Coming off a tournament-opening win, Canada’s National Men’s Team gets right back on the ice Saturday at the 2026 IIHF World Championship, facing Italy as the preliminary round continues in Switzerland.

Last Game

Canada opened Group B play with a 5-3 win over Sweden on Friday. The Canadians got out to an early 2-0 lead with goals from veterans John Tavares and Ryan O’Reilly before the Swedes pulled even. Dylan Holloway regained the lead in the second period before Connor Brown and Dylan Cozens put Canada ahead for good in the third. Jet Greaves earned his first international win in his first appearance wearing the Maple Leaf, making 22 saves.

Italy wrapped up its pre-tournament schedule with a 5-3 loss to Great Britain on Tuesday. Matt Bradley and Marco Zanetti helped the Italians to a 2-0 lead midway through the second period and Phil Pietroniro made it 3-1 in the third before the British made a late comeback and scored four unanswered to leave Italy with the loss.

Last Meeting

We have to go back to 2022 for the last time Canada and Italy faced off at Men’s Worlds, with the Canadians earning a 6-1 win. Pietroniro opened the scoring for the Italians before Canada scored the final six goals. Josh Anderson and Dysin Mayo had a goal and an assist each, Dawson Mercer had two helpers and Chris Driedger made 11 saves.

What to Watch

Sharing is caring, and Canada proved against Sweden that its offence can be shared across multiple lines. With five different goal scorers (Tavares, O’Reilly, Holloway, Brown, Cozens) across three lines at even strength, the Canadians showed that any line can change the game—and the score. Ironically, the only line that didn’t get into the offensive act was the one that got the most attention going into the game—captain Macklin Celebrini in between Sidney Crosby and Mark Scheifele. That trio has historically had no trouble producing offence internationally—in 150 Team Canada games ranging from the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge to the Olympic Winter Games, Celebrini, Crosby and Scheifele have combined for 178 points (81-97—178).

The Italians have a familiar face behind the bench in Finnish-born bench boss Jukka Jalonen, whose résumé includes an Olympic gold medal (2022), three at the IIHF World Championship (2011, 2019, 2022) and one at the IIHF World Junior Championship (2016), in addition to Olympic bronze (2010) and Men’s Worlds silver (2021). There are nine Italian-Canadians on the roster. Montreal-born defender Pietroniro will make his third appearance in the Top Division. He had two assists at the Olympics in February and a goal and two helpers at Beijing 2022. Vancouver-born forward Bradley scored two of Italy’s four goals in Milan and is making his Men’s Worlds debut.

A Look Back

Saturday’s game will mark the 17th meeting between Canada and Italy, with the Canadians unbeaten thus far with 14 wins and two ties.

Canada has allowed just five goals in seven games since 2000 (the Italians haven’t recorded more than one goal since 1999) and have five shutouts—the most recent a 24-save effort by Marty Turco in a 5-0 win in 2002.

All-time record: Canada leads 14-0-2
Canada goals: 89
Italy goals: 17

Let the tournament begin! Canada’s National Men’s Team takes on Sweden to open the preliminary round Friday at the 2026 IIHF World Championship in Switzerland, beginning its quest for a 29th gold medal.

Last Game

Canada wrapped up a perfect pre-tournament schedule with a 3-1 win over Hungary on Wednesday. Mark Scheifele and Dylan Cozens found the back of the net on the power play early in the first period, and John Tavares rounded out the scoring with 4:40 left in the opening frame.

Sweden fell 5-1 to Finland in pre-tournament action Sunday. Erik Brännström tied the game midway through the first period, with an assist from Liam Öhgren. Arvid Söderblom made 14 saves for Sweden, including a save on a penalty shot from Patrik Puistola.

Last Meeting

Canada wrapped up the preliminary round a year ago with a 5-3 win over Sweden to earn top spot in Group A. Travis Sanheim got Canada on the board only 18 seconds into the game, with Tyson Foerster and Ryan O’Reilly making it a 3-1 lead after 20 minutes. Macklin Celebrini buried a pass from Sidney Crosby for the game-winning goal and Nathan MacKinnon scored early in the third period.

