CALGARY, Alberta – Hockey Canada has announced that a pair of veteran National Hockey League (NHL) general managers have been added to its management group for the 4 Nations Face-Off, set for Feb. 12-20 in Montréal, Québec, and Boston, Massachusetts.

Two-time Stanley Cup champion Julien BriseBois (Greenfield Park, QC/Tampa Bay, NHL) will make his international management debut as assistant general manager, while Kyle Dubas (Sault Ste. Marie, ON/Pittsburgh, NHL), who served as associate GM at the 2024 IIHF World Championship, has been named director of player personnel alongside general manager Don Sweeney (St. Stephen, NB/Boston, NHL) and associate GM Jim Nill (Hanna, AB/Dallas, NHL).

In addition, BriseBois and Dubas have been named to Canada’s Men’s Olympic Team management group as assistant general manager and director of player personnel, respectively. They will work alongside GM Doug Armstrong (Sarnia, ON/St. Louis, NHL) and assistant general managers Sweeney and Nill, as well as player relations advisor Ryan Getzlaf (Regina, SK/Anaheim, NHL) and Scott Salmond (Creston, BC), senior vice-president of high performance and hockey operations. Katherine Henderson (Thunder Bay, ON), Hockey Canada’s president and chief executive officer, and Pat McLaughlin (Saint John, NB), chief operating officer and executive vice-president of strategy, will also provide support as part of the executive committee preparing for the 2026 Olympic Winter Games.

“Julien and Kyle are accomplished NHL general managers, and I am excited to welcome them to our management group for both the 4 Nations Face-Off and Olympics, as I believe they will be strong assets to a well-rounded management team,” Armstrong said. “Both Julien and Kyle have enjoyed long and successful careers, and we believe their experience and knowledge of NHL players will be a great addition to our staff as we continue to evaluate Canadian players and build rosters for international competition.”

BriseBois has been the general manager and vice-president of hockey operations with the Tampa Bay Lightning for six seasons (2018-24), winning back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2020 and 2021. Previously, he served as assistant general manager of Tampa Bay (2010-18) and general manager of the Syracuse Crunch and Norfolk Admirals (2010-19) of the American Hockey League (AHL), winning the Calder Cup in 2012. He also spent time with the Montréal Canadiens, serving as vice-president of hockey operations (2006-10), director of hockey operations (2003-06) and director of legal affairs (2001-03), and was also the general manager of the AHL’s Hamilton Bulldogs (2007-10), winning the Calder Cup in 2007.

Dubas is entering his second 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.

“Jim and I are thrilled to have Julien and Kyle join our management group for the 4 Nations Face-Off, and to work alongside them as we prepare for the Olympics,” Sweeney said. “Both are successful NHL general managers that bring a wealth of knowledge, many years of experience at the professional level and great leadership skills that will be beneficial to our coaches, support staff and players.”

Canada will open the 4 Nations Face-Off against Sweden on Feb. 12, 2025, at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT at the Bell Centre in Montréal. It will also take on the United States on Feb. 15 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT in Montréal and Finland on Feb. 17 at 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT at TD Garden in Boston before the tournament concludes with the championship game on Feb. 20 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT in Boston.

The full roster for the 4 Nations Face-Off will be announced between Nov. 29-Dec. 2, while the assistant coaches and support staff will be announced in the coming weeks.

For more information on the 4 Nations Face-Off, please visit the official tournament page.

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, in partnership with the National Hockey League (NHL) and National Hockey League Players’ Association (NHLPA), has announced the first six players who will wear the Maple Leaf at the 4 Nations Face-Off, Feb. 12-20, 2025, in Montréal, Québec, and Boston, Massachusetts.

The initial roster includes Sidney Crosby (Cole Harbour, NS/Pittsburgh, NHL), Nathan MacKinnon (Cole Harbour, NS/Colorado, NHL), Cale Makar (Calgary, AB/Colorado, NHL), Brad Marchand (Hammonds Plains, NS/Boston, NHL), Connor McDavid (Newmarket, ON/Edmonton, NHL) and Brayden Point (Calgary, AB/Tampa Bay, NHL), and was selected by general manager Don Sweeney (St. Stephen, NB/Boston, NHL) and associate general manager Jim Nill (Hanna, AB/Dallas, NHL). Head coach Jon Cooper (Prince George, BC/Tampa Bay, NHL) and Scott Salmond (Creston, BC), senior vice-president of high performance and hockey operations, also provided input.

The initial list includes three former first-overall picks in the NHL Draft (Crosby, MacKinnon, McDavid), while all six players have suited up for Canada’s National Junior Team at the IIHF World Junior Championship and five have played for Canada’s National Men’s Team at the IIHF World Championship (Crosby, MacKinnon, Marchand, McDavid, Point). The six players have won a combined eight Stanley Cups, as well as two gold medals at the Olympic Winter Games, six gold at the IIHF World Junior Championship, four gold and two silver at the IIHF World Championship, and gold and bronze at the IIHF U18 World Championship.

“We are excited to announce the first six players who will represent Canada at the 4 Nations Face-Off in February, as these are six world-class players and leaders on their NHL teams that we can build a strong and successful team around,” Sweeney said. “Sidney, Nathan, Cale, Brad, Connor and Brayden have been successful at various levels of their professional and international careers, and we look forward to all six being key contributors to our team as we look to win on the international stage next season.”

