Hockey Canada hiring full-time management for Program of Excellence

After a couple of stunning results over the past couple of years, Hockey Canada is making a change in its approach to development with some of its national programs.

On Tuesday, Chris Johnston of The Athletic reported that the organization is going to be hiring a full-time general manager for the Program of Excellence–a program that oversees the national teams below the senior level, including the National Junior Team.

Hockey Canada will also be hiring a vice president of hockey operations, both of which will be reporting to Scott Salmond, senior vice president of hockey operations.

Hockey Canada is also promoting James Emery to director of performance analysis, along with Chelsea Geldenhuys to senior manager of hockey operations.

The move for more full-time roles with the Program of Excellence comes in the aftermath of two disappointing turnouts for Team Canada at the IIHF World Junior Championships. After winning back-to-back gold medals, Czechia eliminated the team in the quarterfinals in each of the past two tournaments, doing so in Sweden in 2024, before bowing out early in front of passionate red and white crowd in Ottawa this past January.

Salmond himself took responsibility for the team’s poor performances, with many scrutinizing Hockey Canada’s choices for the 2025 team, which left a number of talented players off the team.

“Like other Canadians, I’m incredibly disappointed,” Salmond said last month. “It’s not unacceptable, but we can’t accept it. So it’s something that will work very diligently on improving, finding ways to win.”

The early exit at the WJC marked the first time since 2014 that the Canadians left the tournament without a medal in back-to-back years. They will try and snap that streak next year when the tournament is held in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota.