In July 1951, Grimston announced that the Edmonton Mercurys were chosen to represent Canada in ice hockey at the 1952 Winter Olympics in Oslo. The team previously won the 1950 Ice Hockey World Championships representing Canada. Grimston was appointed an ex-officio member of the European executive council of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), which would oversee hockey at the Olympics. Less than two weeks before the Olympics began, George VI died. Grimston issued a directive that no games be played under CAHA jurisdiction on February 15, 1952, the day of the king's funeral.