The preliminary round rolls on for Canada’s National Men’s Team, which is back on the ice Tuesday at O2 Arena to take on Austria, looking to remain perfect in Group A at the 2024 IIHF World Championship.

Last Game

Canada finished off a perfect opening weekend Sunday, getting two goals and an assist from Connor Bedard in a 5-1 win over Denmark. Jordan Binnington made 19 saves and 12 different skaters recorded points as the Canadians pulled away with three goals (and a 26-5 advantage in shots) in the third period.

The Austrians dropped a nail-biter to Switzerland on Sunday, holding 2-0 and 3-1 leads before giving up the game-winner on the power play with just 51 seconds left in a 6-5 loss. Lukas Haudum scored twice and Clemens Unterweger had a goal and two assists as Austria fell to 0-2.

Last Meeting

The teams met May 5 in Vienna in the pre-tournament opener for the Canadians. Ridly Greig provided a goal and an assist, Michael Bunting chipped in with two helpers and Canada earned a 5-1 win in front of a packed house at Stiffl Arena.

What to Watch

While a quick look at the scoresheet shows a four-goal win for Canada over Denmark and just 19 saves for Binnington, the numbers don’t tell the whole story. The Richmond Hill, Ontario, product was terrific in the second period, making 11 stops in the middle frame as the Danes pushed hard to tie the game. Binnington – who put up a 2.84 goals-against average and .913 save percentage with St. Louis this season – had a limited Team Canada résumé coming into Men’s Worlds, playing only 35 minutes across two medal-round games at the 2013 IIHF World Junior Championship.

The entirety of the Austrian roster plies its trade in Europe – most in the ICE Hockey League – with the exception of Marco Rossi. The ninth overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft, Rossi just completed his first full NHL season with Minnesota, playing all 82 games for the Wild, scoring 21 goals and finishing seventh in team scoring with 40 points. The 22-year-old has been a fixture on the international stage since 2017, playing in a pair of IIHF U18 World Championships, two IIHF World Junior Championships (including wearing the ‘C’ at the 2021 World Juniors in the Edmonton bubble), an Olympic qualifying tournament and two IIHF World Championships.

A Look Back

The head-to-head history dates back to the 1931 IIHF World Champioinship, with Canada earning 10 wins and a tie from 11 all-time meetings.

The teams most recently clashed at Men’s Worlds in the prelim finale in 2015 in Prague, a 10-1 Canadian win. Matt Duchene and Jason Spezza paced the offence in that one with two goals and two assists apiece, while Nathan MacKinnon and Jordan Eberle added a goal and a helper each.

All-time record: Canada leads 10-0-1
Canada goals: 68
Austria goals: 7

It’s right back to work for Canada’s National Men’s Team, which looks for a second win in as many days at the 2024 IIHF World Championship when it takes on Denmark on Sunday.

Last Game

Canada opened with a win Saturday, getting two goals from Connor Bedard as part of a three-goal second period in a 4-2 win over Great Britain. Michael Bunting had a goal and an assist and Olen Zellweger added a pair of helpers for the Canadians, who outshot the Brits 34-15.

The Danes made their debut a successful one as well, downing Austria 5-1 on Saturday. Joachim Blichfeld scored twice and added an assist, Patrick Russell had two helpers and Denmark opened up with a victory for the sixth-consecutive tournament, dating back to 2018.

Last Meeting

The teams last clashed in prelim play at the 2022 tournament in Helsinki, Finland; Maxime Comtois and Ryan Graves provided offence for Canada, but Mathias Bau scored on a power play with just under eight minutes to go and the Danes earned their first-ever win over Canada, 3-2.

What to Watch

There’s a good chance his name could appear here more than once, but let’s just start with the obvious – Connor Bedard. The presumptive Calder Trophy winner was terrific once again with the Maple Leaf on his chest, scoring the game-winning and insurance goals in the win over the Brits. Bedard’s numbers across two appearances at the IIHF U18 World Championship and three at the IIHF World Junior Championship (including two games at the cancelled 2022 World Juniors) are like something out of a video game – 28 games played, 32 goals, 27 assists, 59 points. Wow.

