Hockey Canada has announced that 51 players have been invited to attend Canada’s National Junior Team summer development camp, July 28-Aug. 4 at the Seven Chiefs Sportsplex on the Tsuut’ina Nation near Calgary.
Five goaltenders, 16 defencemen and 30 forwards will be part of the eight-day camp, participating in a variety of on- and off-ice sessions. The camp will also feature combined practices and intrasquad games with players attending Canada’s National Men’s Under-18 Team summer development camp on Aug. 2-3.
The roster includes five players who won a silver medal at the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship (Byfield, Drysdale, Garand, Guhle, Perfetti). Of the 51 players invited, 28 were selected in the 2020 NHL Draft, 22 hope to have their names called at the 2021 draft and one is eligible in 2022.
“This is an exciting first step as we begin preparations for the upcoming season and the opportunity to compete at the World Juniors on home ice,” said Alan Millar (Tottenham, Ont.), director of player personnel for the Program of Excellence. “We are excited about these 51 players, and we look forward to returning to the ice for a highly competitive camp to kick off a new season.”
Coaching staff unveiled for Canada’s National Junior Team
Hockey Canada also announced it will work with an experienced coaching staff to guide Canada’s National Junior Team through the 2021-22 season, culminating with the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship in Edmonton and Red Deer, Alta., in December and January.
Dave Cameron (Kinkora, P.E.I./Ottawa, OHL) has been named head coach, replacing André Tourigny (Nicolet, Que.), who was named head coach of the Arizona Coyotes on July 1. In addition, Michael Dyck (Lethbridge, Alta./Vancouver, WHL) will return as an assistant coach; he will be joined by assistants Louis Robitaille (Montreal, Que./Gatineau, QMJHL) and Dennis Williams (Stratford, Ont./Everett, WHL), and goaltending consultant Olivier Michaud (Beloeil, Que./Drummondville, QMJHL).
“We are excited to welcome five experienced coaches to Canada’s National Junior Team for the 2021-22 season, all of whom bring a wealth of experience from the National Hockey League, Canadian Hockey League and internationally,” said Scott Salmond (Creston, B.C.), senior vice-president of hockey operations. “We know these five men will represent our country with pride as they use their leadership and expertise to help Canada compete for a gold medal this December.”
Cameron was named head coach of the Ottawa 67’s of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) earlier on Wednesday. He spent the last three seasons as head coach of the Vienna Capitals of ICE Hockey League, and previously spent two seasons as an assistant coach with the NHL’s Calgary Flames (2016-18) and five seasons with the Ottawa Senators (2011-16) as head coach and assistant. Cameron was also the head coach and general manager of the OHL’s Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (1997-99) and Toronto St. Michael’s Majors (2000-04, 2009-10), and was an assistant coach with the St. John’s Maple Leafs (1999-2000) and head coach of the Binghamton Senators (2004-07) of the American Hockey League (AHL). Internationally, he has won three medals at the IIHF World Junior Championship, winning silver as head coach in 2011, and gold and silver as an assistant coach in 2009 and 2010, respectively. Cameron also won gold medals as an assistant coach with Canada’s National Men’s Team at the 2016 IIHF World Championship and as head coach of Canada’s National Men’s Summer Under-18 Team at the 2004 Junior World Cup.
Dyck has served as head coach of the Vancouver Giants of the Western Hockey League (WHL) since 2018. He was previously head coach of the Lethbridge Hurricanes, was an assistant with the Medicine Hat Tigers, Lethbridge, Vancouver and Kootenay ICE, and coached the Lethbridge Hurricanes of the Alberta Midget Hockey League (AMHL) to a bronze medal at the 2018 TELUS Cup, Canada’s National U18 Club Championship. Dyck most recently won a gold medal as an assistant coach at the 2021 IIHF World Championship, silver as an assistant at the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship and silver as head coach of Canada’s National Men’s Summer Under-18 Team at the 2019 Hlinka Gretzky Cup. He was also head coach of Team Pacific at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge in 2010 and 2012, won a silver medal with Canada at the 2016 Winter Youth Olympic Games, and coached Alberta to silver at the 2015 Canada Winter Games.
Robitaille was named head coach and general manager of the Gatineau Olympiques of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) in April 2020 after four seasons as head coach of the Victoriaville Tigres, five seasons as an assistant coach with the Drummondville Voltigeurs and one as an assistant with the Val-d’Or Foreurs. Robitaille was the head coach of Canada’s National Men’s Summer Under-18 Team for the 2020 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, which was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He was also the head coach of Team Canada Red (2018) and an assistant coach with Team Canada Black (2017) at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, and won a bronze medal as an assistant coach at the 2015 IIHF U18 World Championship.
Williams is entering his fifth season as head coach of the Everett Silvertips of the WHL, and was promoted to general manager on July 12. He has led the Silvertips to two U.S. Division titles and was named WHL Western Conference Coach of the Year in 2017-18. Williams won a silver medal as an assistant coach with Canada’s National Men’s Summer Under-18 Team at the 2019 Hlinka Gretzky Cup and was named an assistant coach for the 2020 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, which was cancelled. He also served as head coach of Team Canada Black at the 2018 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge.
Michaud has served as the goaltending coach with the Drummondville Voltigeurs of the QMJHL since 2010. He was also the goaltending coach for Team Canada Black (2014) and Team Canada Red (2016) at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge. As a player, Michaud spent parts of four seasons in the QMJHL with the Shawinigan Cataractes (2000-02) and Baie-Comeau Drakkar (2002-03), and won a silver medal for Canada at the 2002 IIHF World Junior Championship. He also had a seven-year professional career in the AHL, ECHL and LNAH.
The support staff that will work with Canada’s National Junior Team at summer camp and the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship includes:
- Program of Excellence management group lead James Boyd (Midland, Ont./Ottawa, OHL)
- Video coach Elliott Mondou (Grand-Mère, Que.)
- Equipment managers Chris Hamilton (Ottawa, Ont./Ottawa, OHL) and Brian St-Louis (Hull, Que./Baie-Comeau, QMJHL)
- Athletic therapists Mike Burnstein (Hamilton, Ont./Vancouver, WHL) and Kevin Elliott (Charlottetown, P.E.I.)
- Team physician Dr. Barry Wiens (Red Deer, Alta./Red Deer, WHL)
- Mental performance consultant Ryan Hamilton (Fredericton, N.B.)
- Hockey operations senior manager Tyler Dietrich (West Vancouver, B.C.)
- Hockey operations manager Chelsea Stewart (Highlands Ranch, Colo.)
- Hockey operations coordinator Jacob Dubé (Cochrane, Alta.)
- Security liaison Bob Martin (London, Ont./London, OHL)
- Media relations director Dominick Saillant (Montmorency, Que.)
The 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship returns to Canadian ice this winter, with Edmonton and Red Deer set to co-host the annual holiday tradition from Dec. 26, 2021 to Jan. 5, 2022. Games will be played at Rogers Place, the home of the NHL’s Edmonton Oilers and the WHL’s Edmonton Oil Kings, and at the Peavey Mart Centrium, home of the WHL’s Red Deer Rebels.