Crosby has played in 1,272 games over 19 seasons (2005-24) with the Pittsburgh Penguins, serving as captain for 17 seasons and amassing 1,596 career points (592 goals, 1,004 assists). He has also collected 201 points (71 goals, 130 assists) in 180 playoff games, helping the Penguins win the Stanley Cup three times (2009, 2016, 2017). Over the course of his career, Crosby has won the Ted Lindsay Award three times, the Hart Trophy, Art Ross Trophy, Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy and Conn Smythe Trophy twice, as well as the Mark Messier Leadership Award. Internationally, he won back-to-back gold medals at the Olympic Winter Games, as well as gold and silver at the IIHF World Junior Championship. He also won gold at the IIHF World Championship, becoming a member of the IIHF’s Triple Gold Club – the first to win all three as captain - and won the World Cup of Hockey.

MacKinnon recently completed his 11th season (2013-24) with the Colorado Avalanche, where he has served as an alternate captain for the past eight years. He has played in 791 career games, registering 899 points (335 goals, 564 assists), and has contributed 114 points (48 goals, 66 assists) in 88 career playoff games. He helped the Avalanche win the Stanley Cup in 2022, and has won the Calder Trophy, Lady Byng Trophy, Hart Trophy and Ted Lindsay Award. MacKinnon has worn the Maple Leaf five times, winning a gold and silver medal at the IIHF World Championship, and gold at the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup. He also suited up at the IIHF World Junior Championship and played for Team North America at the World Cup of Hockey.

Makar has suited up in 315 career games over five seasons (2019-24) with the Colorado Avalanche, registering 336 points (86 goals, 250 assists). He has also appeared in 72 career playoff games, collecting 80 points (21 goals, 59 assists), earning the Conn Smythe Trophy while helping Colorado win the Stanley Cup in 2022. Makar has also won the Calder Trophy and Norris Trophy, as well as the Hobey Baker Award as the top player in NCAA men’s hockey. Internationally, he won a gold medal at the IIHF World Junior Championship, and suited up for Canada West at the World Junior A Challenge twice, winning one gold medal.

Marchand has spent 15 seasons (2009-24) with the Boston Bruins, serving his first season as captain in 2023-24 after five years as an alternate captain. He has amassed 929 career points (401 goals, 528 assists) in 1,029 games, as well as 138 points (56 goals, 82 assists) in 157 playoff games, and won the Stanley Cup in 2011. On the international stage, Marchand won back-to-back gold medals at the IIHF World Junior Championship, a gold medal at the IIHF World Championship and the World Cup of Hockey.

McDavid recently completed his ninth season (2015-24) with the Edmonton Oilers, leading the Oilers to the Stanley Cup Final and winning the Conn Smythe Trophy in his eighth season as captain. In 645 career games, he has registered 982 points (335 goals, 647 assists), and has added 117 points (37 goals, 80 assists) in 74 playoff games. McDavid has registered 100 or more points in seven different seasons, helping him win the Art Ross Trophy five times, the Ted Lindsay Award four times, the Hart Trophy three times and the Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy once. He has suited up for Canada five times, winning gold at the IIHF U18 World Championship, IIHF World Junior Championship and IIHF World Championship. McDavid also played for Team North America at the World Cup of Hockey.

Point has played for the Tampa Bay Lightning for his entire eight-year NHL career (2016-24), collecting 553 points (264 goals, 289 assists) in 580 career games, as well as 87 points (42 goals, 45 assists) in 87 playoff games. He scored 14 goals in the playoffs in two-consecutive seasons to help the Lightning win back-to-back Stanley Cups (2020, 2021). Internationally, Point has won silver at the IIHF World Championship, gold at the IIHF World Junior Championship, gold at the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup and bronze at the IIHF U18 World Championship.

The full roster will be announced between Nov. 29-Dec. 2, while the coaching and support staffs will be announced in the coming months. 

Canada will open the 4 Nations Face-Off against Sweden on Feb. 12, 2025, at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT at the Bell Centre in Montréal. It will also take on the United States on Feb. 15 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT in Montréal and Finland on Feb. 17 at 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT at TD Garden in Boston before the tournament concludes with the championship on Feb. 20 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT in Boston. 

For more information on the 4 Nations Face-Off, please visit the official tournament page.

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 decisions weren’t easy, and with the depth of player talent we have in Canada, we knew it would be a difficult process to finalize our roster – but it’s what we signed up for, and we feel we’ve been able to put together the right balance to create a winning team,” said Armstrong. “Whether we’re talking the Stanley Cup, World Junior gold, World Championship gold, or even the last World Cup – these players have been there and know what it takes to be successful. And they’ll be ready to make the nation proud come September.”

Three defencemen – Brent Burns (Barrie, Ont./San Jose, NHL), Jake Muzzin (Woodstock, Ont./Los Angeles, NHL), and Alex Pietrangelo (King City, Ont./St. Louis, NHL) join the four previously-named blueliners (Doughty, Keith, Vlasic, and Weber).

