#445 Tom Renney, Former NHL Head Coach and Hockey Canada CEO

Sep 4, 2025

Tom Renney, a seasoned former NHL head coach and Hockey Canada CEO, now champions grassroots youth hockey. He shares insights on coaching with values, emphasizing the importance of building resilient, confident athletes. The discussion highlights fostering relationships, mentorship, and emotional wellbeing in sports. Renney advocates for gratitude within teams to enhance community and mental health. He also explores the evolving nature of coaching, promoting humility and continuous learning as keys to long-term success.

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INSIGHT

Make The Rink A Destination

Coaches shape whether the rink becomes a destination by making the experience enjoyable and nurturing.
Tom Renney says care, kindness and consistent teaching create lasting memories and loyalty.

ADVICE

Encourage Direct Conversation

When players have problems, tell them to go talk to the coach and explain why they want change.
Teach athletes to own their part and have direct conversations to learn from the interaction.

ANECDOTE

A Critique Remembered For Decades

Tom recalled a player who remembered him scolding him after a period even 50 years later.
The player still valued the relationship and later forgave Tom for that tough moment.

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Tom Renney is a Canadian former ice hockey coach and executive. Renney began his coaching career in the Western Hockey League (WHL), capturing a Memorial Cup in his two-year stint with the Kamloops Blazers. He served as an NHL head coach of the Vancouver Canucks, New York Rangers, and Edmonton Oilers and associate coach with the Detroit Red Wings. He also participated in the coaching staff for Canada's national teams on numerous occasions, capturing a silver medal as the head coach at the 1994 Winter Olympics. After retiring from coaching, Renney served as the chief executive officer of Hockey Canada from 2014 to 2022, and currently is dedicated to helping youth hockey programs at the grassroots level develop more resilient, confident athletes who thrive both on and off the ice. He’s using his experience to work directly with minor hockey organizations to create more values-driven coaching environments and improve long-term athlete development.

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