Photo credit: RocketFAN

By Regan Bartel

Outgoing WHL commissioner had game

Don’t let Ron Robison’s suit and tie fool you

Jan 22, 2024 | 11:20 AM

It is commonplace to see outgoing WHL commissioner Ron Robison walking around hockey arenas dressed professionally.

A dress jacket, a collared shirt, dress pants, and black dress shoes are a staple in the wardrobe worn by the man from Indian Head, Saskatchewan, who has held the position for a staggering 24 years.

As he rides into the sunset, retiring from his position in February, RocketFAN was interested in finding out more about the 69-year-old, who has made tough decisions for the betterment of the league over his tenure.

“I was fortunate to grow up in a great community,” Robison recalled of his time in a small town that boasts 1,933 residents. “It was very active in hockey, baseball, football, you name it. We had every sport, and it was a great environment to grow up in.”

Still retaining a strong connection to the community, Robison’s grandfather was the mayor of Indian Head for some time.

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“Not only was he the mayor, but commissioner of baseball for Canada in the mid-50s,” Robison added. “He was instrumental in bringing Negro baseball players from the southern United States to play in Saskatchewan, and they barnstormed throughout Saskatchewan and had great senior baseball, so we are probably noted more for being a baseball family than a hockey family.”

Don’t be fooled by Robison’s outer appearance as he makes a farewell tour by visiting each of the 22 centers across the league wearing his three-piece suit.

“I wanted to play in the NHL,” he said. “I got a rude awakening when I went to Regina to try out with the Pats when I was 15, and I had Dennis Sobchuk and Clark Gillies who were ahead of me, and there was no contest there.

“I went to Saskatoon, and Bernie Federko happened to be there at the time, so I happened to play junior and university hockey in Saskatoon, and then focused on my business career by taking sports administration.”

Robison was an under-sized centreman back in the day, who admittedly barely survived in an era where bigger was better and fighting was a major factor in the game.

“I got an early start on learning how to survive,” Robison said with a chuckle. “At age 14, I played senior hockey [in Indian Head], and we had a very good senior team. We played provincially and we were playing against 30 and 40-year-olds. At that point, you learn to survive, and I think everybody did at that time, as it was a bit more primitive, but we found our way through it.”

You won’t see Robison’s name if you search Hockeydb or Elite Prospects, so you will have to take the commissioner’s word for it when assessing his playmaking abilities.

“Outside of skating, I think I wasn’t a bad player,” he commented with a grin on his face. “Honestly, I think I could skate well and was fairly skilled, but I wasn’t at that level to play in the Western Hockey League, which was my dream.”

Robison would play for the Humboldt Broncos and the Saskatoon Quakers, which would represent Saskatchewan at the Canada Winter Games in 1975.  Robison would also skate with the Saskatchewan Huskies while earning his degree, which speaks volumes of his abilities to play at a high level on the ice.

“The caliber [of university hockey] is a lot better today,” he said honestly. “It has transformed itself through the Western Hockey League scholarship program. Now the level of play at the university level is at a near professional level. When I was playing the caliber wasn’t great, but we had a lot of fun with a great group of guys that I still stay in touch with today.

“I focused on hockey in the initial stages of my time in university,” Robison reflected. “When I recognized I wasn’t going to get to the level I wanted, I focused more on my degree in the latter stages of it.”

While coaching at the U of S, Robison coached Brent Hamilton, Kelowna Rockets GM Bruce Hamilton’s younger brother.

“I was fortunate to get into coaching with Dave King at the University of Saskatchewan and through that, I got introduced to Hockey Canada and went directly to Ottawa before coming to Calgary and working with him on the national team program.”

That allowed Robison to work at the Olympics, and world championships for close to 20 years before joining the WHL, as commissioner in 2000.

“I think I figured it out early enough that I wasn’t going any further as a hockey player, and decided to focus on my business career,’ Robison said.

“I think and it has worked out extremely well for me.”