Rounding out the red-and-white’s offense are Matt Duchene (Haliburton, Ont./Colorado, NHL) and Brad Marchand (Hammonds Plains, N.S./Boston, NHL) who added to Canada’s gold-medal haul last Sunday at the IIHF World Championship, as well as Claude Giroux (Hearst, Ont./Philadelphia, NHL) and Joe Thornton (St. Thomas, Ont./San Jose, NHL).

“This is one of the two best things I achieved in my career – the other is making the Olympic team, which felt just as good as winning Olympic gold,” said Duchene, who is looking forward to playing at the World Cup in Toronto, just under three hours south of his hometown of Haliburton. “I have so much respect for Canadian players; to be selected from among all of that talent is a feeling I just can’t really describe. It’s a big reason why you play – to represent your country is an absolute honour, and so unbelievable.”

Of Team Canada’s 23 players, 14 have combined to earn 22 Olympic gold medals, while 18 have won gold at World Juniors. Thornton was a member of the last Team Canada to play – and win – the World Cup of Hockey in 2004.

“Anytime you can play for Canada it’s a dream come true; the pride, the honour, it’s extremely exciting. Being named to the World Cup team is an incredible feeling – it’s tough to put into words,” said Marchand, who like Duchene is fresh off a gold-medal win at the World Championship and is no stranger to coming together with new teammates and a new coaching staff for a short-term, high-stakes competition like the World Cup. “[The key to success] is you have to believe and be confident in your abilities, and be willing to do what it takes to win and make the sacrifices. [The World Cup] brings together the top players in the world – and that’s what makes them the top players; they do what they need to win.”

Ottawa to host Team Canada training camp, pre-tournament game

Ottawa and Canadian Tire Centre will welcome Team Canada’s World Cup of Hockey training camp and host a pre-tournament game against Team USA this September.

From Sept. 4-11, Canada’s best players will descend on Ottawa to prepare for the 2016 World Cup of Hockey. The training camp will culminate in a pre-tournament game between Team Canada and Team USA on Sept. 10 at Canadian Tire Centre at 7 p.m. ET.

Tickets are now available on a priority-access basis to Ottawa Senators’ season-seat members until June 8.

Tickets will be available to the general public starting on June 9, and range from $35 to $175, with proceeds going back to supporting the development of hockey across the country. In addition to the pre-tournament game and training camp, Hockey Canada has announced it will host a series of hockey development activities in the National Capital Region to coincide with the timing of the Sept. 10 match-up. Additional details on those activities and on how fans can purchase tickets will be released at a future date.

In June 2015, Hockey Canada announced the Team Canada management group for the World Cup of Hockey comprised of Armstrong (Sarnia, Ont./St. Louis, NHL) as general manager, with assistance from Marc Bergevin (Montreal/Montreal, NHL), Rob Blake (Simcoe, Ont./Los Angeles, NHL), Ken Holland (Vernon, B.C./Detroit, NHL), Bob Murray (Kingston, Ont./Anaheim, NHL), and Scott Salmond (Creston, B.C.), Hockey Canada’s vice-president of hockey operations and national teams. Tom Renney (Cranbrook, B.C.), as president and CEO of Hockey Canada, and Scott Smith (Bathurst, N.B.), the organization’s chief operating officer, round out Team Canada’s World Cup of Hockey management group.

The coaching staff was announced in November 2015, and is comprised of head coach Mike Babcock (Saskatoon, Sask./Toronto, NHL) and assistant coaches Claude Julien (Orleans, Ont./Boston, NHL), Barry Trotz (Dauphin, Man./Washington, NHL),Joel Quenneville (Windsor, Ont./Chicago, NHL), Bill Peters (Three Hills, Alta./Carolina, NHL), and Hockey Canada’s Misha Donskov (London, Ont.), as well as Andrew Brewer (Fredericton, N.B./Toronto, NHL) as video coach.

The World Cup of Hockey returns in September 2016 in Toronto, where eight teams, comprised of the world's best hockey players, will compete for a best-on-best international hockey championship. The World Cup of Hockey is a joint effort of the NHLPA and the NHL, in cooperation with the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF). It is expected that more than 150 of the best players in the NHL will participate in this tournament.

For more information on the 2016 World Cup of Hockey, visit www.wch2016.com.

For more information on Canada’s National Men’s Team, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along via social media on Facebook and Twitter, and at Twitter.com/HC_Men.

CALGARY, Alta. – As reigning Olympic and world champions, the first 16 players selected to Canada’s World Cup of Hockey roster come highly decorated – both in international competition, and within the NHL itself.

Hockey Canada president and CEO Tom Renney (Cranbrook, B.C.) and Doug Armstrong (Sarnia, Ont./St. Louis, NHL), general manager of Canada’s National Men’s Team at the World Cup of Hockey, confirmed the selection on Wednesday. Included in Canada’s first round of selections are:

• All three goaltenders (Crawford, Holtby, Price);
• A return of the four top defencemen from Sochi (Doughty, Keith, Vlasic, Weber); and
• Nine forwards (Benn, Bergeron, Carter, Crosby, Getzlaf, Seguin, Stamkos, Tavares, Toews).

