Four assistants named to Canada's 4 Nations Face-Off coaching staff

Four assistant coaches have been named to Team Canada's staff for the 4 Nations Face-Off, Hockey Canada announced Wednesday.

Vegas Golden Knights head coach Bruce Cassidy, Vancouver Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet and Dallas Stars head coach Peter DeBoer will join the bench with the Tampa Bay Lightning's Jon Cooper, who was named head coach in June.

Misha Donskov, an assistant alongside DeBoer in Dallas, will also serve as an assistant coach. Hockey Canada veteran James Emery will be the video coach.

The coaching staff was selected by Cooper, general manager Don Sweeney, associate GM Jim Nill, assistant GM Julien BriseBois and director of player personnel Kyle Dubas.

“I am excited to welcome Bruce, Peter, Misha, Rick and James to the coaching staff for the 4 Nations Face-Off, as this is a highly-skilled group of coaches that bring impressive accolades and experience at all levels of the game,” Cooper said in a statement. “I know our players will greatly benefit from this world-class coaching staff, and I look forward to working alongside all five and representing Canada in international competition in February.”

Cassidy has served as the head coach of the Golden Knights for the past two seasons (2022-24), winning the Stanley Cup in 2023. He joined Vegas after more than five seasons (2018-22) as head coach of the Boston Bruins, leading the Bruins to the Stanley Cup Final in 2019 and winning the Jack Adams Award in 2019-20.

DeBoer has been the head coach of the Stars for the past two seasons (2022-24) after more than two seasons as head coach of the Golden Knights (2020-22). He has also served as head coach of the San Jose Sharks (2015-19), New Jersey Devils (2011-14) and Florida Panthers (2008-11), making two appearances in the Stanley Cup Final (2012, 2016).

Tocchet is entering his second full season as head coach of the Canucks after winning the Jack Adams Award in 2023-24. Previously, he spent three years as an assistant coach with the Pittsburgh Penguins (2014-17), winning back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2016 and 2017.

Donskov is entering his second season as an assistant coach with the Stars. Previously, he spent more than three years (2020-23) as an assistant coach and four (2016-20) as director of hockey operations with the Golden Knights, winning the Stanley Cup in 2023.

Canada’s full roster for the 4 Nations Face-Off will be announced between Nov. 29 and Dec. 2. Connor McDavid, Sidney Crosby, Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar, Brad Marchand and Brayden Point have already been named to the roster.