What to Watch

From new faces to seasoned veterans, this Canadian team has something for everyone. The team’s latest addition was Sidney Crosby, back wearing the Maple Leaf after representing Canada at the Olympics in February and at last year’s Men’s Worlds in Sweden. Young superstar Macklin Celebrini returns for his second Men’s Worlds appearance and sported the ‘C’ for both of Canada’s pre-tournament games after putting up 45 goals and 115 points with the San Jose Sharks this season. Ryan O’Reilly is the all-time leader for games played by a Canadian at the IIHF World Championship (63), passing Ryan Smyth last year. And in addition to the experience on the roster, three Canadians will make their international debuts in Switzerland: Dylan DeMelo, Emmitt Finnie and Jet Greaves.

The Swedish roster boasts 12 NHLers, down from the 21 who won bronze on home ice last year. Leading the way offensively is Lucas Raymond—the winger had 25 goals and 76 points with the Detroit Red Wings this season—and veterans Mattias Ekholm (Edmonton) and Oliver Ekman Larsson (Toronto) lead the group on the blue line. The Swedes also have an injection of youth, with four players on the roster who helped win World Juniors gold in January—goaltender Love Härenstam and forwards Viggo Björck, Anton Frondell and Ivar Stenberg. There will be extra eyes on Stenberg and Björck, who ranked first and fourth, respectively, among international skater in the final NHL Central Scouting ranking and project to go very early in the 2026 NHL Draft.

A Look Back

No opponent has been a more frequent foe for Canada at the IIHF World Championship than Sweden; Friday’s game will mark the 71th meeting between the longtime rivals, dating back to a scoreless tie in 1931.

Despite the long history, this will be the first time the Canadians and Swedes meet in a tournament opener since the Trail Smoke Eaters downed Sweden 6-1 all the way back in 1961.

All-time record: Canada leads 37-28-5 (3-3 in OT/SO)
Canada goals: 249
Sweden goals: 198

CALGARY, Alberta – Hockey Canada has announced the 23 players who will wear the Maple Leaf with Canada’s National Men’s Team at the 2026 IIHF World Championship, May 15-31 in Zürich and Fribourg, Switzerland.

The roster, which includes three goaltenders, eight defencemen and 12 forwards, was selected by the management group, which includes Brad Treliving (Penticton, BC) and Jason Spezza (Mississauga, ON/Pittsburgh, NHL), with support from Kyle Dubas (Sault Ste. Marie, ON/Pittsburgh, NHL) and Scott Salmond (Creston, BC), Hockey Canada’s senior vice-president of high performance and hockey operations. Two NHL executives – Gregory Campbell (Tillsonburg, ON/Florida, NHL) and Andrew Cogliano (Woodbridge, ON/Colorado, NHL) – also assisted with player selections, while head coach Misha Donskov (London, ON) and the coaching staff also provided input.

Among the 23 players are 12 who have previously suited up for Canada at the IIHF World Championship (Barzal, Brown, Celebrini, Cozens, Nurse, O’Reilly, Rielly, Scheifele, Tavares, Talbot, Vilardi, Whitecloud) and two Olympic medallists (Celebrini, Tavares). The roster also includes 14 players who have represented Canada at the IIHF World Junior Championship (Barzal, Bouchard, Celebrini, Cozens, Dickinson, Holloway, Ivankovic, Mateychuk, Minten, Nurse, Rielly, Scheifele, Tavares, Thomas) and three who are set to make their international debuts (DeMelo, Finnie, Greaves).

“The roster for the 2026 IIHF World Championship showcases tremendous commitment from some of the very best players in hockey representing Canada internationally, and we thank our 23 players for their commitment to playing for their country,” Dubas said. “The roster named today combines players who have represented Canada at the very highest level with young players who have the potential to be impact players for Team Canada for years to come, and veteran players with excellent National Men’s Team and Stanley Cup experience that will provide guidance and leadership.”

“The 2026 Men’s Worlds represents a great opportunity for Canada to compete against the best nations in the world. The players and our entire staff are a group that we expect to earn the chance to compete for a gold medal, and it is an opportunity and challenge that we will not take lightly in Switzerland.”

In addition, three players will join Canada’s National Men’s Team for its pre-tournament camp in Paris, France – Brendan O’Donnell (Waterloo, ON/Adler Mannheim, DEL), Daniel Renouf (Pickering, ON/Adler Mannheim, DEL) and Nate Schnarr (Waterloo, ON/Kölner Haie, DEL).