“This has been a very extensive process which involved multiple face-to-face meetings and conference calls,” said Armstrong. “Some very difficult decisions had to be made to narrow down our selection to only 16 players, which is a testament to the depth of player talent in Canada. Our management group wanted to balance respecting the contributors to past Team Canada successes, as well as respecting the players that have emerged as top players in the NHL. We will use the NHL playoffs and the upcoming IIHF World Championship to make the final roster decisions in early June.”

There’s no lack of success among the first 16 players selected; in addition to 12 players who won gold at the Olympic Winter Games, and 11 who won gold at the IIHF World Junior Championship, the team boasts seven NHL team captains and eight Stanley Cup champions, five of whom are multi-time champions.

Four names that were not part of the past two Olympic teams include goaltenders Corey Crawford (Montreal, Que./Chicago, NHL) and Braden Holtby (Lloydminster, Sask./Washington, NHL), and forwards Tyler Seguin (Brampton, Ont./Dallas, NHL) and Steven Stamkos (Markham, Ont./Tampa Bay, NHL), who both have competed at past world championships.

Hockey Canada adds to coaching, support staff

In June 2015, Hockey Canada announced the Team Canada management group for the World Cup of Hockey comprised of Armstrong (Sarnia, Ont./St. Louis, NHL) as general manager, with assistance from Marc Bergevin (Montreal/Montreal, NHL), Rob Blake (Simcoe, Ont./Los Angeles, NHL), Ken Holland (Vernon, B.C./Detroit, NHL), Bob Murray (Kingston, Ont./Anaheim, NHL), and Scott Salmond (Creston, B.C.), Hockey Canada’s vice-president of hockey operations and national teams. Renney, as president and CEO of Hockey Canada, and Scott Smith (Bathurst, N.B.), the organization’s chief operating officer, round out Team Canada’s World Cup of Hockey management group.

“We have received great support from the management group, as well as from Morey Gare and Craig Berube, throughout this process,” said Renney. “We thank them for bringing the same level of professionalism and attention to this as they do to their daily roles, especially during the busy NHL season.”

The coaching staff, announced in November 2015 and comprised of head coach Mike Babcock (Saskatoon, Sask./Toronto, NHL) and assistant coaches Claude Julien (Orleans, Ont./Boston, NHL), Barry Trotz (Dauphin, Man./Washington, NHL), Joel Quenneville (Windsor, Ont./Chicago, NHL), and Bill Peters (Three Hills, Alta./Carolina, NHL) has been bolstered with the addition of Hockey Canada’s Misha Donskov (London, Ont.) as assistant coach, and Andrew Brewer (Fredericton, N.B./Toronto, NHL) as video coach.

Hockey Canada has also named its support staff for the World Cup of Hockey, including:

• massage therapist Andy Hüppi (Jona, SUI/Hockey Canada);
• team doctor Dr. Ian Auld (Victoria, B.C./Calgary, NHL);
• physiotherapist Kent Kobelka (Revelstoke, B.C./Calgary, NHL);
• athletic therapist Gerry Townend (Carleton Place, Ont./Ottawa, NHL);
• equipment managers Darren Granger (Brandon, Man./Los Angeles, NHL) and Brian Papineau (St. Catharines, Ont./Toronto, NHL); and
• manager of hockey operations Bayne Pettinger (Victoria, B.C./Hockey Canada).

The World Cup of Hockey returns in September 2016 in Toronto, where eight teams, comprised of the world's best hockey players, will compete for a best-on-best international hockey championship. The World Cup of Hockey is a joint effort of the NHLPA and the NHL, in cooperation with the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF). It is expected that more than 150 of the best players in the NHL will participate in this tournament.

For more information on the 2016 World Cup of Hockey, including team management updates, visit www.wch2016.com.

For more information on Canada’s National Men’s Team, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along via social media on Facebook and Twitter, and at Twitter.com/HC_Men.

Doug Armstrong (Sarnia, Ont./St. Louis, NHL) will lead the management group as general manager, with assistance from Marc Bergevin (Montreal/Montreal, NHL), Rob Blake (Simcoe, Ont./Los Angeles, NHL), Ken Holland (Vernon, B.C./Detroit, NHL), Bob Murray (Kingston, Ont./Anaheim, NHL), and Scott Salmond (Creston, B.C.), Hockey Canada’s vice-president of hockey operations and national teams.

The management group will oversee and lead operations for Team Canada, including staff selection and player evaluation and selection.

Doug Armstrong just completed his fifth season as general manager of the NHL’s St. Louis Blues and will be part of Team Canada management for the eighth time. He served as a member of the management group for the gold medal-winning 2010 and 2014 Olympic Winter Games, and was Canada’s general manager at the 2009 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship, capturing silver. Armstrong was an assistant general manager at the 2002 and 2008 world championships, a special assistant to general manager Steve Yzerman in 2007, winning gold, and part of the management group at the 2013 worlds. Before joining the Blues, Armstrong spent 16 years with the NHL’s Dallas Stars, winning the Stanley Cup as assistant general manager in 1999. He was named NHL General Manager of the Year in 2011-12.

