Three WHL personnel added to 2026 U17 World Challenge staff
Calgary, Alta. — Three Western Hockey League personnel have been added to the Canada Red and Canada White staff lists ahead of the 2026 U17 World Challenge.
Former WHL Player of the Year and current Calgary Hitmen assistant coach Brad Moran has been tapped to join Canada Red as an assistant coach.
WHL Manager, Education Services Stacey Meyer will join Canada White as an academic advisor, while Kamloops Blazers athletic therapist Taylor Cochrane will reprise her role after joining Canada’s gold medal-winning side at the 2026 Hlinka Gretzky Cup.
Nine WHLers will be represented on the bench:
Canada Red
Head Coach- Dan DaSilva (Saskatoon, Sask. / Saskatoon Blades)
Assistant Coach- Ryan Aasman (Medicine Hat, Alta. / Lethbridge Hurricanes)
Assistant Coach- Brad Moran (Abbotsford, B.C. / Calgary Hitmen)
Team Physician- Dr. Hafeez Kurji (Saskatoon, Sask. / Lethbridge Hurricanes)
Canada White
Assistant Coach- Kyle Chipchura (Westlock, Alta. / Edmonton Oil Kings)
Goaltending Coach- Max Paddock (Brandon, Man. / Regina Pats)
Athletic Therapist- Taylor Cochrane (Elk Point, Alta. / Kamloops Blazers)
Team Physician- Dr. Nolan Rau (Penticton, B.C. / Penticton Vees)
Academic Advisor- Stacey Meyer (Okotoks, Alta. / WHL)
Moran is entering his second season as an assistant coach with the Hitmen and remains one of the greatest players to ever don Calgary’s uniform.
He holds the franchise records for points (450), goals (204), assists (246), and games played (357).
Moran was named WHL Playoff MVP after helping the Hitmen capture the 1999 WHL Championship, and following it up by leading the league with 120 points (48G-72A) to earn the Four Broncos Memorial Trophy as WHL Player of the Year.
This marks his international coaching debut.
Cochrane joined the Blazers full-time in June of 2025.
She previously spent three seasons with Camrose and Bonnyville in the Alberta Junior Hockey League.
Cochrane got the call from Team Canada for the 2026 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, which saw Canada return to the top of the podium in dominant fashion.
Meyer has worked with the WHL since 2019-20, supporting players, teams and alumni in education and mental health, while leading Respect in Hockey programming.
In 2022, he received the Lieutenant Governor’s Circle on Mental Health and Addiction True Compassion Award.
Meyer has previously worked with Hockey Canada at the 2026 IIHF U18 Men’s World Championship in Slovakia.
The 2026 U17 World Challenge features teams from Canada, Czechia, Finland, Sweden, and the United States.
Since its formation in 1986, the tournament has featured scores of future NHL talent from Joe Sakic (Swift Current Broncos), Jarome Iginla (Kamloops Blazers) and Patrick Marleau (Seattle Thunderbirds) to more recent standouts like 2026 NHL first overall pick Gavin McKenna (Medicine Hat Tigers), potential 2027 NHL first-overall selection Landon DuPont (Everett Silvertips) and Seattle Kraken forward Berkly Catton (Spokane Chiefs).
Rosters for the 2026 edition of the tournament will be announced in the coming weeks.
The 2026 U17 World Challenge runs from November 1-7 in Oakville, Ont.