Canada will open Men’s Worlds against Sweden on May 15 at 10:20 a.m. ET/7:20 a.m. PT. It will also take on Italy, Denmark, Norway, Slovenia, Slovakia and Czechia before the tournament concludes with the medal games on May 31. Prior to the start of the tournament, Canada’s National Men’s Team will practice at Accor Arena in Paris from May 8-11, and will take on France in pre-tournament action on May 10. It will also face off against Hungary on May 13 at the Patinoires du Littoral in Neuchâtel, Switzerland.

TSN and RDS, Hockey Canada’s official broadcast partners, will broadcast 64 and 22 games, respectively; please check local listings for details.

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

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

CALGARY, Alberta – Hockey Canada has announced the coaching and support staffs that will lead Canada’s National Men’s Team at the 2026 IIHF World Championship, May 15-31 in Zürich and Fribourg, Switzerland.

Assistant coaches Spencer Carbery (Victoria, BC/Washington, NHL), Ryan Huska (Cranbrook, BC/Calgary, NHL) and D.J. Smith (Windsor, ON/Los Angeles, NHL), goaltending consultant Scott Murray (St. Clements, ON/Washington, NHL), director of performance analysis James Emery (Calgary, AB) and video coach Elliott Mondou (Grand-Mère, QC/St. Louis, NHL) have been named to the coaching staff alongside head coach Misha Donskov (London, ON), who recently expanded his role with Hockey Canada as vice-president of hockey operations and men’s national teams coach.

In addition, two NHL executives – Gregory Campbell (Tillsonburg, ON/Florida, NHL) and Andrew Cogliano (Woodbridge, ON/Colorado, NHL) – will assist with evaluating and selecting players for the 2026 IIHF World Championship.

The staff was selected by the management group, which includes, Brad Treliving (Penticton, BC) and Jason Spezza (Mississauga, ON/Pittsburgh, NHL), with support from Kyle Dubas (Sault Ste. Marie, ON/Pittsburgh, NHL) and Scott Salmond (Creston, BC), Hockey Canada’s senior vice-president of high performance and hockey operations, and input from Donskov.

“We are excited to unveil the coaching staff that will lead our team at the 2026 IIHF World Championship, as this is a group that combines many years of NHL and international experience. Misha, Spencer, Ryan, D.J., Scott, James and Elliott have extensive resumes, and we look forward to them guiding our team in Switzerland,” Treliving said. “We have also assembled an incredible support staff with Olympic, world championship and NHL experience, and we know this group will do everything it can to help our team be successful.”

Carbery has served as head coach of the Washington Capitals for the past three seasons (2023-26) after two years (2021-23) as an assistant with the Toronto Maple Leafs. He won the Jack Adams Award as the NHL coach of the year in 2024-25, becoming the only coach to win coach of the year in the NHL, American Hockey League (AHL) and ECHL. Carbery also spent three seasons (2018-21) as head coach of the AHL’s Hershey Bears and one season as an assistant with the Providence Bruins, as well as one season as head coach of the Saginaw Spirit of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). He also served as an assistant coach at Canada’s national under-17 development camp in 2017. 

Huska recently completed his third season (2023-26) as head coach of the Calgary Flames after serving as an assistant for five seasons (2018-23). Prior to joining the Flames, he was head coach of the AHL’s Adirondack Flames/Stockton Heat for four seasons (2014-18) and spent 12 seasons as an assistant coach (2002-07) and head coach (2007-14) of the WHL’s Kelowna Rockets. Internationally, he served as an assistant coach at the 2025 IIHF World Championship, and at the 2011 and 2012 IIHF World Junior Championships, winning silver and bronze, respectively.

Smith recently completed his second full season with the Los Angeles Kings, serving as assistant coach (2024), associate coach (2024-26) and interim head coach (2026). Previously, he was the head coach of the Ottawa Senators for four seasons (2019-23) and was an assistant with the Toronto Maple Leafs for four seasons (2015-19). Before making the transition to the NHL, he won the Memorial Cup twice with the Windsor Spitfires (2009, 2010) as an assistant coach and once with the Oshawa Generals (2015) as head coach and assistant GM. Internationally, he won silver and gold as an assistant coach at the 2022 and 2023 IIHF World Championships, respectively, as well as gold as an assistant at the 2014 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup.