Marc Bergevin has spent three seasons as general manager of the NHL’s Montreal Canadiens and will join Team Canada in a management role for the first time. He was a finalist for the NHL General Manager of the Year award for the 2012-13 and 2013-14 seasons. Prior to joining Montreal, Bergevin was the director of player personnel for the NHL’s Chicago Blackhawks, winning the Stanley Cup in 2010, and served as assistant general manager during the 2011-12 season. As a player, Bergevin represented his country just once, helping Canada end a 33-year gold medal drought at the 1994 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship. He played 21 NHL seasons with eight teams after being selected 59th overall by Chicago in the 1983 NHL Entry Draft.

Rob Blake has spent two seasons as assistant general manager of the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings, following three seasons in the NHL’s player safety department. Blake assists Kings’ general manager Dean Lombardi in all facets of hockey operations, including contract negotiations, player personnel and overseeing the organization’s top prospects, while also serving as general manager of the team’s AHL affiliate, the Manchester Monarchs. He also served as Canada's general manager at the 2014 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship, and as assistant general manager at the 2011 IIHF World Championship. As a player, Blake represented Canada on numerous occasions, appearing in 58 games over nine events, winning gold medals at the 2002 Olympic Winter Games, 1997 IIHF World Championship, and 1994 IIHF World Championship. Over his 20-year NHL career, Blake appeared in 1,270 regular season games, amassing 777 points (240 goals, 537 assists), winning the Stanley Cup with the Colorado Avalanche in 2001, and the James Norris Trophy as the NHL’s top defenceman in 1998. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in November 2014.

Ken Holland has been the general manager of the NHL’s Detroit Red Wings since 1997, and returns to Canada’s management group after winning gold at the 2010 and 2014 Olympic Winter Games. He was also part of the management group at the 2013 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship, was general manager at the 2006 world championship, and won silver as assistant general manager at the 2005 worlds. During his time as general manager of the Red Wings, Holland has led the team to Stanley Cup championships in 1998, 2002 and 2008, and he won another as assistant general manager in 1997. He was selected 188th overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 1975 NHL Amateur Draft and played four NHL games with the Hartford Whalers and Detroit.

Bob Murray has been the general manager of the NHL’s Anaheim Ducks since 2008 and will be a part of Team Canada management for the second time, having served as an assistant general manager at the 2011 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship. He won the NHL General Manager of the Year award in 2013-14 and is a finalist again for the 2014-15 season. Prior to taking over as general manager in Anaheim, Murray was the Ducks’ senior vice-president of hockey operations from 2005-08, winning the Stanley Cup in 2007, and served as general manager of the NHL’s Chicago Blackhawks from 1997-99. He played 1,008 NHL games with Chicago from 1975-90 after being selected 52nd overall in the 1974 NHL Amateur Draft.

Scott Salmond has been with Hockey Canada since 2001, serving in his current position of vice-president of hockey operations and national teams since June 2014. In this position, Salmond oversees all operations of Canada’s national men’s teams for the Olympic Winter Games, IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship, IIHF World Junior Championship and IIHF Ice Hockey U18 World Championship, as well as the sledge hockey program at the Paralympic Winter Games and IPC Sledge Hockey World Championship.

“These are some of the most respected and successful men in hockey, and we could not be more excited for them to lead Team Canada into the 2016 World Cup of Hockey,” said Tom Renney, president and chief executive officer of Hockey Canada. “There is a lot of work to be done between now and Sept. 17, 2016, and as a staff we look forward to working with the management group as we look toward a second consecutive World Cup championship for Team Canada.”

The eight teams participating in the 2016 World Cup of Hockey will include Canada, the Czech Republic, Finland,  Russia, Sweden, the United States, Team Europe and the North American Youngstars.

Team Europe will be comprised of a pan-European roster of players from countries outside of the Czech Republic, Finland, Russia and Sweden – in short, all of the other European countries who are developing world-class hockey players in ever-increasing numbers. Countries such as Slovakia, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, France, Denmark, Norway, Latvia, Belarus, Estonia, Slovenia, Kazakhstan and Lithuania (among others) will all be eligible for representation on Team Europe.

The players for the North American Youngstars will be selected from a pool of the best young hockey players from Canada and the United States. Those players age 23 and under will be available for selection exclusively by the North American Youngstars.

All eight teams will be comprised of 23 players, including 20 skaters and three goalies. Each national association has the right to select its own team and must announce at least 16 members of its roster, including at least two goalies, no later than March 1, 2016, with the balance of each team’s roster to be announced no later than June 1, 2016.

To select the rosters of Team Europe and the North American Youngstars, the National Hockey League (NHL) and the National Hockey League Players’ Association (NHLPA) will jointly name each of the management teams.

Canada won the most recent edition of the World Cup of Hockey in 2004, going undefeated and beating Finland 3-2 in the championship game. It finished as runner-up at the first World Cup in 1996.

The World Cup of Hockey is a joint effort of the NHLPA and the NHL, in cooperation with the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF).

NOTE TO MEDIA: Francis Dupont, Hockey Canada’s manager of communications, is on site in Toronto and can be reached at 587-999-5681 or [email protected] for any interview requests.

