Five current WHL staff and alumni to join Canada’s National Junior Team staff

Calgary, Alta.- Five current WHL staff and league alumni have been named to Hockey Canada’s National Junior Team staff ahead of this season’s Summer Showcase.

Lethbridge Hurricanes General Manager Peter Anholt and ‘Canes legend Brent Seabrook will make up Team Canada’s management staff. The duo helped to select the staff for Canada’s National Junior Team.

Anholt is coming off his 10th season at the helm of the Hurricanes, while Seabrook saw his jersey retired at the Enmax Centre in January.

Portland Winterhawks Senior Vice-President, General Manager and Head Coach Mike Johnston has been tapped as an assistant coach after leading Portland to a third straight 40+ win season and a WHL Championship appearance.

The Dartmouth, N.S. product has led the Hawks to the postseason every year since 2009-10 and recently became the 11th coach in WHL history to surpass 500 career regular-season victories. He was recognized as the WHL’s U.S. Division Executive of the Year and Coach of the Year for 2023-24.

Johnston brings with him extensive international experience, including serving as an assistant coach for Canada through three gold-medal efforts at the IIHF World Junior Championship (1994, 1995, 1996).

Fellow Winterhawk Clayton Johns is on board as Team Canada’s equipment manager.

Johns has played an important role with the Winterhawks and Barrie Colts over the past six seasons and was part of Team Canada’s gold medal-winning Hlinka Gretzky Cup squad in 2023.

Former Calgary Hitmen great Justin Pogge will reprise his role as goaltending consultant.

The Penticton, B.C. netminder has previously worked as a goaltending coach and consultant for the 2023 IIHF World U18 Championship, the 2023 World Championship, the 2023 Hlinka Gretzky Cup and the 2024 World Junior Championship.

His long resume at the WHL level includes winning the 2006 winner of the Four Broncos Memorial Trophy for WHL Player of the Year, the Del Wilson Memorial Trophy as WHL Goaltender of the Year and the CHL Goaltender of the Year.

Dave Cameron of the OHL’s Ottawa 67s returns as the Head Coach for Canada’s National Junior Team.

“Dave has won two gold medals at the World Juniors and has proven to be an excellent leader of Canada’s National Junior Team, and we are excited to have him return to coach our team as we look to reclaim gold in the nation’s capital this year. We are also fortunate to round out our coaching staff with Sylvain, Mike, Chris, Justin and James, as all seven will benefit our team with their extensive CHL and international experience,” said Scott Salmond, Senior Vice-President of High Performance and Hockey Operations. “We are also fortunate to work with Peter and Brent again, as they have helped assemble a world-class staff and will be key factors in building a highly skilled team that fans in Ottawa and across the country will be proud to cheer for this holiday season.”

Training camp runs from July 28-31 in Windsor, Ont., with the camp roster to be announced at a later date. Following camp in Windsor, the team will travel to Plymouth, Mich., to participate in the World Junior Summer Showcase from August 1-3.