The support staff that will work with Canada’s National Men’s Team at the 2026 IIHF World Championship includes:

• Sport physiotherapists Kent Kobelka (Revelstoke, BC/Calgary, NHL) and Scott Cyr (Saskatoon, SK/Calgary, NHL)
• Massage therapist Andy Hüppi (Schmerikon, SUI)
• Team physician Dr. Ian Auld (Victoria, BC/Calgary, NHL)
• Equipment managers Darren Granger (Brandon, MB/Los Angeles, NHL) and Blair Smook (Airdrie, AB)
• Assistant equipment manager Chase Granger (White Rock, BC/San Diego, AHL)
• Strength and conditioning coach Sean Young (Ennismore, ON/Pittsburgh, NHL)
• Hockey operations managers Mitchell Furlotte (Bathurst, NB) and Kurt Keats (Winnipeg, MB)
• Hockey operations coordinator Miah Armitage (Creston, BC)
• Media relations manager Spencer Sharkey (Hamilton, ON)

The initial roster for the 2026 IIHF World Championship will be announced in the coming days.

Canada will open the tournament against Sweden on May 15 at 10:20 a.m. ET/7:20 a.m. PT. It will also take on Italy, Denmark, Norway, Slovenia, Slovakia and Czechia before the tournament concludes with the medal games on May 31. Prior to the start of the tournament, Canada’s National Men’s Team will practice at Accor Arena in Paris, France, from May 8-11, and will take on France in pre-tournament action on May 10. It will also face off against Hungary on May 13 at Patinoires du Littoral in Neuchâtel, Switzerland.

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 Misha Donskov (London, ON) will serve as head coach at three marquee events through the 2026-27 season as part of his expanded role in hockey operations.

Donskov will serve as head coach of Canada’s National Men’s Team and Canada’s National Junior Team while building the coaching staffs for both teams, beginning with his international head coaching debut at the 2026 IIHF World Championship in Zürich and Fribourg, Switzerland. Donskov will also lead the team at the 2027 edition of the event in Düsseldorf and Mannheim, Germany, and will take the reins as head coach at the 2027 IIHF World Junior Championship, which returns to Canadian ice in Edmonton and Red Deer, Alberta, in December 2026.

Hired as vice-president of hockey operations and men’s national team coach on June 27, 2025, Donskov will expand his role in this position while reporting to Scott Salmond (Creston, BC), senior vice-president of high performance and hockey operations. He will implement the vision and technical strategies for Hockey Canada’s men’s, women’s and para hockey teams while strengthening the alignment between the organization’s hockey operations and business operations staffs.

“Misha is an integral member of our hockey operations staff, and his contributions to successful teams at Hockey Canada over the years, as well as his NHL and OHL coaching and front office experience make him the perfect fit to lead our National Men’s Team and National Junior Team as head coach starting next month,” Salmond said. “Misha is a world-class coach, and we are fortunate to have him building the coaching and support staffs that will put us in a position to win multiple gold medals at two of the marquee events on the international hockey calendar.”

Previously, Donskov was an assistant coach with the Dallas Stars for two seasons (2023-25), and spent more than three years (2020-23) as an assistant and four (2016-20) as director of hockey operations with the Vegas Golden Knights, winning the Stanley Cup in 2023. Internationally, he won a silver medal at the 2026 Olympic Winter Games and gold at the 4 Nations Face-Off as an assistant coach, as well as IIHF World Championship gold medals as video coach (2015) and assistant coach (2016). Donskov has also won gold and bronze at the 2015 and 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship, respectively, serving as video coach (2015) and associate coach (2026), as well as bronze at the 2014 IIHF U18 Men’s World Championship as video coach. He also won the 2016 World Cup of Hockey as an assistant, the 2019 Spengler Cup as director of hockey operations and assistant coach, and the 2013 Memorial of Ivan Hlinka as video coach.

Donskov also spent five seasons in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) with the London Knights (2009-12) and Ottawa 67s (2012-14), highlighted by an OHL championship as London’s assistant general manager and assistant coach in 2012. In addition to his coaching and management career, Donskov has extensive experience in hockey development, including previous NHL roles with the Columbus Blue Jackets and Atlanta Thrashers. 

Prior to pursuing a full-time career in hockey, Donskov spent six years with Cardinal Health, a Fortune 500 global, integrated healthcare solutions company. He held roles of increasing responsibility in finance, sales, and sales management. He holds a master's degree in kinesiology with a specialization in coaching education from the University of Western Ontario.

