Four WHL coaches named to Canada’s staff for 2026 IIHF U18 Men’s World Championship

Calgary, Alta. – Four members of Western Hockey League coaching staffs have been named to Canada’s staff for the 2026 IIHF U18 World Championship.

Friday morning, Hockey Canada announced its staff for the U18 championship, including Lethbridge Hurricanes Head Coach Matt Anholt (Prince Albert, Sask.), Moose Jaw Warriors Head Coach Mark O’Leary (Owen Sound, Ont.) Kamloops Blazers Goaltending Coach Dan De Palma (Kamloops, B.C.) and Lethbridge Hurricanes Assistant Coach Ryan Aasman (Medicine Hat, Alta.).

Anholt and O’Leary will serve as assistant coaches alongside Head Coach Drew Bannister (Belleville, Ont.), while De Palma will assume the role of Goaltending Coach and Aasman serves as Video Coach.

“We are thrilled to announce the coaching staff that is tasked with leading Team Canada at the IIHF U18 Men’s World Championship with the goal of winning a third-straight gold medal,” Millar said. “With Drew’s résumé as a head coach in the National Hockey League, he is poised to be a great leader for our team, and Matt and Mark bring many years of experience in the Canadian Hockey League, as well as in international competition. We are confident in this group’s ability to proudly represent Canada in Slovakia.”

Anholt recently completed his first season as Head Coach of the Lethbridge Hurricanes after being named Associate Coach in 2025. He has also served as an assistant coach with Canada Red at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge in 2023 and 2024.

O’Leary is entering his sixth season as Head Coach of the Moose Jaw Warriors after serving as an assistant coach since the 2012-13 season, winning the WHL Championship for the first time in franchise history in 2024. Internationally, he was Head Coach of Canada Black at the 2022 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge and was an assistant coach for Canada Red at the 2018 edition of the tournament.

The support staff that will work with Canada’s National Men’s Under-18 Team at the 2026 IIHF U18 Men’s World Championship includes:

• Athletic therapists Colton Reiley (Sydney, NS/Cape Breton, LHJMQ) and Terence Robertson (Red Deer, AB/Red Deer, WHL)
• Team physician Dr. RJ MacKenzie (Albert Bridge, NS/Cape Breton, LHJMQ)
• Equipment manager A.J. Murley (St. John’s, NL)
• Academic advisor Stacey Meyer (Calgary, AB)
• Coordinator of hockey operations Jared Power (Calgary, AB)

Canada’s National Men’s Under-18 Team will take on Sweden at Ondrej Nepala Arena in Bratislava on April 17 and Czechia at the Pavol Demitra Ice Hockey Arena in Trencin on April 19 in pre-tournament action.

The 2026 IIHF U18 Men’s World Championship kicks off on April 22, with Canada taking on Slovakia, Latvia, Norway and Finland in the preliminary round before the tournament concludes with the medal games on May 2. TSN and RDS, the official broadcast partners of Hockey Canada, will broadcast 16 and 10 tournament games, respectively. TSN will broadcast all Team Canada preliminary-round games, as well as the quarterfinals, semifinals and medal games, while RDS will broadcast all Team Canada preliminary-round games, two quarterfinals, the semifinals and medal games.