Chiefs Head Coach Brad Lauer named to Canada’s 2027 IIHF World Juniors coaching staff
Spokane Chiefs Head Coach Brad Lauer will join Team Canada’s coaching staff for the second straight year as an assistant coach at the IIHF World Junior Championship. The team will be led by Head Coach Misha Donskov.
Joining Lauer and Donskov behind the bench will be Assistant Coaches Drew Bannister (Belleville, ON/Sault Ste. Marie, OHL), Jim Hulton (Wolfe Island, ON/Saint John, QMJHL), and Ryan Getzlaf (Regina, SK). Goaltending Coach Dan De Palma (Kamloops, BC/Kamloops, WHL), Video Coach Adam Filmon (Winnipeg, MB) and James Emery (Calgary, AB), Hockey Canada’s director of performance analysis, will also be on the Hockey Canada staff.
“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,” Alan Miller, National Team General Manager, said.
“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,” he finished.
The coaches and support staff were selected by Millar (Tottenham, ON) and Scott Salmond (Creston, BC), senior vice-president of high performance and hockey operations.
Lauer returns to Canada’s National Junior Team for the second-consecutive year after winning bronze as an assistant in Minnesota. He recently completed his second season as head coach of the Chiefs, reaching the WHL championship series in 2025. He also served as head coach of the Edmonton Oil Kings for four seasons (2018-22), winning the WHL championship (2022) and Dunc McCallum Memorial Trophy as WHL coach of the year (2019-20), and previously was an assistant with the Kootenay Ice for five seasons (2002-07). Lauer was also an assistant coach with the Winnipeg Jets (2022-24), Tampa Bay Lightning (2015-18), Anaheim Ducks (2012-15) and Ottawa Senators (2009-11), as well as with the AHL’s Syracuse Crunch (2011-12), and Milwaukee Admirals (2007-09).
Canada’s National Junior Team will begin preparations for the 2027 IIHF World Junior Championship at the World Junior Summer Showcase, July 26-Aug. 1 in Windsor, Ontario, where it will be joined by Finland, Sweden and the United States.