“Representing Canada on the international stage is a huge honour, and I am grateful for the opportunity to lead Canada’s National Men’s Team and Canada’s National Junior Team as head coach at three marquee world championships,” Donskov said. “I look forward to continuing to work closely with my colleagues in hockey operations and throughout Hockey Canada, as well as coaches and staff throughout the National Hockey League and Canadian Hockey League, to build teams and programs that give us the best chance to win gold medals.”

Canada’s National Men’s Team coaching staff for the 2026 IIHF World Championship will be announced in the coming days, while the coaching staff for Canada’s National Junior Team will be announced at a later date.

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

CALGARY, Alberta – Hockey Canada has announced the management group that will build and lead Canada’s National Men’s Team at the 2026 IIHF World Championship, set for May 15-31 in Zürich and Fribourg, Switzerland.

Brad Treliving (Penticton, BC) and Jason Spezza (Mississauga, ON/Pittsburgh, NHL) will serve on the management group at Men’s Worlds, and will be supported by Scott Salmond (Creston, BC), Hockey Canada’s senior vice-president of high performance and hockey operations, and Kyle Dubas (Sault Ste. Marie, ON/Pittsburgh, NHL). Treliving last represented Canada in 2016 and Spezza is set to make his international management debut, while Dubas has held various management roles with Hockey Canada since 2024, including the 2026 Olympic Winter Games, 4 Nations Face-Off, and 2024 and 2025 IIHF World Championships.

With the Pittsburgh Penguins earning a place in the National Hockey League (NHL) playoffs, the main focus for Dubas at this time will be guiding the Penguins while providing support to Treliving, Spezza, Salmond and Canada’s National Men’s Team.

“Brad brings invaluable experience from previous international events and the NHL, and Jason is a rising NHL executive that brings a wealth of experience as a player both professionally and internationally, and we are excited that these two will lead our team at the IIHF World Championship,” Salmond said. “Kyle’s experience from the previous two world championships, 4 Nations Face-Off and Olympics will provide consistency to our program, and while Kyle continues to prioritize the success of the Pittsburgh Penguins, we look forward to his support as Brad and Jason build a staff and roster that gives us the best chance to be successful in Switzerland.” 

Treliving was general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs for the last three seasons (2023-26) after serving as GM of the Calgary Flames for nine seasons (2014-23). He also spent seven seasons with the Phoenix Coyotes, serving as assistant general manager (2007-14) and vice-president of hockey operations (2010-12), as well as general manager of the San Antonio Rampage/Portland Pirates of the American Hockey League (AHL). Treliving won a gold medal at the 2016 IIHF World Championship as co-GM, and was assistant GM at the 2014 tournament.

Spezza is in his third season (2023-26) as assistant general manager of the Penguins and second (2024-26) as GM of the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. He also served on the selection committee that helped evaluate and select players for the 2025 IIHF World Championship. As a player, Spezza registered 995 points (363 goals, 632 assists) in 1,248 career NHL games with the Ottawa Senators, Dallas Stars and Maple Leafs. He also played for Canada at four IIHF World Championships, winning one gold (2015) and two silver (2008, 2009), and three IIHF World Junior Championships, winning one silver (2002) and two bronze (2000, 2001). 

Dubas is in his third season (2023-26) as general manager and president of hockey operations with the Penguins. Previously, he spent nine seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs, serving five (2018-23) as general manager and becoming the second-youngest GM in NHL history. 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. He was the assistant general manager (2024) and general manager (2025) at the previous two IIHF World Championship, and also helped Team Canada win a silver medal at the 2026 Olympic Winter Games as director of player personnel, and won the 4 Nations Face-Off in the same role. 

The coaching and support staff for the 2026 IIHF World Championship, as well as the roster, will be announced in the coming weeks.

Canada will open the tournament against Sweden on May 15 at 10:20 a.m. ET/7:20 a.m. PT. It will also take on Italy, Denmark, Norway, Slovenia, Slovakia and Czechia in the preliminary round before the tournament concludes with the medal games on May 31. Prior to the start of the tournament, Canada will practice at Accor Arena in Paris, France, from May 8-11, and will take on France in pre-tournament action on May 10. It will also face off against Hungary on May 13 at the Patinoires du Littoral in Neuchâtel, Switzerland.

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 named the 25 players who will wear the Maple Leaf with Canada’s National Men’s Team at the 2025 Spengler Cup, set for Dec. 26-31 in Davos, Switzerland.

