Mental health and performance remained a strategic priority for the IIHF throughout the season, with a growing focus on creating environments where athletes can perform at their best while also feeling supported, understood and safe.
Building on work launched in previous seasons, the IIHF continued to expand its efforts to raise awareness, reduce stigma and provide athletes, coaches and hockey personnel with practical tools to better understand and address mental health.
A key milestone was the launch of the Athlete Mental Wellness and Performance: A Guide for Coaches e-learning module. Led by Professor Martin Mrazik and developed with internationally recognized experts and elite hockey leaders, the resource brings together expertise from across the hockey world, including Vicky Sunohara, Daniel Alfredsson, Peter DeBoer, Gregory Tarlé, André Lysenstoen, Iara Haiek and Dr. Frauke Kubischta.
The module is designed to help coaches to identify potential mental health challenges, understand how they can affect athletes and teams, and create environments that support both wellbeing and performance. By placing coaches at the centre of the initiative, the IIHF is recognizing their important role not only in developing players on the ice, but also in shaping the culture and environment around them.
As IIHF President Luc Tardif said: “Coaches play a decisive role in creating the environment in which an athlete can thrive, not just physically but mentally.”
The focus on education extended beyond the new e-learning module. Mental health awareness was also brought to the IIHF Coaching Symposium, giving coaches an opportunity to discuss the subject and consider how mental wellbeing can be incorporated into everyday coaching and team environments.
Building on work launched in previous seasons, the IIHF continued to expand its efforts to raise awareness, reduce stigma and provide athletes, coaches and hockey personnel with practical tools to better understand and address mental health.
A key milestone was the launch of the Athlete Mental Wellness and Performance: A Guide for Coaches e-learning module. Led by Professor Martin Mrazik and developed with internationally recognized experts and elite hockey leaders, the resource brings together expertise from across the hockey world, including Vicky Sunohara, Daniel Alfredsson, Peter DeBoer, Gregory Tarlé, André Lysenstoen, Iara Haiek and Dr. Frauke Kubischta.
The module is designed to help coaches to identify potential mental health challenges, understand how they can affect athletes and teams, and create environments that support both wellbeing and performance. By placing coaches at the centre of the initiative, the IIHF is recognizing their important role not only in developing players on the ice, but also in shaping the culture and environment around them.
As IIHF President Luc Tardif said: “Coaches play a decisive role in creating the environment in which an athlete can thrive, not just physically but mentally.”
The focus on education extended beyond the new e-learning module. Mental health awareness was also brought to the IIHF Coaching Symposium, giving coaches an opportunity to discuss the subject and consider how mental wellbeing can be incorporated into everyday coaching and team environments.
The IIHF also introduced Headversity for Staff, providing another resource to support mental wellbeing within the organization itself. The initiative reflects a broader principle: mental health is relevant to everyone in hockey, not only athletes.
At the research level, collaboration remained an important part of the Medical Committee's work. Through REFORM and its network of researchers, the IIHF continued to strengthen connections with the research community and gather insights through surveys and collaborative projects. This evidence-based approach is helping to inform future initiatives and ensure that mental health programmes respond to the evolving needs of the hockey community.
Awareness was also brought directly into the hockey environment through initiatives such as mental health wristbands, providing a visible reminder of the importance of speaking openly about mental wellbeing and supporting one another.
Together, these initiatives represent a holistic approach to wellbeing in hockey. The message is clear: physical and psychological health are both essential components of safe participation, personal wellbeing, and high performance.
As the IIHF continues to develop its approach to mental health, the goal is not simply to respond when challenges arise, but to build a hockey culture in which conversations about mental wellbeing are normal, support is accessible and everyone has the tools to thrive - on and off the ice.
To mark World Mental Health Day, IIHF-affiliated teams and players are invited to:
At the research level, collaboration remained an important part of the Medical Committee's work. Through REFORM and its network of researchers, the IIHF continued to strengthen connections with the research community and gather insights through surveys and collaborative projects. This evidence-based approach is helping to inform future initiatives and ensure that mental health programmes respond to the evolving needs of the hockey community.
Awareness was also brought directly into the hockey environment through initiatives such as mental health wristbands, providing a visible reminder of the importance of speaking openly about mental wellbeing and supporting one another.
Together, these initiatives represent a holistic approach to wellbeing in hockey. The message is clear: physical and psychological health are both essential components of safe participation, personal wellbeing, and high performance.
As the IIHF continues to develop its approach to mental health, the goal is not simply to respond when challenges arise, but to build a hockey culture in which conversations about mental wellbeing are normal, support is accessible and everyone has the tools to thrive - on and off the ice.
To mark World Mental Health Day, IIHF-affiliated teams and players are invited to:
- Wear green tape or armbands in solidarity.
- Participate in awareness activities.
- Share personal stories using the hashtag #IIHFMindMatters, #MentalHealth