The Canadian Sport School Hockey League (CSSHL) Board of Directors have elected a new Chair and Vice Chair for the 2026-27 season.
David Grout has been elected to serve as Chair, while Jon Neutens will serve as Vice Chair. Both positions will serve one-year terms.
Both Grout and Neutens have served the Board since its inception in the fall of 2023.
Located in Edmonton, AB, Grout has over 23 years of experience as a corporate lawyer. He currently is Senior Vice-President Legal and General Counsel for OEG Sports & Entertainment, one of the largest sports and entertainment businesses in North America and the parent company of the Edmonton Oilers (NHL), Bakersfield Condors (AHL) and Edmonton Oil Kings (WHL).
“I am honoured to serve as Chair of the Board at such an exciting time for the league,” said Grout. “With the appointment of our first ever Commissioner, we are entering an important new chapter. Together, we will build on the league’s strong foundation, strengthen governance, and drive a clear vision that elevates academic achievement combined with elite hockey development across Canada.”
Neutens is currently VP & Head of Agriculture at ATB Financial (formerly Alberta Treasury Branches) overseeing financial planning, strategy, and lending operations.
Along with the election of Chair and Vice Chair, Mikhail Vlassov will join the Board as a Director. Vlassov currently serves as the Director of Strategy and Corporate Development at Cogeco Communications, and with a background in mergers and acquisitions, capital management, financial reporting, and financial governance from his tenure at Cogeco, EY, and KPMG, will bring a fiscal perspective to the CSSHL Board. Based in Montreal, QC, Vlassov played his minor hockey in Quebec, including two years in QM18AAA.
“I am very excited to be a part of the CSSHL team. I hope I can contribute both my professional and athletic/academic experience to the evolution of the league, as well as its student-athletes and member programs.”
George Crookshank, outgoing Board Chair, served in the position since the creation of the Board in the fall of 2023.
“The CSSHL league members, staff and board of directors would like to thank George for all his time and effort over the past two years,” added CSSHL CEO Andy Oakes. “George was the inaugural chairman for our independent board and his leadership over the first two years was instrumental in the CSSHL achieving the success it has had over the past two year.”
“I am very grateful to have been a part of the CSSHL for the last 2.5 years after joining the inaugural Independent Board of Directors,” said outgoing Board Chair George Crookshank. “The Board is poised to continue leading the league into a bright future, as it strives to continuously improve the league for both our female and male student-athletes, as well as the individual member programs. I am also very excited to see Mel Davidson take on her new role as CSSHL Commissioner and create pathways and advancements for all student-athletes.”
Under the guidance of Grout and Neutens, the Board will assist Davidson and the rest of the CSSHL team, providing their expertise in various skills sets such as finance, risk/insurance, expansion, governance, and marketing/sponsorships.