Alexander True is the most recognizable name to North American fans among the Danes; he played three seasons in the Western Hockey League with the Seattle Thunderbirds, winning a WHL championship in 2017, and captained the Danes at the 2017 World Juniors in Toronto and Montreal. Undrafted, he played 27 NHL games across three seasons (2019-22) with San Jose and Seattle and has spent the last two seasons exclusively in the American Hockey League, with Coachella Valley (Seattle) and Charlotte (Florida). He is set to return to Europe next season, having already inked a deal for the 2024-25 season with MODO Hockey in Sweden.

A Look Back

This will be the ninth time the Canadians and Danes have faced off at Men’s Worlds, with the last seven coming since 2003. That includes a Cody Hodgson hat trick in a 6-1 win in 2014, and three assists for Connor McDavid in a 7-1 victory in 2018.

The only meeting before the 21st century? Canada scored a 47-0 win at the 1949 tournament in Stockholm, Sweden, which still stands as the most goals in a game in Men’s Worlds history (and I think we can all agree that one is untouchable). Jim Russell led the way with eight goals for the Canadians, who led 13-0 after one period and 29-0 after two.

All-time record: Canada leads 6-1-1
Canada goals: 77
Denmark goals: 11

PRAGUE, Czechia – Hockey Canada has announced that John Tavares (Oakville, ON/Toronto, NHL) will wear the ‘C’ for Canada’s National Men’s Team at the 2024 IIHF World Championship in Prague and Ostrava, Czechia.

Andrew Mangiapane (Bolton, ON/Calgary, NHL), Colton Parayko (St. Albert, AB/St. Louis, NHL) and Damon Severson (Melville, SK/Columbus, NHL) will serve alongside Tavares as alternate captains.

“It is a true honour to be named captain of Team Canada for the world championship on a team with so many great leaders, and I am excited to help this team defend its gold medal in Czechia,” Tavares said. “Andrew, Colton and Damon are great players that are deserving of this honour, and I look forward to serving on the leadership group with them and wearing the Maple Leaf with pride.”

Canada will open the tournament against Great Britain on May 11 at 6:20 a.m. ET/3:20 a.m. PT. It will also take on Denmark, Austria, Norway, Finland, Switzerland and Czechia in the preliminary round before the tournament concludes with the medal games on May 26.

TSN and RDS, Hockey Canada’s official broadcast partners, will broadcast 64 and 23 games, respectively; please check local listings for details.

For more information on Hockey Canada and Canada’s National Men’s Team, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along through social media on Facebook, X and Instagram.

The puck drops Saturday at the 2024 IIHF World Championship for Canada’s National Men’s Team, which opens up preliminary-round play in Group A against Great Britain.

Last Game

Canada finished its two-game pre-tournament schedule with a 4-0 win over Hungary in Budapest on Tuesday. Colton Parayko, Bowen Byram, Owen Power and Dylan Guenther provided the offence for the Canadians, who peppered the Hungarian goal with 66 shots. Jordan Binnington was perfect in the Canadian crease, making 21 saves.

The Brits played their lone exhibition game Tuesday, dropping a 5-2 decision to Kazakhstan in Slany, Czechia. Liam Kirk and Sam Ruopp scored the goals, with Kirk in on both.

Last Meeting

It’s been five years since the teams last faced off at Men’s Worlds. In their prelim matchup in 2019, Anthony Mantha scored two goals and set up three others, Kyle Turris added a pair of goals of his own and Canada outshot the Brits 56-12 in an 8-0 win.

What to Watch

The Canadian roster includes plenty of recent international success. Joel Hofer and Jack McBain are back from the team that won gold a year ago in Finland, Michael Bunting, Brandon Hagel, Andrew Mangiapane, Nick Paul and Owen Power were all part of the Canadian contingent that captured a memorable world title in Latvia in 2021, and Hofer, Connor Bedard, Bowen Byram, Dylan Cozens, Nico Daws, Dylan Guenther, Dawson Mercer and Olen Zellweger are all recent IIHF World Junior Championship gold medallists.

