Hockey Canada announced that Scott Smith, the chief executive officer of Hockey Canada, has resigned. This was in the context of major leadership changes which also saw the entire board of directors of Hockey Canada resign.
A temporary management group will oversee the organization’s daily activities until Hockey Canada members form a new board. The new directors should be in place by the time Hockey Canada holds its virtual leadership meetings on December 17, 2022. The new board will also elect the CEO.
Hockey Canada released that the interim management board will “ensure progress in the implementation of Hockey Canada’s Action Plan” during the interim.
This is the latest reform for the leadership of the troubled organization. Andrea Skinner, the interim chair of the board, resigned on Saturday. She had been on the job for just two months. Hockey Canada said that there were more changes in the pipeline after Skinner claimed before her departure that no leadership changes were necessary.
Bauer Hockey, the equipment manufacturer, released a statement on Tuesday announcing that they will suspend their partnership with Hockey Canada.
TSN’s Rick Westhead in May reported that Hockey Canada had settled an undisclosed lawsuit with a woman alleging sexual assault in 2018 by eight World Junior hockey players. Hockey Canada announced in July that it had released $7.6 million in nine settlements to sexual abuse and assault allegations dating back to 1989.