations.
The OHA provides administrative resources, coordinates programs, services and events for hockey participants and provides support to various Development Programs for coaches, officials, trainers and players, Safety and Risk Management Issues and offers resources for Harassment and Abuse education.
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For more information or to set up an interview, please contact:
Chris McCleary
General Manager
Ontario Hockey Association
