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Neither man could make it through the press conference without shedding tears.

With his wife and daughters sitting in the front row, Tom Renney announced his retirement as the chief executive officer of Hockey Canada on Wednesday in Calgary. Long-time executive Scott Smith is taking the reins on July 1.

“So, this is where the confusion starts,” Renney joked as he took the mic, saying that it was, despite the tears, a happy occasion.

“It’s their turn,” he added, referencing his family. “To my family – my wife, Glenda, our daughters, Jessica and Jamie, and our grandchildren - thank you for your sacrifices and your support. I look forward being home and spending more time together and supporting you in your own endeavours.”

His daughters are currently working on projects concerning mental health and travel wellness, and Renney plans on lending a hand.

Renney, 67, was brought aboard by Hockey Canada in 2014 following his career coaching in the National Hockey League, which included head coaching stints with the Vancouver Canucks, New York Rangers and Edmonton Oilers.

He oversaw a program that collectively won 28 medals in international competition, including nine golds. He began thinking of retirement last year and tabbed Smith as his successor. 

Renney recommended Smith, 55, to Hockey Canada’s board and praised his leadership qualities during Wednesday’s press conference.

“I think Scott is a statesman, a steward of the game, and I think he’s extremely well spoken,” Renney said. “He’s seen every angle of this game, from every denomination and every age group. It’s certainly time for him. We are in front of some daunting things coming forward, but I think [Smith]’s intellect and ability to articulate his thoughts in a way that gives them meaning and gives people purpose is really critical.”

Founded in 1914, Hockey Canada is the national governing body of the sport. It is responsible for growing and administering the game at grassroots levels, as well as managing national teams and bidding to host International Ice Hockey Federation events like the World Juniors and World Hockey Championship. 

Smith, who hails from Bathurst, N.B., joined the organization in 1995 as its manager of operations for the Atlantic Centre of Excellence.

“This is not a position I take lightly, but I am extremely proud to continue to build on our strengths while working to make the game accessible for everyone,” Smith said.

Perhaps the most daunting thing is how Hockey Canada will navigate the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Smith emphasized the need to rebuild registration numbers. According to annual reports, Hockey Canada had nearly 606,000 registered players during the 2019-20 season. In the 2020-21 season, however, there were 385,190 registered players – a drop of 36 per cent as hockey associations had to adapt because of COVID-19.

Smith and Renney both talked about increasing diversity and representation in hockey. Smith also spoke about how he wants to grow the number of volunteers in the sport and improve the support available to them.

“When a young lady or young man sign up to be the volunteer president of a local minor hockey association, they were not thinking that they signed on to be dealing with all the challenges, the polarizing opinions, and emotions that came in trying to get kids back on the ice,” Smith said.

There are a busy few months ahead for Smith and Hockey Canada. The World Championship begins in May in Finland, and Alberta will host the rescheduled 2022 World Juniors and Hlinka Gretzky Cup during the summer. 

As he navigates the new role, Renney’s advice to Smith was simple. 

“Just be himself,” Renney said. “It seems to work every time.”