Hockey Canada Fails To Get On IIHF Council In Shocking Vote

For the first time in nearly 30 years, Hockey Canada — the largest and most influential hockey governing body in the world — will not have a seat on the International Ice Hockey Federation's council.

In a shocking decision on Friday, Hockey Canada president and CEO Katherine Henderson was unable to secure one of the three spots on the 15-member council. 

In the first round of voting for one of the spots designated for female members, Henderson finished fourth with only 35 percent of the votes, behind representatives from Hungary, Turkey, and Poland. In the second round, she finished behind Turkey and Poland with only 23 percent of the vote.

That Hungary, Turkey, and Poland finished with more votes than Canada tells you all you need to know about the country's current standing in the international hockey community.

The last time a Canadian wasn't at the table was from 1994 to 1998. The repercussions for Hockey Canada, which will have to wait another four years before getting another opportunity to join the council, are likely to be massive.

The IIHF council, which elected a new president, Franz Reindl of Germany, decides on everything from where the next World Junior Championship will be played to whether Russia will be allowed to participate in international competitions. Not having a Canadian at the seat of the table could rob Hockey Canada of the hosting duties it has had a stranglehold on in the last several years, particularly the World Junior Championship, which Canada will host in 2027 and 2029 and has also hosted six times in the past 10 years. 

As for why Henderson was shut out, it's hardly surprising, given what's transpired behind closed doors over the past year.

Hockey Canada, along with USA Hockey, has been at the forefront of a battle over who has the exclusive rights to secure jersey deals worn at international competitions. On Dec. 30, Hockey Canada announced that it had extended its commercial partnership with Bauer Hockey until 2030, making Bauer the exclusive manufacturer of replica Team Canada jerseys, and that Bauer would launch the national team's new primary jersey during the 2026–2027 season.

There was only one problem: the IIHF, under its statutes and regulations, controls all commercial rights related to the presentation of major international tournaments. In October 2025, the IIHF had already announced a new multi-season sponsorship agreement with TRUE Hockey,  owned by W. Graeme Roustan, who also owns The Hockey News.

Last month, a Swiss court ruled that the IIHF has exclusive rights to all jerseys worn at international competitions, rejecting Hockey Canada's bid to block the TRUE Hockey deal with the IIHF. The court valued the dispute at more than $36 million, with 15 percent of the revenues distributed to the hockey associations of IIHF member countries.

That could explain why Henderson, who tried to circumvent the IIHF in a move that backfired, failed to secure the votes needed to stay on council. It could also explain why Jonathan Goldbloom resigned as Hockey Canada's board chair, effective Oct. 5, following a letter of complaint from Roustan over the lack of transparency in securing tenders for the jersey deal.

Writing that Goldbloom and Henderson were "unfit to serve Canadians", Roustan said that the federation "lacked financial transparency."

According to Roustan, Canadians have no way of knowing whether Hockey Canada actually secured the best deal for its members because it did not open up the bidding process. 

"A competitive process could have earned a greater amount of equipment for boys and girls across the country, or more money to curb constant increases in registration costs," wrote Roustan. "Private companies, whether for profit or not, have the right to enter into the agreements they want, even if they are bad. But since Hockey Canada receives several million dollars each year from taxpayers, it should be required to maintain higher standards."

What this now means for Henderson is unclear. But for Hockey Canada, not being on the IIHF's council is a major blow. And one that will have serious repercussions for the next four years.

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