Kirk is the notable name on the British roster, at least to most North American fans. The 24-year-old crossed the Atlantic to play two seasons with the Peterborough Petes in the Ontario Hockey League from 2018-20, and was a seventh-round selection (189th overall) of the Arizona Coyotes in 2018. He played parts of two seasons in the AHL and ECHL before returning to Europe, spending this season with HC Litvinov in the Czech Extraliga (19-11—30 in 52 GP). This will be his fifth Men’s Worlds for Great Britain, posting 19 points in 23 games across his first four appearances in the Top Division (2019, 2021) and Division 1A (2018, 2023).

A Look Back

The head-to-head history goes all the way back to 1935, but this will be only the 11th meeting across those 89 years, with Canada having won all 10 of the previous matchups.

The teams shared the podium at the 1935 Men’s Worlds, with Canada winning gold and Great Britain taking bronze, did it again in 1937 (Canada, gold; Great Britain, silver) and clashed in the gold medal game in 1938, with Canada earning a 3-1 victory in Prague.

All-time record: Canada leads 10-0-0
Canada goals: 77
Great Britain goals: 8

PRAGUE, Czechia – Hockey Canada has announced the addition of John Tavares (Oakville, ON/Toronto, NHL) to Canada’s National Men’s Team for the 2024 IIHF World Championship, May 10-26 in Prague and Ostrava, Czechia.

Tavares has represented Canada on numerous occasions, winning gold medals at the 2008 and 2009 IIHF World Junior Championships, and the 2014 Olympic Winter Games. He also won the 2016 World Cup of Hockey, and has suited up at the IIHF World Championship three times (2010, 2011, 2012).

“John is a world-class player and a great leader, and being able to have him join our roster for the world championship allows us to add a highly-skilled player with a veteran presence,” said general manager Rick Nash (Brampton, ON/Columbus, NHL). “His experience in previous international competition and his success on the international stage will be an important factor in our team’s success, and we know he will greatly benefit our group as we look to defend gold.” 

The Toronto Maple Leafs captain recently completed his 15th NHL season, and has amassed 1,040 career points (456 goals, 584 assists) in 1,109 games with the New York Islanders (2009-18) and Maple Leafs (2018-24).

Canada will open the 2024 IIHF World Championship against Great Britain on May 11 at 6:20 a.m. ET/3:20 a.m. PT. It will also take on Denmark, Austria, Norway, Finland, Switzerland and Czechia in the preliminary round before the tournament concludes with the medal games on May 26.

TSN and RDS, Hockey Canada’s official broadcast partners, will broadcast 64 and 23 games, respectively; please check local listings for details.

For more information on Hockey Canada and Canada’s National Men’s Team, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along through social media on Facebook, X and Instagram.

BUDAPEST, Hungary – Hockey Canada has announced the addition of three players to Canada’s National Men’s Team for the 2024 IIHF World Championship, May 10-26 in Prague and Ostrava, Czechia.

Forwards Pierre-Luc Dubois (Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts, QC/Los Angeles, NHL), Brandon Hagel (Morinville, AB/Tampa Bay, NHL) and Nick Paul (Mississauga, ON/Tampa Bay, NHL) have been added to the roster for the tournament and will join the team in Budapest.

“We are excited to add Pierre-Luc, Brandon and Nick to our roster for the 2024 IIHF World Championship, as they will be valuable pieces of our team and provide leadership to our strong roster,” said general manager Rick Nash (Brampton, ON/Columbus, NHL). “All three bring previous world championship experience and over 700 games played in the NHL, and we look forward to them joining our team and helping us defend our gold medal.”

Hagel and Paul won a gold medal at the 2021 IIHF World Championship, with Paul netting the overtime winner in the gold medal game to secure Canada’s 27th gold medal. Dubois won silver at the 2022 IIHF World Championship and was named to the media all-star team.

In addition, Macklin Celebrini (Vancouver, BC/Boston University, HE) and Adam Fantilli (Nobleton, ON/Columbus, NHL) will not participate in the 2024 IIHF World Championship. Celebrini will return to North America to attend the NHL Draft Lottery and prepare for the NHL Combine, while Fantilli, who recently returned from injury, will also return home to focus on preparing for the 2024-25 season.

