Ready to take on the world … again
Canada’s roster for the 2016 IIHF World Championship has no shortage of National Junior Team alumni
As Canada looks to defend its gold medal at the 2016 IIHF World Championship, it will do so with a roster well-versed in representing the country on the international stage. More than half of the players once – or, in some cases, twice – competed at the IIHF World Junior Championship. Collectively they made 18 appearances and won 12 medals (six gold, one silver, five bronze).
Here’s a look at how each alumnus fared at the World Juniors:
MAX DOMI 2015 WJC – 7GP 5G 5A 10P (gold medal/Top Forward/All-Star Team)
‘Domi’ was already a household name to most Canadian hockey fans, but the 2015 World Juniors allowed Max to show the world that unlike his father Tie, his future was about putting up points, not penalty minutes. The tournament’s Top Forward, Domi led Canada to its first gold medal in six years and showed up when it mattered most; he had a goal and two assists in the gold medal game to lead Canada past Russia.
MATT DUMBA 2014 WJC – 7GP 0G 1A 1P
The last defenceman cut from Team Canada ahead of the 2012 and 2013 World Juniors, Dumba finally made the team in 2014 when he was loaned to the team by the NHL’s Minnesota Wild. A bronze medal game loss wasn’t what he had in mind, but Dumba still found ways to make a name for himself, taking a leading role on the blue-line thanks to his physical play and booming shot from the point.
BRENDAN GALLAGHER 2012 WJC – 6GP 3G 3A 6P (bronze medal)
Standing 5-foot-8, the diminutive forward was the smallest player on Canada’s roster in 2012 but made his presence felt in a big way. Gallagher showed the world he could not only play a feisty game, but could also chip in offensively; his point-per-game pace was highlighted by a goal and two assists in the third period of a wild semifinal loss, along with 35 shots on goal in the tournament, the most on Team Canada.
TAYLOR HALL 2010 WJC – 6GP 6G 6A 12P (silver medal)
Six games, six goals and six assists. The only NHL draft-eligible player on Canada’s roster, Hall made the most of his opportunity on the world’s biggest junior hockey stage in 2010 by finishing just one point shy of future NHL teammate Jordan Eberle for the team lead in scoring and using his strong play to earn a silver medal just months before going first overall to the Edmonton Oilers in 2010 NHL Entry Draft.
BOONE JENNER 2012 WJC – 5GP 0G 2A 2P (bronze medal) 2013 WJC – 3GP 0G 0A 0P
The World Juniors weren’t overly kind to the Columbus Blue Jackets forward. He picked up a pair of shorthanded assists in a 10-2 win over Denmark in 2012, but also racked up 29 penalty minutes that year, tied for fourth most in Canadian history. He came back the next year and earned a suspension in a pre-tournament game, forcing him to watch the first three games of the tournament in Ufa, Russia.
BRAD MARCHAND 2007 WJC – 6GP 2G 0A 2P (gold medal) 2008 WJC – 7GP 4G 2A 6P (gold medal)
In 2007, Marchand scored insurance goals against Sweden and, in the gold medal game, Russia. The following year, as an alternate captain, his wrist shot midway through the third period in the quarter-final against Finland proved to be the game-winning goal. He added a goal and two assists in a semifinal win over the U.S., and picked up a goal and a helper in a gold medal game victory over Sweden.
CONNOR MCDAVID 2014 WJC – 7GP 1G 3A 4P 2015 WJC – 7GP 3G 8A 11P (gold medal/All-Star Team)
McDavid was only 16 – and the fifth youngest player to ever make Canada’s National Junior Team – in 2014. His lone goal came in a 3-2 New Year’s Eve win over the U.S. As an alternate captain a year later, he was one of four Canadians (including IIHF World Championship teammates Domi and Reinhart) to be named to the Media All-Star Team, and finished tied with Reinhart and Nic Petan for the tournament scoring lead.
RYAN MURRAY 2012 WJC – 6GP 0G 3A 3P (bronze medal)
The youngest player on the Canadian roster and only one of two yet to be drafted by an NHL team, Murray left an impression on many thanks to his tremendous hockey sense and all-around game in Calgary and Edmonton. Murray went on to join Canada for the 2012 IIHF World Championship just a few months later, the second-youngest Canadian (older than only Paul Kariya in 1993) to play in the tournament.
COREY PERRY 2005 WJC – 6GP 2G 5A 7P (gold medal)
Before winning a pair of Olympic gold medals (2010, 2014), the Hart Memorial Trophy (2011), the Stanley Cup (2007) and the Memorial Cup (2005), Perry joined Sidney Crosby and Patrice Bergeron on Canada’s top line at the 2005 World Juniors. He set up Crosby three times, Bergeron twice and added a pair of goals of his own, both scored in an 8-1 win over Finland to wrap up the preliminary round.
SAM REINHART 2014 WJC – 7GP 2G 3A 5P 2015 WJC – 7GP 5G 6A 11P (gold medal/All-Star Team)
After a pair of two-point games in 2014, Reinhart returned in 2015, this time as an alternate captain, and helped lead Canada to a gold medal on home ice. He had three multi-point games and was co-led the tournament in scoring (with McDavid and Nic Petan), in addition to being selected to the Media All-Star Team. His deflection of a Domi shot proved to be the gold-medal-winning goal against Russia.