For more information on Canada’s National Men’s Team and the 2016 World Cup of Hockey, please visit www.hockeycanada.ca, or follow along via social media at www.facebook.com/hockeycanada, www.twitter.com/hockeycanada and www.twitter.com/hc_men.

CALGARY, Alberta – Twenty-six players will wear the Maple Leaf when Canada’s National Men’s Team looks to capture a record 17th championship at the 2024 Spengler Cup, Dec. 26-31 in Davos, Switzerland.

The three goaltenders, nine defencemen and 14 forwards were selected by co-general managers Brad Pascall (Coquitlam, BC/Calgary, NHL) and Joe Thornton (St. Thomas, ON), alongside assistant general manager Hnat Domenichelli (Edmonton, AB/HC Lugano, NL).

“All of the players named today are extremely excited to represent their country and wear the Maple Leaf as they compete at the Spengler Cup,” said Pascall. “Our management group feels we have a good mix of experienced players with a wealth of skill and leadership. This is a unique and exciting tournament, and we know these players will embrace the challenge in front of them.”

The roster includes three players - Philip-Michaël Devos (Sorel-Tracy, QC/HC Ajoie, NL),Jonathan Hazen (Val-Bélair, QC/HC Ajoie, NL) and Josh Jooris (Burlington, ON/Genève-Servette HC, NL) – who will be representing Canada at the prestigious annual invitational tournament for the second year in a row. Jooris helped Canada win its most recent title in 2019.

In total, seven players have previous Spengler Cup experience with Team Canada (Carr, Curran, Devos, Gagner, Grégoire, Hazen, Jooris) and three represented Canada at the IIHF World Junior Championship (Bowey, Gagner, Hudon).

Canada opens the 2024 Spengler Cup against host HC Davos on Dec. 26 at 2:15 p.m. ET/11:15 a.m. PT and will also face the DEL’s Straubing Tigers in preliminary-round play. The championship game is set for Dec. 31 at 6:10 a.m. ET/3:10 a.m. PT.

TSN, Hockey Canada’s official broadcast partner, will broadcast all 11 tournament games; check local listings for details.

For more information on Hockey Canada and the Spengler Cup, please visit HockeyCanada.ca  or follow along via social media on Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok.

CALGARY, Alberta – Hockey Canada has named its coaching staff for Canada’s National Men’s Team at the 2024 Spengler Cup, Dec. 26-31 in Davos, Switzerland.

Gerard Gallant (Summerside, PE) takes the reins as head coach and will be tasked with leading Canada back to the championship game for the first time since 2019, alongside assistant coaches Dave Hakstol (Warburg, AB), Mike Kelly (Shamrock, PE) and Johan Lundskog (Visby, SWE/SC Rapperswil-Jona, NL).

The coaching staff was selected by the management group of co-general managers Brad Pascall (Coquitlam, BC/Calgary, NHL) and Joe Thornton (St. Thomas, ON) alongside assistant general manager Hnat Domenichelli (Edmonton, AB/HC Lugano, NL), who all return for a second-consecutive year. Scott Salmond (Creston, BC), Hockey Canada’s senior vice-president of high performance and hockey operations, also provided input.

“We are excited to be led by Gerard, Dave, Mike and Johan, who have amassed more than five decades of experience coaching both in the NHL and Europe, and we know that experience will benefit our team as we look to bring home a championship,” said Salmond. “Having Brad, Joe and Hnat in management brings valuable leadership and experience to our group. We know they will work together to put a competitive team on the ice at the Spengler Cup.”

Gallant returns behind the bench for the first time since winning a gold medal with Canada’s National Men’s Team at the 2021 IIHF World Championship. As an assistant coach he won gold and silver at Men’s Worlds in 2007 and 2017. He also served as an assistant coach with Team North America at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey. Gallant has coached for more than 20 years in the NHL, including as head coach with Columbus (2004-06), Florida (2014-17), Vegas (2017-20) and the New York Rangers (2021-23), winning the Jack Adams Award as NHL coach of the year in 2017-18. He spent three seasons (2009-12) as head coach of the Saint John Sea Dogs of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL), winning back-to-back QMJHL championships (2011, 2012) and the Memorial Cup in 2011, in addition to consecutive nods as QMJHL and Canadian Hockey League (CHL) coach of the year in 2009-10 and 2010-11.

Hakstol will represent Canada for the third time as an assistant coach with Canada’s National Men’s Team after winning silver medals at the IIHF World Championship in 2017 and 2019. He served as head coach of the Philadelphia Flyers from 2015-18 and was named the first head coach in Seattle Kraken history in 2021, spending three seasons with the team. Prior to joining the Kraken, he also served as an assistant coach with the Toronto Maple Leafs (2019-21). Hakstol held various coaching roles with the University of North Dakota from 2000-15, including as head coach from 2004-15, earning WCHA Coach of the Year honours in 2008-09.

Kelly won a gold medal as an assistant coach with Canada’s National Men’s Team at the 2021 IIHF World Championship. He has represented Canada on multiple occasions, including coaching Canada’s National Men’s Under-18 Team to a gold medal at the 2003 IIHF World U18 Championship. He was also an assistant coach at the IIHF World Junior Championship three times (2000, 2001, 2002). He served as an assistant coach to Gallant in both Vegas (2017-20) and Florida (2014-17). Kelly also spent four seasons with the Saint John Sea Dogs, including two as head coach and general manager (2012-14) and two as associate coach alongside Gallant (2010-12). Prior to the QMJHL, he spent three seasons as an assistant with the Vancouver Canucks (2006-08) and their American Hockey League affiliate, the Manitoba Moose (2005-06).

