Jon Cooper to coach Canada’s Men’s Team at 2022 Olympics

“It is an honour to be entrusted with leading Canada’s Men’s Olympic Team next year in Beijing, and to be able to carry on the rich tradition of hockey excellence that is associated with Hockey Canada.” said Cooper. “The opportunity to work with an excellent management group and an elite-level coaching staff of Barry, Bruce and Peter is a great privilege. I have many fond memories of the Olympics, from watching games as a young kid to thrilling gold medal victories, and I look forward to helping create lasting memories for Canadians across the country while our team competes for a gold medal.” 

The management group for Canada’s Men’s Olympic Team, which was announced in February, is led by general manager Doug Armstrong (Sarnia, Ont./St. Louis, NHL) and associate general manager Ken Holland (Vernon, B.C./Edmonton, NHL). They are joined by assistant general managers Ron Francis (Sault Ste. Marie, Ont./Seattle, NHL), Roberto Luongo (Montreal, Que./Florida, NHL) and Don Sweeney (St. Stephen, N.B./Boston, NHL), and senior vice-president of national teams Scott Salmond (Creston, B.C.). Canada’s Men’s Olympic Team will be overseen by Tom Renney (Cranbrook, B.C), chief executive officer of Hockey Canada, and Scott Smith (Bathurst, N.B.), the organization’s president and chief operating officer. 

“We are very excited to introduce the members of Canada’s coaching staff for the 2022 Winter Olympics, as each individual brings a tremendous amount of experience that will benefit our team if NHL players are able to participate in Beijing,” said Renney. “Under the leadership of Stanley Cup champion Jon Cooper, and with the contributions of this very skilled coaching staff, we are thrilled to have them lead us at the Olympics and represent our country with pride as they build a team that will compete for a gold medal.”   

Cooper will make his debut as head coach of Canada’s Men’s Olympic Team in Beijing. He previously served as head coach of Team Canada at the 2017 IIHF World Championship, winning a silver medal, and was an assistant coach with Team North America at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey. He is entering his ninth full season as head coach of the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning, leading the team to back-to-back Stanley Cup championships in 2020 and 2021. Cooper is currently the longest-tenured head coach in the NHL, and has served as head coach at the NHL All-Star Game twice (2018, 2019). He also served as head coach of the Norfolk Admirals and Syracuse Crunch of the American Hockey League (AHL), winning the Calder Cup and Louis A.R. Pieri Memorial Award as AHL coach of the year with Norfolk in 2011-12.

Cassidy will make his international coaching debut with Canada’s National Men’s Team at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games. He was promoted to head coach of the NHL’s Boston Bruins in 2017 after one season as an assistant coach. Under his leadership, the Bruins captured the President’s Trophy in the pandemic-shortened 2019-20 season, and he won the Jack Adams Award as NHL coach of the year. Cassidy started his NHL coaching career with the Washington Capitals in 2002-03, and also served as an assistant coach with the Chicago Blackhawks during the 2005-06 season. He spent five seasons as head coach of the AHL’s Providence Bruins, leading the team to the best record in the AHL in his second season, and two seasons (2006-08) as head coach of the Kingston Frontenacs of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). As a player, Cassidy won bronze with Canada’s National Junior Team at the 1984 IIHF World Junior Championship.

DeBoer will join Canada’s Olympic coaching staff for the first time. DeBoer’s international resume includes serving as an assistant coach with Team North America at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey and with Canada’s National Men’s Team at four IIHF World Championships (2010, 2011 2014, 2015), winning a gold medal in 2015. DeBoer was an assistant coach with Canada’s National Junior Team for the 2007 Canada-Russia Super Series, and twice served as an assistant coach at the IIHF World Junior Championship, winning a gold medal in 2005. He was named head coach of the NHL’s Vegas Golden Knights midway through the 2019-20 season, previously serving as head coach in Florida, New Jersey and San Jose. In his first season with New Jersey in 2011-12, he led the Devils to their first Stanley Cup Final appearance since 2003, and he reached the Stanley Cup Final in his first season with the San Jose Sharks in 2015-16.

Trotz has represented Canada four times as an assistant coach with Canada’s National Men’s Team at the IIHF World Championship, winning gold (2003) and silver (2009). He also won the 2016 World Cup of Hockey as an assistant coach with Team Canada. Trotz is entering his fourth season as head coach of the NHL’s New York Islanders, having previously spent 15 seasons as head coach of the Nashville Predators (1998-2014) and Washington Capitals (2014-18). He won the Presidents’ Trophy with Washington in 2015-16 and captured the Jack Adams Trophy as NHL coach of the year that same season. In his final season in Washington, he led Capitals to their first Stanley Cup championship in franchise history. Trotz ranks third in NHL history in games coached (1,730) and wins (877). He also led the Portland Pirates of the AHL to two Calder Cup Finals as head coach, winning in the Pirates’ inaugural season in 1993-94.

Hockey Canada also announced the support staff for the 2021-22 season: 

Special assistant for coaching operations Misha Donskov (London, Ont./Vegas, NHL) Athletic therapists Kevin Elliott (Charlottetown, P.E.I.) and Kent Kobelka (Revelstoke, B.C./Calgary, NHL) Massage therapist Andy Hüppi (Joni, SUI) Team physician Dr. Ian Auld (Victoria, B.C./Calgary, NHL) Mental performance coach Ryan Hamilton (Plaster Rock, N.B.) Equipment managers John Forget (Oshawa, Ont./Ottawa, NHL) and Darren Granger (Brandon, Man./Los Angeles, NHL) Senior manager of hockey operations Tyler Dietrich (West Vancouver, B.C.) Manager of hockey operations Chelsea Stewart (Highlands Ranch, Colo.) Coordinator of hockey operations Jacob Dubé (Cochrane, Alta.) Media relations directors Sean Kelso (Vancouver, B.C./Calgary, NHL) and Dominick Saillant (Montmorency, Que.)  

For more information on Hockey Canada and Canada’s Men’s Olympic Team, visit HockeyCanada.ca or follow along through Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.