The Ontario Hockey League has awarded linesman Dustin McCrank the Ken Bodendistel Character Award for Officials, as voted by his peers. 

Established in 2013, ‘The Bodie’ is presented annually to “the OHL official who demonstrates a passion and dedication to officiating and the game of hockey, who best exemplifies leadership on and off the ice, professionalism, and is respected by OHL member teams, players, and fellow officials.”

“Dustin in an incredibly deserving winner of this award,” said Scott Oakman, the OHL’s interim Director of Officiating. “Apart from being an incredibly accomplished official, he consistently has a positive attitude, communicates extremely well with everyone, and demonstrates a desire to work hard while ensuring he and the others around him are having fun at the same time. This has established him as an incredible leader among the ranks of the OHL officiating team.”

 


 

McCrank has spent 15 years in the OHL, working nine OHL Championship Series and four Memorial Cups. Internationally, he’s been selected to represent Canada in stripes at four IIHF Men’s World Championships (2018, 2019, 2020*, 2021) and the 2018 World Juniors, as well as at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing.   (The 2020 tournament was cancelled due to COVID.)

“I’m very lucky to be able to represent the OHL on a nightly basis,” said McCrank. “It is the best development league in the world. To be on the ice with the future stars in the game including players, coaches and officials is truly rewarding.

“First, I have to thank my wife Emily, and new daughter Lillian for all the love and support, this season especially. Always telling me to ‘work hard and have fun!”, as I leave the house for the evening. Thanks to mom and dad, along with the other family members who have been a part of my officiating journey over the years providing endless encouragement.

“Importantly, I would like to thank ‘Team 21,’ my OHL officiating family, Conrad Haché and the Officiating Managers past/present. Being selected by my teammates for this prestigious award means everything to me. They are the reason I have continued to go to the rink, work hard and have fun, over the last 15 years.

“I know Bodie would be proud of what I have accomplished in my career and I continue to do my best to honour him and the others that have come before me.”

 

From the CHL:

The award is named in recognition of former OHL Senior Officiating Manager, Ken Bodendistel, who served 40 years in the league beginning as a Supervisor in 1974-75. Bodendistel passed away in November, 2013, at the age of 73 after a courageous battle with cancer. This year marked the 11th year “The Bodie” has been presented with recent recipients including Drew Jackson, Mike Hamilton and Jason Faist.

McCrank will be formally presented with the The Bodie Award at the OHL’s Awards Ceremony on Wednesday, June 12 at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto.

 

Congrats to Dustin McCrank on being recognized as this year’s Bodie Award recipient!