What Happened
Franz Reindl was elected president of the International Ice Hockey Federation, defeating Petr Bříza 60-57 in a runoff vote held in Tenerife. Reindl had trailed 48-36 in the first round before Aivaz Omorkanov of Kyrgyzstan was eliminated. The vote followed incumbent Luc Tardif's decision not to seek another term. In the council elections, Hockey Canada CEO and president Katherine Henderson did not receive enough votes, leaving Canada without representation on the IIHF council.
Key Details
- Reindl won the runoff 60-57 after trailing Bříza 48-36 in the first round.
- Aivaz Omorkanov of Kyrgyzstan was eliminated before the runoff.
- Reindl, 71, was a forward on West Germany's 1976 Olympic bronze team.
- Bříza was Czechoslovakia's goaltender for bronze in 1992.
- Reindl was runner-up to Tardif five years ago and led Team Europe at the 2016 NHL World Cup.
- Katherine Henderson, Hockey Canada CEO and president, missed out on a council seat.
What It Means
Reindl takes over an IIHF that recently restored NHL participation in the Olympics for Milan Cortina and continues to exclude Russian teams following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. His past work with the NHL, including running Team Europe at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey, gives him existing relationships with league officials. Canada's absence from the council removes a traditional voice from the body that governs international hockey.