Bannister and Brown named to Hockey Canada World Junior staff

Hockey Canada has announced key members of its leadership group for Canada’s National Junior Team ahead of the 2027 IIHF World Junior Championship, set to take place this winter in Edmonton and Red Deer, Alta.

Among those selected are Soo Greyhounds Head Coach Drew Bannister, who has been named an Assistant Coach, and Erie Otters General Manager Dave Brown, who will serve as Director, Hockey Operations.

Bannister was named head coach of the Greyhounds for a second time on June 22 after previously leading the club from 2015 to 2018. Most recently, he served as head coach of Canada’s National Men’s Under-18 Team at the 2026 IIHF U18 Men’s World Championship. He also spent the 2024-25 season as head coach of the St. Louis Blues following more than two seasons behind the bench with the Springfield Thunderbirds.

Internationally, Bannister has represented Canada on several occasions, including as an assistant coach at the 2025 Spengler Cup and with Canada’s National Men’s Summer Under-18 Team, helping capture gold at the 2017 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup. As a player, he won gold with Canada’s National Junior Team at the 1994 IIHF World Junior Championship.

Brown also brings extensive international experience to Team Canada. He was part of the management group that captured gold at the 2024 IIHF U18 Men’s World Championship in Finland and the 2024 Hlinka Gretzky Cup. He also helped Canada White earn gold at the 2023 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge.

The pair will help guide Canada’s National Junior Team as it prepares for the 2027 IIHF World Junior Championship.