CALGARY, Alta. - Hockey Canada is gearing up for the 2018-19 season, and will be working with three accomplished Canadian Hockey League (CHL) veterans as part of its Program of Excellence (POE) management group.
Martin Mondou (Grand-Mère, Que./Shawinigan, QMJHL) will guide and support the under-17 program, including the 2018 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge in Saint John and Quispamsis, N.B., while Alan Millar (Tottenham, Ont./Moose Jaw, WHL) will advise and support the under-18 program, which includes the 2018 Hlinka Gretzky Cup (formerly the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup) making its debut in Canada this year. Steve Staios (Hamilton, Ont./Hamilton, OHL) returns to the POE, making the jump to lead Canada’s National Junior Team following his role with the under-17 program last year.
The management group will work alongside Scott Salmond (Creston, B.C.), vice-president of hockey operations and national teams with Hockey Canada, Shawn Bullock (Wainwright, Alta.), the senior manager of hockey operations and men’s national teams, as well as head scout Brad McEwen (Whitewood, Sask.), who oversees operations within the Program of Excellence. Day-to-day operations for the POE management group include assisting in the selection of coaches and players, supporting the coaching staff, as well as providing ongoing input during camps and tournaments throughout the season.
“All three men have had tremendous success with their respective teams, and they will bring that to the Program of Excellence as we prepare for international competition,” said Salmond. “Their skill, leadership and knowledge will lead us this next year as we look to continue to build and excel at all levels of the program.”
Mondou, who has been general manager of the Shawinigan Cataractes of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) since the 2007-08 season, previously served as director of hockey operations for the Shawinigan Xtreme (Senior AAA), winning back-to-back championships. In his first season with the Cataractes, Mondou won the Trophée Paul-Dumont as QMJHL personality of the year, guided Shawinigan to its first league final in 36 years the following season, and celebrated a Memorial Cup championship in 2012. Mondou won the Trophée Maurice-Fillion in 2015 as QMJHL general manager of the year, and led the Cataractes to the league final once again in 2016.
Millar was named director of hockey operations for the Moose Jaw Warriors of the Western Hockey League in 2010, and was named general manager in 2012. He served as general manager of the Sarnia Sting of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) from 2004 to 2009. Millar served as director of operations for Team Ontario, which captured a gold-medal at the 2004 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge. He spent 2003-04 with the Toronto St. Michael’s Majors, where he served as director of player personnel. Millar was also general manager and alternate governor of the OHL’s Guelph Storm from 1997 to 2003. During his tenure, he led the team to six straight playoff appearances, including a league championship in 1998. Millar also served as director of hockey operations and alternate governor with the Saint John Flames of the American Hockey League from 1993 to 1997. He was on Hockey Canada’s CHL general managers’ committee from 2005 to 2009 where he assisted in the evaluation of players for Canada’s under-18 and national junior teams, as well as the CHL Canada/Russia Series.
Staios led and supported the under-17 program last year, with Team Canada Red skating to a silver medal at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, while Team Canada White finished fourth, and Team Canada Black seventh. He was named president of the Hamilton Bulldogs of the Ontario Hockey League in 2015, and added general manager to his title in 2016. Staios spent three years with the National Hockey League’s Toronto Maple Leafs, serving in various roles, including manager of player development, advisor of player development and assistant coach. The native of Hamilton, Ont., played 1,001 regular-season games over 18 NHL seasons with the Atlanta Thrashers, Boston Bruins, Calgary Flames, Edmonton Oilers, New York Islanders and Vancouver Canucks before retiring in 2012. Staios also served as director of player personnel with Team Canada at the 2014 IIHF World Championship, and represented Canada four times as a player; he won back-to-back gold medals at the 2003 and 2004 IIHF World Championship, and added a silver medal from worlds in 2008.
Hockey Canada’s Program of Excellence Policy Committee, comprised of Hockey Canada board chair, Joe Drago (Sudbury, Ont.), Hockey Canada chief executive officer, Tom Renney (Cranbrook, B.C.), Hockey Canada president and chief operating officer, Scott Smith (Bathurst, N.B.), OHL commissioner and CHL president, David Branch (Bathurst, N.B.), QMJHL commissioner Gilles Courteau (Trois-Rivières, Que.) and WHL commissioner Ron Robison (Calgary, Alta.), will continue to oversee the program.
For more information on the Hockey Canada Program of Excellence, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along via social media on Facebook, and Twitter.