Canada will open the 2024 IIHF World Championship against Great Britain on May 11 at 6:20 a.m. ET/3:20 a.m. PT. It will also take on Denmark, Austria, Norway, Finland, Switzerland and Czechia in the preliminary round before the tournament concludes with the medal games on May 26. Prior to the start of the tournament, Canada’s National Men’s Team will play a pre-tournament game against Hungary at the MVM Dome in Budapest on May 7 at 7 p.m. local time. 

For more information on Hockey Canada and Canada’s National Men’s Team, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along through social media on Facebook, X and Instagram.

CALGARY, Alberta – Hockey Canada has announced the first 22 players who will wear the Maple Leaf with Canada’s National Men’s Team at the 2024 IIHF World Championship, May 10-26 in Prague and Ostrava, and Czechia.

The initial roster, which includes three goaltenders, seven defencemen and 12 forwards, was selected by general manager Rick Nash (Brampton, ON/Columbus, NHL), associate general manager Kyle Dubas (Sault Ste. Marie, ON/Pittsburgh, NHL) and assistant general manager Scott Salmond (Creston, BC). A selection committee of three NHL executives – Jim McKenzie (Gull Lake, SK/Vegas, NHL), Jamie Pushor (Lethbridge, AB/Tampa Bay, NHL) and Tim Taylor (Stratford, ON/St. Louis, NHL) – and the coaching staff also assisted with player selections.

Among the 22 players are 11 who have previously suited up for Canada at the IIHF World Championship (Bunting, Cozens, Fantilli, Hofer, Mangiapane, McBain, McCann, Mercer, Parayko, Power, Severson) and 14 who have IIHF World Junior Championship experience (Bedard, Binnington, Byram, Celebrini, Cozens, Daws, Fantilli, Greig, Guenther, Guhle, Hofer, Mercer, Oleksiak, Zellweger).

“We are excited to unveil the first 22 players who will wear the Maple Leaf at the 2024 IIHF World Championship. This is a group that includes several players who have been successful on the international stage, and we know fans will be thrilled to watch us compete against the top hockey nations,” Nash said. “We know our players will represent Canada with pride in Prague and Ostrava, and we are confident this group will give us a great chance to defend our gold medal this month.”

Roster additions will be announced in the coming weeks.

Canada will open the tournament against Great Britain on May 11 at 6:20 a.m. ET/3:20 a.m. PT. It will also take on Denmark, Austria, Norway, Finland, Switzerland and Czechia in the preliminary round before the tournament concludes with the medal games on May 26. Prior to the start of the tournament, Canada’s National Men’s Team will play pre-tournament games against Austria at Steffl Arena in Vienna on May 5 and Hungary at the MVM Dome in Budapest on May 7, with both games starting at 7 p.m. local time. 

Kevin Clark (Winnipeg, MB/Düsseldorfer EG, DEL), who has helped Canada win the Spengler Cup twice (2015, 2019), will join Canada’s National Men’s Team for its pre-tournament camp in Vienna and Budapest.

TSN and RDS, Hockey Canada’s official broadcast partners, will broadcast 64 and 23 games, respectively; please check local listings for details.

Since 1931, Canada has collected 28 gold medals at the world championship, to go along with 16 silver and seven bronze.

For more information on Hockey Canada and Canada’s National Men’s Team, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along through social media on Facebook, X and Instagram.

CALGARY, Alberta – With less than three weeks until the puck drops at the 2024 IIHF World Championship, Hockey Canada has named the coaching and support staffs that will lead Canada’s National Men’s Team in Prague and Ostrava, Czechia, May 10-26.

After leading Canada to a gold medal at the 2023 IIHF World Championship, André Tourigny (Nicolet, QC/Utah, NHL) returns as head coach for the second-straight year, and fourth-consecutive year behind the bench. He will be joined by assistant coaches Dean Evason (Flin Flon, MB), Jay Woodcroft (Toronto, ON) and Steve Ott (Stoney Point, ON/St. Louis, NHL), as well as goaltending consultant Justin Pogge (Penticton, BC) and video coach James Emery (Calgary, AB).

