‘The best coach possible to lead our National Junior Team’ says Hockey Canada

The Independent

Hockey Canada is turning to Oil Springs natives Dale and Mark Hunter to lead the World Junior team for 2026.

Hockey Canada say the three-time Memorial Cup champions and 2020 World Juniors gold medalists will lead the team during the IIHF World Junior Championship Tournament in St. Paul/Minneapolis, Minnesota starting on Boxing Day.

“The first order of business for myself and Scott was to find the best coach possible to lead our National Junior Team,” said Alan Millar, program of excellence general manager in a news release. “Dale’s résumé speaks for itself: three Memorial Cups, three OHL Coach of the Year awards and two international gold medals. His passion for this program runs deep, and we feel he is the best candidate to lead us to a gold medal in Minnesota.”

Mark Hunter will work with Millar managing the team. “Mark led Canada to a World Juniors gold medal in 2020 and has built one of the premier franchises in the Canadian Hockey League, with unparalleled on-ice success and player advancement,” said Scott Salmond, senior vice-president of high performance and hockey operations.

“Alan and Mark provide a stable backbone for our National Junior Team and I’m confident they will build a staff and roster that Canadians can be proud of come December.”

The Hunters’ work begins at the end of the month as they head to Minneapolis for the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship at the World Junior Summer Showcase with Finland, Sweden and the United States.

Hockey Canada tapped the Hunters after a disappointing result in the 2025 championships where Canada bowed out of the tournament after a loss to Czechia in the quarter finals.

Team Canada’s first game in the 2026 will be against Czechia Dec. 26.