Twelve coaches selected to lead teams through summer development and selection camps, and early 2016-17 season events
CALGARY, Alta. – The coaching staffs for Canada’s National Men’s Summer Under-18 Team and Canada’s national men’s under-17 teams have been selected.
Paul McFarland (Richmond Hill, Ont./Kingston, OHL) will serve as head coach for Canada’s National Men’s Summer Under-18 Team, while Mark French (Milton, Ont./Calgary, WHL) and Darren Rumble (Barrie, Ont./Moncton, QMJHL) join McFarland as assistant coaches for the summer selection camp and the 2016 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup.
On the under-17 side, Paul Boutilier (Sydney, N.S./Saint John, QMJHL) will serve as head coach for Team Canada Black, Brent Kisio(Calgary/Lethbridge, WHL) will head Team Canada White, while Rocky Thompson (Calgary/Windsor, OHL) will lead Team Canada Red at Canada’s national under-17 development camp and at the 2016 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.
Chris Dennis (Toronto/York University, OUA) and David Struch (Flin Flon, Man./Regina, WHL) will serve as assistants for Team Canada Black, Jamie Heward (Regina, Sask./Swift Current, WHL) and Daniel Jacob (St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Que./Blainville-Boisbriand, QMJHL) will join Kisio as assistant coaches for Team Canada White, while Mitch Love (Quesnel, B.C./Everett, WHL) and Ryan Marsh (Quesnel, B.C./Edmonton, WHL) will join Thompson on Team Canada Red.
“This is an exciting group of coaches that have been chosen to lead our National Men’s Summer Under-18 Team and under-17 programs as they aim to re-create the success these teams generated last season,” said Scott Salmond, vice-president of hockey operations and national teams with Hockey Canada. “These coaches have found success at many different levels in the game and bring a magnitude of experience to our programs that will help develop the top young talent in our country.”
Canada’s National Men’s Summer Under-18 Team
McFarland served as an assistant coach with Team Canada Red at the 2015 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, and has been the head coach of the OHL’s Kingston Frontenacs for the past two seasons. Prior to joining the Frontenacs, he was an assistant coach with the OHL’s Oshawa Generals from 2012-14. McFarland played four seasons of junior hockey with the OHL’s Kitchener Rangers and Windsor Spitfires from 2002-06. He also spent four seasons playing university hockey with Acadia University and served as captain from 2007-10.
French has been the head coach of the WHL’s Calgary Hitmen for the past two seasons. Prior to leading the Hitmen, he was head coach the KHL’s Medvescak Zagreb during the 2013-14 season and led the AHL’s Hershey Bears from 2009-13. French spent three seasons as head coach of the CHL’s Wichita Thunder from 2005-08 and also served as head coach for Wilfrid Laurier University (OUA) from 2002-04. He also served as the assistant coach and general manager for the OHL’s North Bay Centennials from 1999-2002.
Rumble returns to Canada’s National Men’s Summer Under-18 Team after winning a goal medal as an assistant coach at the 2015 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup. Rumble is in his fourth season as head coach of the QMJHL’s Moncton Wildcats, having previously served as head coach of the AHL’s Norfolk Admirals and as an assistant coach with the Admirals, the WHL’s Seattle Thunderbirds, the QMJHL’s Lewiston MAINEiacs, and the AHL’s Springfield Falcons. A first-round pick of the Philadelphia Flyers in the 1987 NHL Entry Draft, Rumble played 193 NHL games with Philadelphia, Ottawa, St. Louis and Tampa Bay during a 16-year professional career.
Canada’s national men’s under-17 teams
Boutilier has served as an assistant coach with the QMJHL’s Saint John Sea Dogs since 2015. Prior to joining the Sea Dogs, he served as an associate coach for Dalhousie University (AUS) from 2009-13, and was also the head coach at Saint Mary’s University from 1993-97. As a player, Boutilier was twice a member of Canada’s National Junior Team, winning gold in 1982 and bronze in 1983 at the IIHF World Junior Championship. He also played eight seasons in the NHL with Boston, Minnesota, New York, and Winnipeg from 1982-89.
Kisio just completed his first season as head coach of the WHL’s Lethbridge Hurricanes after spending eight seasons as an assistant coach with the WHL’s Calgary Hitmen (2007-15). He was also behind the bench as assistant coach for Team Pacific at the 2013 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge. As a player, he spent four seasons at the University of Nebraska-Omaha (2003-07) after playing the 2002-03 season with the BCHL’s Vernon Vipers.
Thompson just completed his first season as head coach of the OHL’s Windsor Spitfires. He previously served as an assistant coach with the NHL’s Edmonton Oilers during the 2014-15 season, and was an assistant coach with the AHL’s Oklahoma City Barons from 2010-14 and WHL’s Edmonton Oil Kings from 2007-10. As a player, Thompson played three seasons with the WHL’s Medicine Hat Tigers (1993-96). From 1995-2007, he played in the AHL with Saint John, Louisville, Hershey, San Antonio, Toronto, Edmonton and Peoria, and appeared in 25 NHL games with Calgary and Florida.
Hockey Canada’s National Teams’ Summer Showcase will be held July 26 to Aug. 2 at the Markin MacPhail Centre at WinSport’s Canada Olympic Park in Calgary. Ryan Jankowski, Hockey Canada’s director of player personnel, will lead player selection for the camp and camp invites will be announced in the coming weeks for Canada’s National Men’s Summer Under-18 Team selection camp and Canada’s national under-17 development camp.
For more information on Hockey Canada and the Program of Excellence, please visit HockeyCanada.ca or follow along via social media on Facebook, Twitter, and Twitter.com/HC_Men.
OHL Writers 