In addition, Scott Salmond (Creston, BC), Hockey Canada’s senior vice-president of high performance and hockey operations, has been named assistant general manager, and will work alongside general manager Rick Nash (Brampton, ON/Columbus, NHL) and associate GM Kyle Dubas (Sault Ste. Marie, ON/Pittsburgh, NHL).

The staff was selected by Nash, Dubas and Salmond, with input from Doug Armstrong (Sarnia, ON/St. Louis, NHL), management group lead for Canada’s National Men’s Team, and player relations advisor Ryan Getzlaf (Regina, SK/Anaheim, NHL).

“André has been a staple behind the Team Canada bench in recent years, and we are excited he will once again lead our team alongside Dean, Jay and Steve. All four coaches bring extensive experience and leadership as we look to defend gold in Czechia,” Nash said. “This staff combines many years of experience at the professional and international level, and we know its leadership will be a valuable asset as we assemble a roster that represents Canada with pride next month.”

Tourigny recently completed his third season as head coach of the Arizona Coyotes. Internationally, he won a gold medal as head coach at the 2023 IIHF World Championship, and won gold and silver as an assistant in 2021 and 2022, respectively. Tourigny also earned silver as head coach at the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship and won gold as an assistant at the 2020 World Juniors, in addition to silver as an assistant in 2010 and 2011. He also led Canada’s National Men’s Summer Under-18 Team to a gold medal as head coach at the 2018 Hlinka Gretzky Cup and won gold as an assistant at the 2008 Memorial of Ivan Hlinka. The former Canadian Hockey League (CHL) coach of the year served as head coach and vice-president of hockey operations with the OHL’s Ottawa 67’s for four seasons (2017-21), winning the Matt Leyden Trophy as OHL coach of the year twice (2018-19, 2019-20). He also spent three seasons as an assistant coach with the Colorado Avalanche (2013-15) and Ottawa Senators (2015-16).

Evason is set to make his international coaching debut. He most recently served as head coach of the Minnesota Wild for parts of five seasons (2020-23), leading the team to three playoff appearances. He was also an assistant coach with Minnesota (2018-20) and the Washington Capitals (2005-12), and spent six seasons (2012-18) as head coach of the Milwaukee Admirals of the American Hockey League (AHL). Prior to his professional coaching career, he was the head coach of the Kamloops Blazers (1999-2002), Vancouver Giants (2002-04) and Calgary Hitmen (2004-05) of the Western Hockey League (WHL), and was an assistant with the Hitmen for one season (1998-99). As a player, Evason played in 803 NHL games with the Capitals, Hartford Whalers, San Jose Sharks, Dallas Stars and Calgary Flames. Internationally, he wore the Maple Leaf at the 1984 IIHF World Junior Championship, suited up in 56 games with Canada’s National Men’s Team during the 1996-97 season and won a gold medal as captain at the 1997 IIHF World Championship.

Woodcroft recently spent parts of three seasons (2022-23) as head coach of the Edmonton Oilers, where he helped lead the Oilers to two-consecutive playoff appearances. He also spent close to four seasons (2018-22) as head coach of the AHL’s Bakersfield Condors and three years (2015-18) as an assistant coach with the Oilers, as well as seven seasons (2008-15) as an assistant with the San Jose Sharks. He also served three seasons (2005-08) as a video coach with the Detroit Red Wings, winning the Stanley Cup in 2008. Internationally, he won a gold medal as an assistant coach at the 2015 IIHF World Championship, and served as an assistant with Team North America at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey.

Ott is set to make his international debut behind the bench. He recently completed his seventh season (2017-24) as an assistant coach with the St. Louis Blues, winning the Stanley Cup in 2019 and helping lead the Blues to four playoff appearances. As a player, he played in 848 NHL games with the Blues, Red Wings, Dallas Stars, Buffalo Sabres and Montréal Canadiens. Internationally, he won bronze and silver at the 2001 and 2002 IIHF World Junior Championship, respectively, and wore the Maple Leaf at the 2010 IIHF World Championship.

