CALGARY, Alberta – Hockey Canada, in partnership with the National Hockey League (NHL) and National Hockey League Players’ Association (NHLPA), has announced that Sidney Crosby (Cole Harbour, NS/Pittsburgh, NHL) will wear the ‘C’ for Team Canada at the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off, set for Feb. 12-20 in Montréal, Québec, and Boston, Massachusetts.

Connor McDavid (Newmarket, ON/Edmonton, NHL) and Cale Makar (Calgary, AB/Colorado, NHL) will join Crosby as alternate captains.

“I am grateful for the opportunity to again represent Canada on the international stage, and it is an honour to be named captain for the 4 Nations Face-Off on a team with so many great leaders,” Crosby said. “I look forward to serving as captain alongside Connor and Cale who are amazing leaders in their own right. All of us are excited to wear the Team Canada jersey and to kick off the 4 Nations Face-Off in front of Canadian fans.” 

“Sidney, Connor and Cale all possess exceptional leadership qualities, a determination to be the best and a burning desire to win,” said head coach Jon Cooper (Prince George, BC/Tampa Bay, NHL). “We are fortunate to have incredible leadership on our team. These players will lead Canada with pride as we set out to accomplish our goal of winning the 4 Nations Face-Off.”

Canada will open the 4 Nations Face-Off against Sweden on Feb. 12 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.

For more information on the 2025 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, Instagram and TikTok.

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.

CALGARY, Alta. – Mike Babcock will return to international competition in September as the Team Canada head coach at the World Cup of Hockey.

Babcock (Saskatoon, Sask./Toronto, NHL) joined Hockey Canada president and CEO, Tom Renney, and Team Canada’s general manager, Doug Armstrong, at a news conference on Thursday where it was confirmed he will take the helm as head coach when the World Cup of Hockey makes its return in Toronto in September 2016.

“We’re happy to have Mike lead our World Cup coaching staff next September. His successes in creating a winning culture in a two-week tournament are well documented,” said Armstrong. “We are looking forward to representing Canada and making our country proud.”

Joining Babcock on the coaching staff are a group of successful coaches who bring equally impressive credentials of their own. Armstrong and Renney announced that Claude Julien, Barry Trotz, Joel Quenneville, and Bill Peters will be working with Babcock as assistant coaches for Team Canada.

“Thanks to immense depth, Canada is able to tap into world-class coaching, and this group clearly demonstrates that,” said Renney.

Mike Babcock is the first and only coach to join the IIHF Triple Gold Club, having won an IIHF World Championship (2004), a Stanley Cup (2008), and two Olympic gold medals (2010, 2014). His international success also extends to the IIHF World Junior Championship, which he coached Canada to gold in 1997. Currently in his first season as head coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs, Babcock spent the 10 previous NHL seasons as head coach of the Detroit Red Wings, where he was a finalist for the Jack Adams Award in 2008, and named the Sporting News’ NHL Coach of the Year that same year. His NHL coaching career began in Anaheim in 2002, where he led the Ducks to the Stanley Cup Final in 2003.

Claude Julien (Orleans, Ont./Boston, NHL) was part of Babcock’s coaching staff when Canada’s National Men’s Team won its second consecutive Olympic gold medal at the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi. Julien was assistant coach of Canada’s bronze medal-winning National Junior Team at the 2000 IIHF World Junior Championship, and he served under Renney at the 1999 IIHF World Junior Championship where the team took home silver. Julien is in his eighth season as head coach of the Boston Bruins, leading them to a Stanley Cup in 2011 and into the Stanley Cup Final in 2013. He won the Jack Adams Award as the NHL coach of the year in 2008-09, also earning NHL Coach of the Year from The Sporting News. Julien’s career has included head coaching positions with the NHL’s Montreal Canadiens and New Jersey Devils.

Barry Trotz (Dauphin, Man./Washington, NHL) has served as an assistant coach for Canada’s National Men’s Team at the IIHF World Championship on four occasions – 2002, 2003, 2009, and 2013 – delivering one silver (2009) and one gold (2003) for Canada. Following a long stint as head coach of the Nashville Predators that included being named The Sporting News’ NHL Coach of the Year in 2007 – the same year he served as assistant coach at the 2007 NHL All-Star Game and finished fourth in balloting for the Jack Adams Award – Trotz joined the Washington Capitals in 2014 as head coach.

