Two New Brunswick hockey coaches will help guide Canada’s National Men’s Under-18 Team at the 2024 IIHF U18 World Championship.
University of New Brunswick men’s hockey coach Gardiner MacDougall will serve as head coach, Hockey Canada announced Thursday.
The winningest coach in Canadian university regular season men’s hockey history, MacDougall led UNB to a perfect 43-0 season in 2023-24.
“Gardiner has not only solidified himself as one of the greatest coaches in university hockey history, his record and reputation speaks for itself,” Scott Salmond, senior vice-president of high performance and hockey operations, said in a news release.
“His nine U SPORTS championships and 2022 Memorial Cup win with Saint John are proof of his ability to win in short-term competition, which will serve us well at the world championship.”
MacDougall will be joined behind the bench by three assistant coaches, including Saint John Sea Dogs head coach Travis Crickard.
Crickard won a gold medal as a video coach with Canada’s National Men’s Under-18 Team at the 2021 championship.
Bruce Richardson and Ryan Smith will also serve as assistant coaches, along with goaltending coach Dan De Palma.
The 2024 IIHF U-18 World Championship takes place in Finland starting April 25.