The support staff that will work with Canada’s National Men’s Team at the 2024 IIHF World Championship includes:

• Athletic therapists Domenic Nicoletta (Sault Ste. Marie, ON/Ottawa, NHL) and Kevin Elliott (Charlottetown, PE)
• Massage therapist Andy Hüppi (Schmerikon, SUI)
• Team physician Dr. Tim Cregan (Pointe-Claire, QC/Ottawa, NHL)
• Equipment managers John Forget (Oshawa, ON/Ottawa, NHL) and Blair Smook (Airdrie, AB)
• Strength and conditioning coach Sean Young (Ennismore, ON/Ottawa, OHL)
• Managers of hockey operations Mitchell Furlotte (Bathurst, NB) and Kurt Keats (Winnipeg, MB)
• Media relations director Sean Kelso (Vancouver, BC/Calgary, NHL)
• Media relations manager Spencer Sharkey (Hamilton, ON)

Canada will open the tournament against Great Britain on May 11 at 6:20 a.m. ET/3:20 a.m. PT. It will also take on Denmark, Austria, Norway, Finland, Switzerland and Czechia in the preliminary round before the tournament concludes with the medal games on May 26. Prior to the start of the tournament, Canada’s National Men’s Team will play pre-tournament games against Austria at Steffl Arena in Vienna on May 5 and Hungary at the MVM Dome in Budapest on May 7.

TSN and RDS, Hockey Canada’s official broadcast partners, will broadcast 64 and 23 games, respectively; please check local listings for details.

For more information on Hockey Canada and Canada’s National Men’s Team, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along via social media on Facebook, X and Instagram.

CALGARY, Alberta – Hockey Canada has announced that Kyle Dubas (Sault Ste. Marie, ON/Pittsburgh, NHL) has been named to the management group that will help build Canada’s National Men’s Team for the 2024 IIHF World Championship, May 10-26 in Prague and Ostrava, Czechia.

Dubas will make his international management debut as associate general manager, and will work alongside Rick Nash (Brampton, ON/Columbus, NHL), who was named general manager last month. He was selected by Nash, with input from Scott Salmond (Creston, BC), senior vice-president of high performance and hockey operations, Doug Armstrong (Sarnia, ON/St. Louis, NHL), management group lead for Canada’s National Men’s Team, and player relations advisor Ryan Getzlaf (Regina, SK/Anaheim, NHL).

In addition, a selection committee of three NHL executives – Jim McKenzie (Gull Lake, SK/Vegas, NHL), Jamie Pushor (Lethbridge, AB/Tampa Bay, NHL) and Tim Taylor (Stratford, ON/St. Louis, NHL) - will assist with evaluating and selecting players for the 2024 IIHF World Championship.

“I am excited to welcome Kyle to our management group for this year’s world championship, and to have Jim, Jamie and Tim assist with our player selection process. Kyle brings a wealth of professional experience, and we know he will be an invaluable member of our staff that will greatly benefit our team,” Nash said. “As we continue preparations and begin selecting our coaching staff, support staff and roster, I know Kyle and our selection committee will play an integral role in ensuring we assemble a team that gives us the best chance to defend gold in Czechia.”

Dubas recently completed his first season as general manager and president of hockey operations with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Previously, he spent nine seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs, serving five seasons (2018-23) as general manager, becoming the second-youngest GM in NHL history. He also spent four seasons (2014-18) as assistant general manager and GM of the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League (AHL), leading the team to its first Calder Cup championship in 2018. Dubas started his front-office career with the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), serving four seasons (2003-07) as a scout and three seasons (2011-14) as general manager.

The coaching staff, support staff and roster for Canada’s National Men’s Team for the 2024 IIHF World Championship will be announced at a later date.

Canada will open the tournament against Great Britain on May 11 at 6:20 a.m. ET/3:20 a.m. PT. It will also take on Denmark, Austria, Norway, Finland, Switzerland and Czechia in the preliminary round before the tournament concludes with the medal games on May 26. Prior to the start of the tournament, Canada’s National Men’s Team will play pre-tournament games against Austria at Steffl Arena in Vienna on May 5 and Hungary at the MVM Dome in Budapest on May 7.