Joel Quenneville (Windsor, Ont./Chicago, NHL) is fresh off his team’s most recent Stanley Cup win. Quenneville, who is in his eighth season with the Chicago Blackhawks, has led the team to three Stanley Cup championships in seven playoff appearances. For Quenneville, the World Cup of Hockey marks a return to international competition; he was named as head coach for Canada’s National Men’s Team at the 2004 IIHF World Championship, but had to step down for health reasons and was replaced by Babcock. Quenneville received the Jack Adams Award while with the St. Louis Blues in 1999-2000. In addition to the Blackhawks and Blues, Quenneville’s NHL resume includes assistant coaching positions with the Quebec Nordiques and Colorado Avalanche.

Bill Peters (Three Hills, Alta./Carolina, NHL) is coming off a role as assistant coach of Canada’s National Men’s Team that won gold at the 2015 IIHF World Championship last spring. Peters’ international hardware also includes a gold medal from the 2008 Memorial of Ivan Hlinka Tournament where he was head coach of Canada’s National Men’s Summer Under-18 Team, and a silver medal as an assistant coach with Team Pacific at the 2005 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge. He is in his second season as head coach of the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes, and previously spent three seasons as an assistant coach with the Detroit Red Wings under Babcock.

“It’s a huge honour to be given this opportunity to represent Canada again. Whether it was ’97 at the World Juniors, ’04 at the worlds or the last two Olympics in ‘10 and ’14, you feel very blessed and honoured to represent your country,” said Babcock. “I’m thrilled that Doug Armstrong and Tom Renney have given me this opportunity. I also want to thank the coaching staff – Joel Quenneville, Claude Julien, Barry Trotz and Bill Peters for giving up their time and helping us pursue success at the World Cup.”

In June, 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, the organization’s chief operating officer, round out Team Canada’s World Cup of Hockey management group.

A select number of tickets for the event will go on sale to the public Thursday, Nov. 12 at Ticketmaster.ca. 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 www.hockeycanada.ca, or follow along via social media at www.facebook.com/hockeycanada, www.twitter.com/hockeycanada and www.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 fdupont@hockeycanada.ca 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.

Canada’s National Men’s Team will battle Norway for the second time this tournament with the bronze medal on the line at the 2026 IIHF World Championship in Zurich.

Last Game

Canada suffered its first loss in Switzerland on Saturday, falling 4-2 to Finland in the semifinals. Robert Thomas scored his first goal of the tournament and Dylan Holloway was named player of the game with a goal and an assist. Jet Greaves made 17 saves.

Earlier on Saturday, Norway fell 6-0 to host Switzerland. Two of the goals against Norway came on the power play, and Henrik Haukeland made 24 saves.

Last Meeting

It was a back-and-forth battle in this year’s preliminary round, but Canada edged Norway 6-5 in overtime on May 21. Mark Scheifele scored twice to make it 2-2 after the first period before Gabriel Vilardi’s power-play goal tied the game again with 40 minutes complete. Dylan Cozens scored short-handed to open the third period and Ryan O’Reilly’s goal sent the game to overtime. Scheifele completed his hat trick 29 seconds into the extra frame to earn Canada’s fourth victory.

What to Watch

Canada’s second line was buzzing against Finland. Holloway, Thomas and Scheifele generated 24 per cent of Canada’s shots on net against Finland (seven of 29), with both Holloway and Thomas finding the back of the net. Scheifele’s best game of the tournament came against Norway with his hat trick and the overtime winner. With Evan Bouchard’s injury in the quarterfinals, Sam Dickinson made his first appearance at the IIHF World Championship against Finland. The San Jose Sharks defenceman logged 12:19 of ice time and generated three shots.

