Oulahen gets Canada call
NORTH BAY, Ont. — The North Bay Battalion’s Ryan Oulahen will be the head coach of Canada’s summer under-18 team for the 2026 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, Hockey Canada announced Wednesday.
Oulahen, head coach of the Ontario Hockey League club since Dec. 10, 2019, was an assistant at the 2024 Hlinka Gretzky Cup in Edmonton when Canada last won gold. The eight-team tournament this year runs Aug. 3-8, again at Edmonton.
“I’m extremely honoured to lead Team Canada at this year’s Hlinka Gretzky Cup,” said Oulahen. “It’s very special to be able to represent Canada and to work with our country’s best available players for this age group.”
Adam Dennis, North Bay’s director of hockey operations, expressed the club’s reaction to the news.
“We’re all very happy for Ryan and this opportunity. Any chance to represent your country is an honour, and we know Ryan will have his group ready to compete for gold.”
Assistants are Ryan McDonald of the Western Hockey League’s Prince Albert Raiders, Brad Mackenzie of the Halifax Mooseheads of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League and Kyle Chipchura of the WHL’s Edmonton Oil Kings. Jeff Harvey of the Saskatoon Blades of the WHL is the goaltending coach, while Matthew Smith of the QMJHL’s Newfoundland Regiment is the video coach.
Oulahen, the Battalion’s assistant general manager for the last two seasons, previously coached the Flint Firebirds for two-plus seasons after serving as a Battalion assistant for six seasons. An assistant coach with the Canadian summer under-18 team when it won gold in 2018 and 2024, he also served as an assistant coach at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge with Canada Red in 2014 and Canada Black in 2015 and as head coach of Canada White in 2017.
The coaching staff was selected by a group that included Alan Millar, general manager of the Program of Excellence.
“We are thrilled to welcome Ryan, Ryan, Brad and Kyle to the staff for the Hlinka Gretzky Cup,” said Millar. “Each brings a pedigree of coaching experience, particularly in short-term international competition, which will be a tremendous asset as we prepare for the tournament. We’re excited to continue the process of building a team and working with a group of players who will proudly represent Canada and showcase their talent to hockey fans in Edmonton in August.”
The Canadian roster hasn’t yet been announced.
Canada will play its first game on Aug. 3 against Switzerland. It also faces Slovakia on Aug. 4 and Sweden on Aug. 5 in group play. Semifinals are scheduled Aug. 7 and the medal games Aug. 8.
A Canadian training camp July 27-30 at Edmonton’s Northern Alberta Institute of Technology will include practices and a game against Sweden on July 30. Canada also will meet Czechia on Aug. 1 in pretournament play.
TSN and RDS, official partners of Hockey Canada, will telecast all preliminary-round games, semifinals and medal games from Rogers Place.
