Hockey Canada announced Thursday that Doug Shedden (Wallaceburg, Ont./EV Zug, SUI) will be head coach of Canadas National Mens Team at the 2012 Spengler Cup, Dec. 26-31 in Davos, Switzerland. In addition, Chris McSorley (Hamilton, Ont./Genve-Servette, SUI) will serve as assistant coach.
Doug Shedden, 51, will be making his first appearance as head coach for Canada at the Spengler Cup, after three appearances as an assistant coach, in 2009, 2010 and 2011. He was head coach of Finlands national team in 2007-08 and led Finland to a bronze medal at the 2008 IIHF World Championship in Halifax, N.S.. Shedden is the head coach of EV Zug in the Swiss A League, a position he has held since 2008. He has a wealth of international coaching experience and NHL playing experience, totaling 325 points over 416 games with Pittsburgh, Detroit and Toronto from 1981-91, and has previously coached in the Finnish Elite League, AHL, CHL, UHL and ECHL.
Shedden grew up in Barrie, was a star in Minor Hockey there and operated a hockey school for several summers in Owen Sound.
Chris McSorley, 50, has been the head coach of Genve-Servette in the Swiss A League since 2001. Genve-Servette currently leads the Swiss A League, with 46 points after 20 games. After five years playing professional hockey in the ECHL, AHL and IHL, McSorley took over as head coach of the ECHLs Winston-Salem Thunderbird in 1989-90. He went on to lead the ECHLs Toledo Storm to league championships in 1993 and 1994.
We are extremely pleased with the experience of our coaches that will lead Team Canada at the Spengler Cup this year, said Brad Pascall, vice-president of hockey operations/national teams for Hockey Canada. Doug brings great international experience to the position as head coach and knows this event well, and Chris has a vast knowledge of the Swiss League and has done a great job with Genve-Servette in making them into one of the strongest and most consistent teams in Europe.
Canadas team will be made up of Canadians that are playing professional hockey in Switzerland and could also include American Hockey League players on loan from NHL teams. The roster will be announced in mid-December.
Canada will play in the Cattini Group against Adler Mannheim (GER) and host HC Davos (SUI). HC Fribourg-Gottron (SUI), Salavat Yulaev Ufa (RUS) and HC Vitkovice Steel (CZE) will play in the Torriani Group. Canada opens the tournament against Adler Mannheim on Dec. 26 (2:15 p.m. ET/11:15 a.m. PT). All of Canadas games will be broadcast on TSN/TSN2. Check local listings for broadcast schedule in your area.
Canada has appeared in nine of the last 12 championship games at the Spengler Cup, winning the tournament in 2002, 2003 and 2007. Overall, Canadas National Mens Team has won the Spengler Cup 11 times (1984, 1986, 1987, 1992, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2002, 2003, 2007) since first taking part in the tournament in 1984.
The Spengler Cup, held annually since 1923, is the oldest professional international hockey tournament in the world.
For more information on Canadas National Mens Team and the 2012 Spengler Cup, visit www.hockeycanada.ca.