Lundskog is making his international coaching debut with Canada’s National Men’s Team and is currently in his first season as an associate coach with SC Rapperswil-Jona in Switzerland’s National League (NL). He served as an assistant coach of IK Oskarshamn in Sweden’s HockeyAllsvenskan (2014-15), Evansville of the ECHL (2015-16), Frölunda HC in the Swedish Hockey League (2016-19) and HC Davos in the NL (2019-21). He was head coach of SC Bern in the NL from 2021-22, as well as with Adler Mannheim in Germany’s Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL) during the 2023-24 season.

Hockey Canada also named the support staff that will work with Canada’s National Men’s Team at the Spengler Cup:

• Video coach Jérémy Coupal (Mont-Saint-Hilaire, QC)
• Equipment manager Peter Bureaux (Kitchener, ON/Calgary, AHL)
• Sport physiotherapist Doug Stacey (London, ON/Western University, OUA)
• Massage therapist Andy Hüppi (Schmerikon, SUI)
• Team physician Jim Thorne (Calgary, AB/Calgary, NHL)
• Managers of hockey operations Mitchell Furlotte (Bathurst, NB) and Kurt Keats (Winnipeg, MB)
• Coordinator of hockey operations Miah Armitage (Creston, BC)

Canada opens the 2024 Spengler Cup against host HC Davos on Dec. 26 at 2:15 p.m. ET/11:15 a.m. PT, and will also face the DEL’s Straubing Tigers in preliminary-round play. The championship game is set for Dec. 31 at 6:10 a.m. ET/3:10 a.m. PT.

TSN, Hockey Canada’s official broadcast partner, will broadcast all 11 tournament games; check local listings for details.

For more information on Hockey Canada and the Spengler Cup, please visit HockeyCanada.ca  or follow along via social media on Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok.

CALGARY, Alberta – Hockey Canada has announced the return of its management group for a second-consecutive year with Canada’s National Men’s Team at the 2024 Spengler Cup, Dec. 26-31 in Davos, Switzerland.

After making his international management debut last year, Joe Thornton (St. Thomas, ON) assumes the role of co-general manager alongside Brad Pascall (Coquitlam, BC/Calgary, NHL). Hnat Domenichelli (Edmonton, AB/HC Lugano, NL) also debuted in a management role with Team Canada in 2023 and returns as assistant general manager.

“Brad, Joe and Hnat brought tremendous leadership and experience to our group last year and we are thrilled to have them return and build upon last season,” said Scott Salmond, Hockey Canada’s senior vice-president of high performance and hockey operations. “Each bring their own knowledge having represented Canada on multiple occasions and in varying roles. They know what it takes to win in short-term competition and we know they will assemble a team that will proudly wear the Maple Leaf in its quest to win the Spengler Cup.”

Pascall is currently in his 11th season as assistant general manager of the Calgary Flames, and his second as vice-president of hockey operations. Pascall is also general manager of the Calgary Wranglers of the American Hockey League (AHL). Prior to joining the Flames, Pascall was the vice-president of hockey operations and national teams with Hockey Canada for nearly four years (2010-14), and worked for the organization from 1996-2014. During his tenure, he won five-straight gold medals at the IIHF World Junior Championship (2005-09), three Olympic gold medals (2002, 2010, 2014), two IIHF World Championship gold medals (2003, 2004), the 2004 World Cup of Hockey and the 2012 Spengler Cup. 

Thornton enjoyed a 25-year professional playing career that included NHL stints with the Boston Bruins (1997-2005), San Jose Sharks (2005-20), Toronto Maple Leafs (2021) and Florida Panthers (2021-22), as well as parts of three seasons with HC Davos (2004-05, 2012-13, 2020-21) during NHL lockouts and the COVID-19 pandemic. In over 1,700 NHL games, he amassed 1,539 points (430-1109—1539), was a six-time all-star and won the Hart Trophy and Art Ross Trophy in 2005-06. Internationally, Thornton suited up for Canada eight times, winning a gold medal at the 1996 Pacific Cup, gold at the 1997 IIHF World Junior Championship, silver at the 2005 IIHF World Championship and gold at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games, as well as the World Cup of Hockey in 2004 and 2016. He also played in two Spengler Cups (2004, 2012) with HC Davos, winning the championship in 2004. 

Domenichelli has served as general manager of HC Lugano of the National League (NL) since 2019. As a player, he had an 18-year professional career that included 922 games in the NHL, AHL and NL, while also representing Canada nine times. Domenichelli won a gold medal at the 1996 IIHF World Junior Championship, suited up at the Spengler Cup four times (2003, 2004, 2005, 2008), winning the championship in 2003, and represented Switzerland at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games. He also won back-to-back Memorial Cups (1994, 1995) with the Kamloops Blazers of the Western Hockey League (WHL), as well as the Calder Cup with the AHL’s Houston Aeros in 2003. 