TSN and RDS, Hockey Canada’s official broadcast partners, will broadcast 64 and 23 games, respectively; please check local listings for details.

For more information on Hockey Canada, Canada’s National Men’s Team and the 2024 IIHF World Championship, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along via social media on Facebook, X and Instagram.

Susan Sloan can’t imagine her life without volunteering. In fact, she feels her life would be the complete opposite of what it is now if she hadn’t started donating her time.

Throughout her life, Sloan has had a variety of different jobs, from working in a bakery to an IT specialist and a fitness instructor at the YMCA. After moving to Orleans, Ontario—a community in the east end of Ottawa—in the early 2000s, Sloan took a one-year contact with Volunteer Canada that would change the course of her life.

“I thought since I’m working as their membership manager, I probably should know a little bit more about this volunteering thing,” she says. “But I had already decided that volunteering was the route that I wanted to take, really just to start making friends because I literally had none.”

Her first volunteer position was with Canadian Heritage to help with their Winter Lights Across Canada event. From there, she learned about Winterlude in Ottawa and decided to volunteer for it as well. By then she was on a roll, so she signed up to help with the Canada Day festivities.

“Those were my signature events—every year, with the exception of COVID, you would find me at all three of those events come hell or high water,” she says. “That was my core, and they are still my core to this day: 22 years later, I’m still volunteering with Canadian Heritage.”

Interspersed between her three core events, Sloan got involved in “little adventures” to explore new volunteer experiences in areas she was interested in.

“I loved sports, so I would pretty much put myself into any event that needed volunteers,” she explains. “In Ottawa, it’s like a laundry list of opportunities; you could be busy every weekend starting on Thursday.”

She began with a volleyball tournament, then taught Zumba at Relay for Life. Soon her volunteer experiences began snowballing into more new opportunities in sports.

“Sports has always been my happy place,” she says. “Being in a small community and in Ottawa, once you are known and you’re affiliated with certain events, you start to get asked to work other events and help out.

“I’ve had some amazing opportunities that I would never have had anything to do with had I not been a volunteer.”

When Canada’s National Women’s Team came to Ottawa in 2021 for the Rivalry Series, Sloan volunteered to help with the Olympic jersey reveal and managed guests coming into the game.

“It was really delightful working with Hockey Canada,” she says. “I really appreciated and respected the respect that we received, and the gratefulness for just doing something that was so minor.”

Later this year, the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship will be hosted in Ottawa. Through her connections gained from volunteering and her reputation in the community, Sloan was presented with a new opportunity: to become the volunteer co-chair for World Juniors. And coming from a family that loves hockey and watches the tournament every year, she agreed.

“The fact that I was asked to do [World Juniors] … they chose me. That was a choice and to be that choice is probably one of the most rewarding things in the world. And none of this would have happened had it not been for volunteering.”

When the puck drops in December, Sloan is most excited for the tourists and guests to experience what Ottawa has to offer.

“It’s so amazing because as volunteers, you’re in the chaos of everything,” she says. “I love the diversity it brings to the city. It brings a certain energy that the only way you’re going to know what it’s like is if you’re there. It’s amazing to be a part of something.

“People are coming in from all over the world, and you get a chance to mingle with them. You get a chance to show up for your city.”

With her experience in so many volunteer positions, Sloan has a thorough understanding of the value every volunteer brings to the table.

“The synergy that’s created when you are with like-minded people is magical. You have volunteers who, without them, no event would happen,” she says. “IIHF wouldn’t run without their volunteers. Canada Day would not run without its volunteers.”

As her experience allowed her to help others begin their volunteer journeys, Sloan has seen people blossom in ways they never thought was possible. And for Sloan, there are no words to describe the gratitude she has for making the decision to begin volunteering 22 years ago.

“Everything that I am, everything that I will be, is because of volunteering,” she says. “There are not many things in our lives that we put this much effort into that the rewards are amplified upon receipt. I can’t imagine what my life would be like without volunteering.”

Interested in volunteering when the world comes back to Ottawa this winter? Registration for the TELUS World Juniors Volunteer Program is now open!