Veteran Hay to coach Canada at IIHF world under-18s in Russia

Canada forward Sam Steel (23) celebrates his goal against the Czech Republic with teammates during first period semifinal IIHF World Junior Championship hockey action in Buffalo, N.Y. on Thursday, January 4, 2018. (Nathan Denette/CP)

CALGARY — Veteran Don Hay will coach Canada’s team at the IIHF under-18 world championship in Russia.

The Kamloops Blazers coach led Canada to gold at the 2013 under-18 tournament in Sochi, Russia in his last appearance with a national squad.

This year’s event is to be held April 19-29 in Chelyabinsk and Magnitogorsk.

The 64-year-old Hay, a former NHL coach with Calgary, Phoenix and Anaheim, holds the Western Hockey League record for coaching wins. He also won gold and bronze medals at the world junior championships in 1995 and 2012.

His assistant coaches are Daniel Renaud of the Shawinigan Cataractes and former NHL player Jody Hull, who coached Canada to summer under-18 gold at the 2014 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup.

The goaltending consultant is Jason LaBarbera of the Calgary Hitmen.

Brad McEwen of Whitewood, Sask., will be head scout and will help select the roster of players from teams in the three major junior leagues that either missed the playoffs or were eliminated early.

Canada, which won the U18 world championship in 2003, 2008 and 2013, opens April 19 against the United States and will also play Belarus, Sweden and Switzerland in the group stage.

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