Three goaltenders, eight defencemen and 14 forwards were selected by general manager Marc Bergevin (Montreal, QC/Buffalo, NHL) and associate general manager Stacy Roest (Lethbridge, AB), with support from Scott Salmond (Creston, BC), Hockey Canada’s senior vice-president of high performance and hockey operations. Head coach Michel Therrien (Montréal, QC) and assistant coaches Drew Bannister (Belleville, ON) and Rob Cookson (Lacombe, AB/Lausanne HC, NL) also provided input.

“We are excited about the group of players assembled as we pursue another Spengler Cup championship in Switzerland,” said Bergevin. “This roster brings a mix of skill and experience in short-term competition, including previous Spengler Cup participation, along with broad experience across some of the world’s top pro leagues. We are confident the players named today will come together quickly, represent Canada with pride and compete at the highest level in the prestigious tournament.”

Canada will have plenty of Spengler Cup experience to lean on in search of its record 17th championship. The roster features six players (Fritz, Grant, Hazen, Hughes, Morley, Seney) who have previously played for Team Canada at the tournament. Jonathan Hazen will be representing Canada for the third consecutive year,. while Tanner Fritz and Brett Seney return for the second year in a row.

In addition, one player competed at IIHF World Championship (Reimer), four at the IIHF World Junior Championship (Addison, Allan, Gauthier, Hicketts) and six at the IIHF U18 Men’s World Championship (Allan, Gauthier, Hicketts, Schnarr, Sgarbossa, Shaw).

Canada is grouped with host HC Davos and the U.S. Collegiate Selects for the preliminary round and will open the 2025 Spengler Cup against the Selects on Dec. 26 at 2:15 p.m. ET/11:15 a.m. PT. Preliminary-round action wraps up on Dec. 28, with the championship game 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; please check local listings for details.

For more information on Hockey Canada, Canada’s national Men’s Team 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 coaching and support staffs for Canada’s National Men’s Team at the 2025 Spengler Cup, set for Dec. 26-31 in Davos, Switzerland.

Former National Hockey League (NHL) bench boss Michel Therrien (Montréal, QC) will take the reins as head coach, working alongside assistant coaches Drew Bannister (Belleville, ON) and Rob Cookson (Lacombe, AB/Lausanne HC, NL) and video coach Jérémy Coupal (Mont-Saint-Hilaire, QC).

The coaching and support staffs were selected by general manager Marc Bergevin (Montréal, QC/Buffalo, NHL) and associate general manager Stacy Roest (Lethbridge, AB), with support from Scott Salmond (Creston, BC), Hockey Canada’s senior vice-president of high performance and hockey operations.

“We are excited to unveil the coaching staff that is tasked with leading Team Canada at the Spengler Cup with the goal of reclaiming the championship for the first time since 2019. We believe this is a well-rounded group that will be complimented by a world-class support staff,” Bergevin said. “Michel’s extensive résumé as a head coach in the National Hockey League will allow him to be a great leader for our team, and Drew, Rob, and Jérémy bring many years of experience in the NHL, American Hockey League and Europe, as well as in international competition, and we look forward to representing Canada in Davos.”

Therrien most recently spent more than two seasons (2019-21) as an assistant coach with the Philadelphia Flyers. He previously served as head coach of the Montréal Canadiens (2000-03, 2012-17) and Pittsburgh Penguins (2005-09), leading the Penguins to the Stanley Cup Final in 2008, as well as a scout with the Minnesota Wild (2010-11). Therrien was also the head coach of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (2003-05), Québec Citadelles (1999-2000) and Fredericton Canadiens (1997-99) of the American Hockey League (AHL). He spent time in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL), serving as an assistant coach (1990-93) and head coach (1993-95) of the Laval Titan, and head coach of the Granby Prédateurs (1995-97). He won the Ron Lapointe Trophy as QMJHL coach of the year in 1995 and lead Granby to a Memorial Cup title in 1996.

