Goaltending Coach Dan De Palma among WHLers named to Canada’s National Junior Team staff
Calgary, Alta.- A strong contingent of hockey greats with ties to the WHL will help Canada chase gold at the 2027 IIHF World Junior Championship.
Three current and former WHL players and coaches will be on the bench for Canada, in addition to two members of the squad’s support staff.
2020 WHL Coach of the Year Brad Lauer (Spokane Chiefs / Humboldt, Sask.) will reprise his role as an assistant coach after being part of the bronze medal-winning effort in January.
Calgary Hitmen great Ryan Getzlaf (Regina, Sask.) is set to make his international coaching debut as an assistant under Head Coach Misha Donskov (Montreal, Que.), while Dan De Palma (Kamloops Blazers / Kamloops, B.C.) will return for a third stint as goaltending coach.
Fellow CHLers Drew Bannister (Sault Ste. Marie, OHL / Belleville, Ont.) and Jim Hulton (Saint John, QMJHL / Wolfe Island, Ont.) will also serve as assistant coaches.
They’re joined by video coach Adam Filmon (Edmonton Oil Kings / Winnipeg, Man.) and athletic therapist Mike Burnstein (Vancouver Giants / Hamilton, Ont.).
The group has been selected by National Junior Team General Manager and former WHL executive Alan Millar, Hockey Canada senior vice-president of high performance and hockey operations Scott Salmond, director of hockey operations Benoit Roy, and NJT assistant general manager Dave Brown.
“We are excited to officially announce our coaching staff for Canada’s National Junior Team and bring together a group of experienced, accomplished leaders who are deeply committed to player development and winning on the international stage,” Millar said. “Misha, Drew, Ryan, Jim, Brad and Dan each bring a unique set of skills and perspectives, along with extensive experience at the professional, Major Junior and international levels. We are confident this staff will create an environment that allows our players to succeed and proudly represent Canada as we prepare for the World Juniors.”
Lauer is coming off his second season as Head Coach of the Spokane Chiefs.
The 59-year-old coached Spokane to the 2025 WHL Championship Series and previously coached the Edmonton Oil Kings from 2018-22, winning the Ed Chynoweth Cup in 2022.
He also spent seven seasons as an assistant coach with the Kootenay ICE (2002-07), in addition to NHL pit stops with the Winnipeg Jets (2022-24), Tampa Bay Lightning (2015-18), Anaheim Ducks (2012-15) and Ottawa Senators (2009-11).
Getzlaf, 41, is gearing up for his inaugural appearance as an international coach after taking on management roles with Hockey Canada at the 2026 Winter Olympics and 2025 IIHF World Championship.
The Anaheim Ducks all-time point leader recorded 1,019 points (282G-737A) in 1,157 games over 17 seasons, capturing the 2007 Stanley Cup in addition to gold medals at the 2010 and 2014 Olympic Games and 2005 IIHF World Junior Championship.
He was originally selected by the Calgary Hitmen with the 54th overall pick in the 2000 WHL Bantam Draft and piled up 95 goals and 120 assists for 215 points in 233 regular-season games for Calgary.
De Palma, 54, is gearing up for his 20th season with his hometown Blazers.
He previously worked as the goaltending coach for the Prince George Cougars (2006-09) and brings plenty of international experience after working with Canada for two World Junior Championships (2025, 2026), two gold medal-winning turns at the IIHF U18 World Championship (2024, 2025), and a gold at the 2024 Hlinka Gretzky Cup.
Filmon recently completed his second season as the Oil Kings’ video coach and will now transition into a full-time role with Hockey Canada as the Program of Excellence Manager of Video and Analytics.
He broke into the WHL as the Director of Analytics for the Swift Current Broncos in 2023-24.
Burnstein joined the Vancouver Giants in 2020-21 after 20 seasons as the Vancouver Canucks’ Head Athletic Trainer.
He’s taken part in five IIHF World Championships, the 2010 Winter Olympics, the 2019 WHL Super Series and two World Junior Championships (2020, 2022).
The road to the 2027 World Juniors begins next week with the World Junior Summer Showcase, which runs from July 26- August 1 in Windsor, Ont.
Canada will face off against Finland, Sweden and the United States.
A camp roster will be unveiled at a later date.
