Hockey Canada chairman Morris, 74, passes away

Hockey Canada board chairman Dr. Allan Morris has passed away, the governing body said on Tuesday.

"Dr. Allan Morris was the ultimate volunteer and the game of hockey in Canada is better today because of his devotion to the sport he loved," said Hockey Canada chief executive Bob Nicholson in a release.

"He will be greatly missed."

Morris, 74, started his hockey odyssey behind the bench in 1961, and coached from peewee to minor midget in Thornhill, Ont. During that time he won four straight provincial championships from 1975-78.

He ran hockey schools in Markham, Ont., in the 1970s before he became a member of the Ontario Hockey Association (OHA) board of directors in 1981, serving as chairman from 1993-96.

Morris was president and chairman of the Ontario Hockey Federation from 1997-2001. He then joined Hockey Canada's board of directors, and became its chairman in 2007.

He was named Markham's Sportsman of the Year in 1978 and honoured with Hockey Canada's outstanding volunteer award in 2001.

Team Canada players will pay tribute to Morris by wearing a special decal at upcoming international events.