Bannister last served as head coach of the St. Louis Blues during the 2024-25 season after being promoted from the AHL’s Springfield Thunderbirds, where he served more than two seasons (2021-23) as head coach. He also spent time as associate head coach of the Utica Comets (2020-21) and head coach of the San Antonio Rampage (2018-20), as well as three seasons (2015-18) as head coach of the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds and three seasons (2012-15) as an assistant with the Owen Sound Attack of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), winning the Brian Kilrea Award as Canadian Hockey League (CHL) coach of the year in 2018. Internationally, Bannister won a gold medal as an assistant coach with Canada’s National Men’s Summer Under-18 Team at the 2017 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup, and was an assistant with Ontario at the 2014 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge. He also won a gold medal as head coach of Ontario at the 2015 Canada Winter Games. As a player, he won a gold medal with Canada’s National Junior Team at the 1994 IIHF World Junior Championship.

Cookson is in his first season as an assistant coach with Lausanne HC of the Swiss National League following nine seasons as an assistant with the ZSC Lions (2012-16, 2022-25) and HC Lugano (2019-21). He previously served as an assistant coach with the Chicago Blackhawks (2021-22), Ottawa Senators (2016-19) and Calgary Flames (2001-04, 2005-11), as well as video coach with the Philadelphia Flyers (1998-2001). Internationally, Cookson won four gold medals with Canada’s National Junior Team at the IIHF World Junior Championship – three as an assistant coach (1995, 1996, 1997) and one as video coach (2005). He also won gold as an assistant coach with Canada’s National Men’s Team at the 1997 and 2003 IIHF World Championships, won the Spengler Cup as an assistant with Team Canada in 2015, and served as video coach with Canada’s Men’s Olympic Team at the Olympic Winter Games twice (1994, 1998), winning a silver medal in 1994.

The support staff that will work with Canada’s National Men’s Team at the 2025 Spengler Cup includes:

• Equipment manager A.J. Murley (St. John’s, NL)
• Physiotherapist Scott Cyr (Saskatoon, SK/Calgary, NHL)
• Massage therapist Andy Hüppi (Schmerikon, SUI)
• Team physician Dr. 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 is grouped with host HC Davos and the U.S. Collegiate Selects for the preliminary round and will open the 2025 Spengler Cup against the U.S. Collegiate Selects on Dec. 26 at 2:15 p.m. ET/11:15 a.m. PT. Preliminary-round action wraps up on Dec. 28, with the championship game 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; please check local listings for details.

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

CALGARY, Alberta – Hockey Canada has announced that a pair of veteran National Hockey League executives will lead Canada’s National Men’s Team at the 2025 Spengler Cup, set for Dec. 26-31 in Davos, Switzerland.

Marc Bergevin (Montréal, QC/Los Angeles, NHL), who last represented Canada as a member of the management group at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey, has been named general manager, and will be joined by associate general manager Stacy Roest (Lethbridge, AB), who is set to make his international management debut.

“Marc and Stacy have extensive experience as executives in the National Hockey League and American Hockey League, and we are excited for them to bring their expertise to Canada’s National Men’s Team for the 2025 Spengler Cup,” said Scott Salmond (Creston, BC), senior vice-president of high performance and hockey operations. “They not only bring a wealth of front office experience, but many years of professional and international playing experience, and we look forward to working with them as we build a staff and roster to represent Canada in Switzerland.”

Bergevin is in his fourth full season as a senior advisor with the Los Angeles Kings after joining the organization in early 2022. Previously, he spent 10 seasons (2012-21) with the Montréal Canadiens, serving as executive vice-president of hockey operations and general manager and leading the team to the Stanley Cup Final in 2021. As part of his role with the Canadiens, Bergevin also served as general manager of the Laval Rocket (2018-21), St. John’s IceCaps (2015-17) and Hamilton Bulldogs (2012-15) of the American Hockey League (AHL). He also spent time with the Chicago Blackhawks, serving as a scout (2005-08), assistant coach (2008-09), director of player personnel (2009-11) and assistant general manager (2011-12), winning the Stanley Cup in 2010. As a player, Bergevin played 1,191 career regular season NHL games, won back-to-back Calder Cups (1990, 1991) and won a gold medal at the 1994 IIHF World Championship.

Roest spent the past 13 years (2013-25) with the Tampa Bay Lightning, serving as assistant general manager of the Lightning and winning back-to-back Stanley Cups (2020, 2021), while also serving as general manager of the AHL’s Syracuse Crunch for six seasons (2019-25). He was also Tampa Bay’s director of player personnel for all 13 seasons, as well as an assistant coach with Syracuse for six seasons (2013-19), helping lead the Crunch to the Calder Cup Final in 2017. As a player, Roest played in 244 NHL games, and suited up for Canada at the Spengler Cup six times (2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2011), winning the championship in 2003 and serving as captain in 2006.