Only 12 teams have won a medal at the IIHF World Championship—and Norway is not a part of that exclusive group. In fact, their best finish at Men’s Worlds is fourth place way back in 1951. A big part of why Norway has made it to this point of the tournament is their goaltender, Henrik Haukeland. In seven games, he has a 1.71 goals-against average, a 0.933 save percentage, three shutouts and even an assist. He’s also the netminder that took Canada to overtime earlier in the tournament with 36 saves. One of two 18-year-olds on Norway’s squad, Tinus Luc Koblar leads his team with six goals and nine points.

A Look Back

The Canadians and Norwegians have been frequent opponents in the 2000s, clashing 17 times since the turn of the millennium after meeting just 10 times in the 50 years before that.

This is the first time Canada and Norway will meet in a medal-round matchup. When Norway earned its best result at Men’s Worlds back in 1951, it faced Canada in the round-robin. The Canadians, represented by the Lethbridge Maple Leafs, shut out Norway 8-0 on its way to a gold medal.

All-time record: Canada leads 25-2-0 (1-1 in OT)
Canada goals: 167
Norway goals: 35

It’s Semifinal Saturday as Canada’s National Men’s Team faces Finland for a spot in the gold medal game at the 2026 IIHF World Championship at Swiss Life Arena.

Last Game

Canada shut out the United States 4-0 on Thursday to advance to the semifinals. Jet Greaves was fantastic in net, making 34 saves in the crease. Macklin Celebrini and Dylan Holloway scored, with Connor Brown and Sidney Crosby adding empty-net goals late in regulation. Mark Scheifele had two assists in the quarterfinal win.

Finland earned its spot in the semifinals with a 4-1 win over Czechia on Thursday. Sakari Manninen and Anton Lundell gave Finland the lead in the first period before Konsta Helenius scored 1:35 into the second period to make it a 3-0 game. Lenni Hameenaho rounded out the scoring in the final frame and Justus Annunen made 25 saves.

Last Meeting

Last year, Canada suffered its first loss of the tournament to Finland: a 2-1 shootout decision in the preliminary round. Ryan O’Reilly opened the scoring with a shorthanded goal in the second period, but Patrick Puistola tied the game in the third to force extra time. Kent Johnson scored in the shootout, but Finland scored twice on Marc-André Fleury, who made 20 saves in regulation and overtime.

What to Watch

We certainly need to shoutout Greaves, who recorded his first international shutout on Thursday. The Columbus Blue Jackets netminder has had a strong showing in his first tournament wearing the Maple Leaf. In six appearances, the 25-year-old has a 1.33 goals-against average and a 0.948 save percentage to place him fourth in the tournament’s goaltending leaders. And we’d be remised if we didn’t mention Celebrini and Crosby—the duo has combined for almost 23 per cent of Canada’s points at Men’s Worlds (22 of 97), with Celebrini remaining second in tournament scoring with six goals and 12 points and Crosby recording his first goal of the tournament on Thursday to go with his nine assists.

Finland’s only loss in this tournament was in its final preliminary-round game, falling 4-2 to host Switzerland. The Finns enter the semifinals with strong special teams, going 8-for-25 on the power play and only allowing three goals on 20 penalty kills. There are a lot of familiar names on the Finnish team—13 players are active in the NHL, including captain Aleksander Barkov. The Florida Panthers centre missed the entire 2025-26 NHL season with a torn ACL and MCL, but received medical clearance in April and opted to play at Men’s Worlds. He has two goals and seven assists heading into the semifinals, which is second to Jesse Puljujarvi on Finland, who leads the team with four goals and five assists.

A Look Back

The Canadians and Finns have certainly been familiar foes at Men’s Worlds. In fact, only Sweden (71 GP) has been a more frequent opponent for Canada than Finland, with the teams set to meet for a 57th time in Zurich.

Canada has a 2-1-1 record when playing Finland in Switzerland in this tournament: an 11-1 win in 1961, a 6-5 win in 1990, a 3-3 tie in 1998, and most recently a 4-3 loss in 2009. These two teams have also met six times in the gold medal game (1994, 2007, 2016, 2019, 2021, 2022), with the Canadians holding a 4-2 record in those medal matchups.

All-time record: Canada leads 39-15-2 (3-4 in OT/SO)
Canada goals: 286
Finland goals: 127