2019 IIHF World Junior Championship

Familiar name in hopes of bring results for Canada’s National Junior Team as they prepare to hit the ice for the 2019 IIHF World Junior Championship this December in Vancouver and Victoria, B.C.

Tim Hunter returns this year marking his third season, but now assumes the role of head coach after working as an Assistant for the past two seasons

In addition to Tim he has an extremely competent staff of assistants, namely Marc-André Dumont (Montreal/Cape Breton, QMJHL), Jim Hulton (Kingston, Ont./Charlottetown, QMJHL) and Brent Kisio (Calgary/Lethbridge, WHL).

Scott Salmond, senior vice-president of national teams with Hockey Canada mentioned “To be in a position to have familiarity in our coaching staff with Tim Hunter gives us the opportunity to again compete for a gold medal.”

He continued “All three assistant coaches have also had prior experience working within our Program of Excellence at various levels. Their experience and knowledge will help our players succeed in this prestigious international tournament.”

Hunter you might remember won back-to-back medals as an assistant coach with Canada’s National Junior Team, earning gold in 2018 and silver in 2017.

He also won a bronze medal as head coach of Canada’s National Men’s Under-18 Team at the 2015 IIHF U18 World Championship. Hunter is coming off his fourth season as head coach of the Moose Jaw Warriors of the Western Hockey League, guiding the franchise to its first Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy as regular-season champion.

Prior to joining the Warriors, he was an NHL assistant coach with the Toronto Maple Leafs, San Jose Sharks and Washington Capitals.

During his playing days he managed to play in 815 NHL games over a span of 16 seasons with the Calgary Flames, Colorado Avalanche, San Jose and Vancouver Canucks, capturing the Stanley Cup in 1989 with Calgary.

Dumont was named head coach and general manager of the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League in 2012. He previously coached the Val-d’Or Foreurs (QMJHL), and was an assistant coach for two seasons with the Gatineau Olympiques (QMJHL). Dumont was also head coach of Team Quebec at the 2009 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge.

Hulton has served as head coach of the Charlottetown Islanders of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League for the past three seasons, and has also been general manager for the past two. Prior to joining the Islanders, he spent two seasons as GM and head coach of the Tri-City Storm of the USHL.

His international experience includes serving as associate coach of Canada’s under-16 team at the 2012 Winter Youth Olympic Games, and as an assistant coach with Canada’s National Junior Team at the IIHF World Junior Championship in 2004 and 2005, winning silver and gold.

Hulton also spent two seasons as an assistant coach with the NHL’s Florida Panthers.

Kisio was the bench boss for Canada’s National Men’s Summer Under-18 Team that brought home a Gold Medal at the 2017 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup.

In addition he was the bench boss for Team Canada White at the 2016 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, in collecting a Silver Medal as an assistant coach with Team Pacific at the 2014 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge.

Kisio just finished his third season as head coach of the Lethbridge Hurricanes (WHL) taking them to the league final and prior to that he spent eight (8) seasons as an assistant coach with the Calgary Hitmen managing to reach the semi-final at the Memorial Cup in 2010.

Hockey Canada also announced the following staff working with Canada’s National Junior Team:

• equipment managers Dan Lebold (Stratford, Ont./Kitchener, OHL) and Brian St-Louis (Hull, Que./Baie-Comeau, QMJHL)
• athletic therapists Mike Burnstein (Hamilton, Ont./Vancouver, WHL) and Khore Elliott (Victoria/Victoria, WHL)

For more information on Hockey Canada, Canada’s National Junior Team and the 2019 IIHF World Junior Championship, please visit HockeyCanada.ca and #WorldJuniors.

Thanks to Hockey Canada for the press release.