National Men’s Team staff named for 2023 Spengler Cup
Bruce Boudreau to function head coach; Larry Mitchell, Jim Playfair, Jeff Tomlinson named assistants
CALGARY, Alberta – Hockey Canada has introduced the teaching and assist employees that can lead Canada’s National Men’s Team on the 2023 Spengler Cup, set for Dec. 26-31 in Davos, Switzerland.
Bruce Boudreau (Toronto, ON/Niagara, OHL) will make his worldwide teaching debut, serving as head coach alongside assistants Larry Mitchell (Burlington, ON/EHC Kloten, NL), Jim Playfair (Fort St. James, BC/Prince George, WHL) and Jeff Tomlinson (Winnipeg, MB/EHC Kloten, NL).
The teaching employees was chosen by co-general managers Brad Pascall (Coquitlam, BC/Calgary, NHL) and Joe Thornton (St. Thomas, ON), and assistant basic supervisor Hnat Domenichelli (Edmonton, AB/HC Lugano, NL), with assist from Scott Salmond (Creston, BC), senior vice-president of excessive efficiency and hockey operations.
“We are excited to name Bruce, Larry, Jim and Jeff as the coaches who will lead Canada’s National Men’s Team as it looks to reclaim the Spengler Cup. All four bring many years of experience coaching in the NHL, AHL and Europe, and we know this diversity will be beneficial to our team,” Pascall stated. “We know all four coaches and our support staff are grateful for the opportunity to represent Canada at such a prestigious tournament, and this group is determined to assemble a team that gives us the best chance to bring home a championship.”
Boudreau is in his first season as a senior advisor with the Niagara IceCanines of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). Previously, he spent 15 seasons as an NHL head coach with the Washington Capitals (2007-11), Anaheim Ducks (2011-16), Minnesota Wild (2016-20) and Vancouver Canucks (2021-23), profitable the Jack Adams Award as NHL coach of the 12 months with the Capitals in 2007-08. Boudreau was additionally a head coach within the American Hockey League (AHL) for 9 seasons, profitable the Calder Cup with the Hershey Bears in 2006, and was inducted into the AHL Hall of Fame as a participant and coach in 2009. He was named an assistant coach with Canada’s National Men’s Team for the 2021 Channel One Cup and Spengler Cup, however was unable to attend.
Mitchell was promoted to interim head coach of EHC Kloten of the National League (NL) in Switzerland on Nov. 19 after serving components of two seasons because the group’s sports activities supervisor. He beforehand served because the sports activities supervisor of ERC Ingolstadt of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL) in Germany for 5 seasons (2017-22), and spent 10 seasons as a head coach within the DEL with the Straubing Tigers (2015-17) and Augsburger Panther (2008-14). Mitchell will make his worldwide teaching debut on the Spengler Cup.
Playfair is ready to make his worldwide teaching debut, and is presently in his first season as an affiliate coach with the Prince George Cougars of the Western Hockey League (WHL) following 19 seasons in varied teaching positions within the NHL and AHL. He served six seasons as a head coach and assistant coach with the Calgary Flames (2002-09), and was an affiliate coach with the Arizona Coyotes for six seasons (2011-17) and the Edmonton Oilers for 3 seasons (2019-22). Playfair was additionally the top coach of the AHL’s Saint John Flames for components of three seasons (2000-03) and the Abbotsford Heat for 2 seasons (2009-11), profitable the Calder Cup with Saint John in 2001.
Tomlinson is in his first season as a senior advisor with the NL’s EHC Kloten, the place he additionally served as head coach for 2 seasons (2021-23). His 16-year skilled teaching profession contains stops with the NL’s SC Rapperswil-Jonas Lakers (2015-21), and with the Eisbären Berlin (2007-10, 2013-15), Düsseldorfer EG Metro Stars (2010-12) and Nürnberg Ice Tigers (2012-13) of the DEL. Internationally, Tomlinson served as head coach of Canada’s National Men’s Team on the 2014 Deutschland Cup, was the video coach for Germany on the 2010 Olympic Winter Games and served as an assistant with Germany on the 2015 IIHF World Championship. He was additionally an affiliate and assistant coach with Germany on the 2007 and 2008 World Junior A Hockey Challenge, respectively.
The assist employees that can work with Canada’s National Men’s Team on the 2023 Spengler Cup contains:
- Video coach Andrew Boucher (Timmins, ON)
- Physiotherapist Doug Stacey (London, ON)
- Massage therapist Andy Hüppi (Schmerikon, SUI)
- Team doctor Dr. Jim Thorne (Calgary, AB/Calgary, NHL)
- Equipment supervisor A.J. Murley (St. John’s, NL)
- Manager of hockey operations Kurt Keats (Winnipeg, MB)
- Coordinator of hockey operations Hannah Curlock (Calgary, AB)
Canada is grouped with host HC Davos and Frölunda HC for the preliminary spherical and can open the 2023 Spengler Cup in opposition to Frölunda HC on Dec. 26 at 2:15 p.m. ET/11:15 a.m. PT. Preliminary-round motion wraps up on Dec. 28, with the championship sport set for Dec. 31 at 6:10 a.m. ET/3:10 a.m. PT. TSN, Hockey Canada’s official broadcast accomplice, will broadcast all 11 event video games; please test native listings for particulars.
For extra data on Hockey Canada and Canada’s National Men’s Team, please go to HockeyCanada.ca, or comply with alongside by way of social media on Facebook, X and Instagram.