Canada opens the 2024 Spengler Cup against host HC Davos on Dec. 26 at 2:15 p.m. ET/11:15 a.m. PT, and will also face the Straubing Tigers of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL) in preliminary-round play. The championship game is set for Dec. 31 at 6:10 a.m. ET/3:10 a.m. PT.

TSN, Hockey Canada’s official broadcast partner, will broadcast all 11 tournament games; check local listings for details.

For more information on Hockey Canada and the Spengler Cup, please visit HockeyCanada.ca  or follow along via social media on Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok.

The wait is over – Canada has announced its roster for the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off, the first best-on-best international tournament since the 2016 World Cup of Hockey.

There’s still more than two months until the first puck drops at the Bell Centre in Montreal, but it’s never too early to take a deep dive into the Canadian roster – who they are, where they’ve come from and what they’ve done.

10,675: Combined points in 13,412 National Hockey League games (3838-6837—10675); Sidney Crosby (1,622) and Connor McDavid (1,013) are the only members of the 1,000-point club. They’ll likely be joined shortly by Brad Marchand (947) and Nathan MacKinnon (938).

5,831: Kilometres (according to Google Maps) from West Vancouver, B.C., hometown of Sam Reinhart, to Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia, hometown of Sidney Crosby and Nathan MacKinnon – the westernmost and easternmost communities represented on the roster.

476: Combined points in 564 international games wearing the Maple Leaf (195-281—476); six players clock in as point-per-game performers with Team Canada – Sidney Crosby (32-35—67 in 54 GP), Nathan MacKinnon (18-25—43 in 42 GP), Cale Makar (3-5—8 in 7 GP), Mitch Marner (10-15—25 in 20 GP), Connor McDavid (18-27—55 in 41 GP) and Mark Stone (19-15—34 in 26 GP).

455: Population (according to the 2021 Census) of Elkhorn, Manitoba, hometown of Travis Sanheim and the smallest of any player.

73-196: Average height (in inches) and weight (in pounds); Colton Parayko (6-foot-6, 228 pounds) is the biggest player, while Brad Marchand (5-foot-9, 176 pounds) is the smallest.

32: Individual NHL awards won; the total is shared amongst four players – Connor McDavid has won 14 (Art Ross x5; Ted Lindsay x4; Hart x3; Rocket Richard; Conn Smythe), Sidney Crosby has won 12 (Ted Lindsay x3; Art Ross x2; Hart x2; Conn Smythe x2; Rocket Richard x2; Messier Leadership), Nathan MacKinnon has won four (Calder; Hart; Ted Lindsay; Lady Byng); and Cale Makar has won two (Norris; Conn Smythe).

29-9-14: Average age (in years, months and days) as of Feb. 12, 2025, the first day of the tournament; Sidney Crosby (37 years, six months, six days) is the oldest, while Seth Jarvis (23 years, 12 days) is the youngest.

20: Stanley Cup championships; 15 of the 23 players have hoisted hockey’s biggest prize at least once. Sidney Crosby has the most, with three. Anthony Cirelli, Alex Pietrangelo and Brayden Point are the only others with multiple titles.

13: Players drafted in the first round of the NHL Draft, three of them taken No. 1 (Crosby, MacKinnon, McDavid); the roster also includes players selected in the third (7), fourth (1) and sixth (2) rounds.

11: Gold medals at the IIHF World Junior Championship, along with two silver medals and one bronze; Brad Marchand is the only player with multiple gold medals, in 2007 and 2008.

9: Gold medals at the IIHF World Championship, along with 11 silver medals; Nathan MacKinnon, Sam Reinhart and Mark Stone have one of each in their trophy case.

6: Hockey Canada Members represented; the Ontario Hockey Federation leads the way with seven players, followed by Hockey Alberta (6), BC Hockey (3), Hockey Manitoba (3), Hockey Nova Scotia (3) and Hockey Quebec (1).

5: Players to wear the ‘C’ with Team Canada – Sidney Crosby (2014 Olympics, 2015 Men’s Worlds, 2016 World Cup); Travis Konecny (2014 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup); Connor McDavid (2018 Men’s Worlds); Brayden Point (2016 World Juniors); and Sam Reinhart (2012 Memorial of Ivan Hlinka, 2013 U18 Men’s Worlds).

4: Alumni of the TELUS Cup, Canada’s U18 Men’s National Club Championship – Sidney Crosby (Dartmouth Subways, 2002); Alex Pietrangelo (Toronto Jr. Canadiens, 2006); Sam Reinhart (Vancouver NW Giants, 2011); and Mark Stone (Winnipeg Thrashers, 2008).

3: Olympic gold medals; Sidney Crosby has two, in 2010 and 2014, while Alex Pietrangelo was part of the Canadian contingent at Sochi 2014.

3: Alumni of the Junior A World Challenge – Cale Makar (2015 and 2016), Colton Parayko (2011) and Devon Toews (2012); Makar (in 2015) and Parayko won gold medals with Canada West.

2: Alumni of the Centennial Cup, Canada’s National Junior A Championship – Cale Makar (2016 and 2017) and Devon Toews (2013).