MORGAN RIELLY 2013 WJC – 6GP 1G 2A 3P
Rielly entered the 2013 World Juniors as a familiar face, having played for Canada at the U17 and U18 (summer and worlds) levels. The youngest player manning the Canadian blue-line, the West Vancouver, B.C., native earned points in half of Canada’s games, scored in a win over Slovakia and finished tied with Ryan Murphy and Xavier Ouellet as the top-scoring defenceman for the red and white.
MARK STONE 2012 WJC – 7GP 7G 3A 10P (bronze medal)
A hat trick versus Finland on Boxing Day proved a harbinger of things to come as Stone led the team in scoring. In the next game, against the Czech Republic, he became only the sixth member of Canada’s National Junior Team to be awarded a penalty shot (he was denied by Petr Mrazek). He had a second three-point game – against Denmark – and a goal and an assist in the New Year’s Eve tilt with the U.S.
MARK SCHEIFELE 2012 WJC – 6GP 3G 3A 6P (bronze medal) 2013 WJC – 6GP 5G 3A 8P
The forward potted a pair against the Czech Republic and added a goal and an assist in the bronze medal game against Finland in 2012. A year later he led the team in goals, including a pair in an opening win over Germany, adding a goal and an assist in a win over Slovakia (when he was named Player of the Game) and getting the game-winner versus Russia to give Canada a bye to the semifinals.
Men’s Worlds Preview: Canada vs. Norway
Thursday, May 16 | 2 p.m. ET | Prague, Czechia | Preliminary Round
Canada’s National Men’s Team gets into the back half of the preliminary round Thursday at the 2024 IIHF World Championship, taking on Norway as it looks to remain unbeaten in Group A.
Last Game
Canada survived a scare against Austria on Tuesday; after taking a 6-1 lead into the third period, the Canadians allowed five goals in less than 16 minutes before John Tavares rescued a 7-6 overtime win. Tavares, Pierre-Luc Dubois and Kaiden Guhle paced the offence with a goal and an assist each.
The Norwegians found the win column Tuesday after three-straight losses to open the tournament, getting goals from Michael Brandsegg-Nygard and Eirik Salsten, and 24 saves from Henrik Haukeland in a 2-0 win over Denmark that kept their quarterfinal hopes alive.
Last Meeting
Canada made the wrong kind of history last year in Riga, dropping a 3-2 shootout decision for just its second loss in 25 all-time meetings with the Norwegians. Milan Lucic and Lawson Crouse provided the goals as Canada erased a 2-0 deficit to force extra time.
What to Watch
Guhle came into his own as a full-time NHLer this season, appearing in 70 games with the Montreal Canadiens, and has carried that play into the first three games in Prague. The Sherwood Park, Alberta, native co-leads Canadian blue-liners (alongside another Edmonton-area product, Olen Zellweger) with four points, and was in on the first two goals against the Austrians. The 22-year-old last wore the Maple Leaf at the cancelled 2022 World Juniors in Edmonton (where he was captain), a year after earning silver in the bubble in the Alberta capital.
The Norwegian roster is spread across Europe and North America, with representation from 17 club teams in seven leagues in six countries. But only one of the 25 players calls the National Hockey League home; Mats Zuccarello is a veteran of 835 NHL games with the New York Rangers, Dallas and Minnesota, posting 63 points (12-51—63) in 69 games with the Wild this season, his 14th. He’s also a national team veteran, representing his country at the Olympics (2010, 2014), Men’s Worlds (2008, 2009, 2010, 2016, 2024), World Juniors (2006, 2007) and U18 Men’s Worlds (2004, 2005), as well as with Team Europe at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey.
A Look Back
The Canadians and Norwegians have been frequent foes in the 2000s, clashing 15 times since the turn of the millennium after meeting just 10 times in the 50 years before that.
Canada’s biggest win came in 1962 when the Galt Terriers handed Norway a 14-1 defeat. More recently, Tavares had a hat trick and Jordan Eberle added a goal and three assists as Canada eased to a 12-1 victory in Mannheim, Germany.
All-time record: Canada leads 23-2-0 Canada goals: 157 Norway goals: 29
Men’s Worlds Preview: Canada vs. Austria
Tuesday, May 14 | 2 p.m. ET | Prague, Czechia | Preliminary Round
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
Men’s Worlds Preview: Canada vs. Denmark
Sunday, May 12 | 10:20 a.m. ET | Prague, Czechia | Preliminary Round
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
John Tavares to captain National Men’s Team at 2024 IIHF World Championship
Andrew Mangiapane, Colton Parayko, Damon Severson to serve as alternate captains
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.
Men’s Worlds Preview: Canada vs. Great Britain
Saturday, May 11 | 6:20 a.m. ET | Prague, Czechia | Preliminary Round
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
Canada’s National Men’s Team roster update
John Tavares added to roster for 2024 IIHF World Championship
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.
Canada’s National Men’s Team roster update
Pierre-Luc Dubois, Brandon Hagel, Nick Paul added to roster for 2024 IIHF World Championship
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.
National Men’s Team roster named for 2024 IIHF World Championship
Eleven previous world championship participants among 22 headed to Prague and Ostrava
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.
National Men’s Team staff named for 2024 IIHF World Championship
André Tourigny returns as head coach; Dean Evason, Jay Woodcroft, Steve Ott named assistants
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.
Kyle Dubas named associate general manager for 2024 IIHF World Championship
Pittsburgh Penguins GM to make international management debut
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.
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