CALGARY, Alberta – Hockey Canada has announced that after a multi-year hiatus, the Order of Hockey in Canada is returning and will be overseen by a nine-person selection committee chaired by hockey broadcaster and producer John Shannon.
Established in 2012, 36 Distinguished Honourees have been recognized with the Order of Hockey in Canada for their outstanding contributions or service to the growth and development of hockey in Canada. The most recent class was invested in June 2022.
“The Order of Hockey in Canada is an important initiative to celebrate some of the incredible and inspiring individuals who have positively impacted our National Winter Sport, and we are thrilled to announce its return,” said Katherine Henderson, president and chief executive officer of Hockey Canada. “As we re-introduce the Order to Canadians, we welcome our new selection committee and thank them for their commitment to identify deserving people in the game who will receive this honour.”
The new selection committee includes four Distinguished Honourees of the Order of Hockey in Canada and representatives from the sports media industry, Own the Podium and alumni from Canada’s men’s, women’s and para hockey programs:
*Invested to the Order of Hockey in Canada
Following a confidential vote by the selection committee, three Distinguished Honourees will be formally invested into the Order of Hockey in Canada each season at an International Ice Hockey Federation event hosted by Hockey Canada, beginning with the 2027 IIHF World Junior Championship in Alberta this winter.
Each committee member is eligible to nominate one individual for consideration, with the final ballot consisting of a first-place vote (five points), second-place vote (three points) and third-place vote (one point).
“Our committee understands how significant this honour is to Canadians and we are excited to contribute to its return this year,” said Shannon. “As we look towards announcing the Class of 2026 and beyond, we know that telling the stories of the Distinguished Honourees will be extremely valuable to humanizing their accomplishments and we couldn’t be more proud to begin our work.”
The Class of 2026 of the Order of Hockey in Canada is expected to be announced in the coming weeks.