IIHF president Luc Tardif will not seek re-election

A changing of the guard is coming to hockey’s largest governing body.

On Sunday, International Ice Hockey Federation president Luc Tardif announced that he will not be seeking re-election, ending a tenure of service to international hockey that spans more than a quarter century.

In a release, Tardif thanked his family, friends and colleagues for their support during his tenure

“I am incredibly proud to have been a guardian of our sport, our events, our organization, and our values, safeguarding them during these critical and uncertain times,” Tardif said. “However, none of this would have been possible without your trust, your collaboration, and your unwavering support. For that, I truly thank you.”

The 73-year-old recognizes an opportunity for a new, more youthful leader to head the IIHF.

“With the IIHF in a strong and stable position, I feel it is the right time to pass the puck to a younger leader.”

Tardif has been president since 2021, when he succeeded longtime president Rene Fasel. The Trois-Rivières, Que. native certainly had to deal with a lot in his nearly five years at the helm. Hockey was still adjusting to life with COVID-19, with the IIHF trying to navigate putting together the men’s and women’s Olympic hockey tournaments in Beijing in 2022 amid another COVID outbreak.

Not long after that, Tardif played a huge role in formalizing the ban on Russian and Belarusian national and club teams competing in international tournaments, following the invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Prior to being elected IIHF President, he served on the IIHF’s competition committee and was elected to the organization’s council in 2010. Before assuming roles as treasurer and finance committee chairman. Tardif was also the inaugural president of the French Ice Hockey Federation from its inception in 2006 to 2021.

While the end is in sight for Tardif in his current capacity, he made it known that he will keep at the task at hand until the very end.

“There’s still a lot to do, and I am very focused on my work and my mandate as IIHF President. The months ahead will be very active, with important initiatives and announcements still to come as I complete my term in October.”

The 15th IIHF President will be elected at the semi-annual congress in the fall.