Canada is grouped with host HC Davos and the U.S. Collegiate Selects for the preliminary round and will open the 2025 Spengler Cup against the U.S. Collegiate Selects on Dec. 26 at 2:15 p.m. ET/11:15 a.m. PT. Preliminary-round action wraps up on Dec. 28, with the championship game 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; please check local listings for details.

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

CALGARY, Alberta – Hockey Canada has announced that Stanley Cup champion Misha Donskov (London, ON) has joined the organization as vice-president of hockey operations and men’s national teams coach, effective immediately.

Reporting to Scott Salmond (Creston, BC), senior vice-president of high performance and hockey operations, Donskov brings National Hockey League (NHL) experience as an executive and coach to the organization and will be responsible for implementing the vision and strategies for Hockey Canada’s men’s, women’s and para hockey teams, and strengthen the alignment between the organization’s hockey operations and business operations staffs.

Donskov will also serve as head coach of Canada’s National Men’s Team at the IIHF World Championship, as assistant coach with the Men’s Olympic Team and as associate coach with Canada’s National Junior Team.

“We are thrilled to name Misha to his role today as he will play a critical role to ensure Canada’s national teams are set up for sustained success when representing our country on the world stage,” said Katherine Henderson (Thunder Bay, ON), Hockey Canada’s president and chief executive officer. “Misha is a proven winner, collaborative leader and unwavering in his commitment to supporting our athletes, coaches and staff, and we know he will make Canadians proud throughout his work with Hockey Canada.

“We received a tremendous number of applications from candidates in Canada, across North America and around the world for this position and appreciate their interest in the role as part of the extensive recruitment process.”

Donskov recently completed his second season as an assistant coach with the Dallas Stars after spending parts of four seasons as an assistant coach (2020-23) with the Vegas Golden Knights, where he won a Stanley Cup in 2023. Before joining the Golden Knights coaching staff, he was the team’s director of hockey operations for four seasons (2016-20). Internationally, Donskov has been part of a number of successful Canadian teams, including championships as an assistant coach at the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off and 2016 World Cup of Hockey. He also won gold at two IIHF World Championships (2015, 2016) and one IIHF World Junior Championship (2015) as manager of hockey operations, analytics and video, and won the 2019 Spengler Cup as director of hockey operations and assistant coach as well as the 2013 Ivan Hlinka Memorial tournament as video coach.

Donskov spent five seasons in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) with the London Knights (2009-12) and Ottawa 67s (2012-14), highlighted by an OHL championship as London’s assistant general manager and assistant coach in 2012. In addition to his coaching and management career, Donskov has extensive experience in hockey development, including previous NHL roles with the Columbus Blue Jackets and Atlanta Thrashers.

Prior to pursuing a full-time career in hockey, Donskov spent six years with Cardinal Health, a Fortune 500 global, integrated healthcare solutions company. He held roles of increasing responsibility in finance, sales, and sales management. He holds a master's degree in kinesiology with a specialization in coaching education from the University of Western Ontario.

“It is a tremendous honour to be trusted to serve as Vice President, Hockey Operations and National Men’s Teams Coach for Hockey Canada,” said Donskov. “I would like to thank the Hockey Canada Board, Katherine Henderson and Scott Salmond for this incredibly unique opportunity. Hockey Canada has played a significant role in my hockey journey and development — both personal and professional. I am excited to be returning to Hockey Canada to help support our world leading teams, programs and people. In addition, I would like to thank Tom Gaglardi, Jim Nill and Pete DeBoer for affording me the privilege to coach in the National Hockey League and be a part of the Dallas Stars family and organization.”

This is the second critical hockey operations staff announcement ahead of the 2025-26 international hockey season after Hockey Canada announced the hiring of Alan Millar (Tottenham, ON), the first full-time general manager of the Program of Excellence.

“Misha brings a coaching acumen and focus to Hockey Canada that our programs will benefit immensely from,” added Salmond. “With a full time general manager in Alan Millar and now the addition of Misha Donskov, we are in a great position as an organization moving forward.”

Additions to the Program of Excellence management group, as well as the coaching staffs, support staffs and rosters for the under-17, under-18 and under-20 programs will be announced in the coming weeks.

For more information on Hockey Canada and the Program of Excellence, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow through social media on Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok.