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GM Burke, head coach MacTavish to lead Canada at 2019 Spengler Cup

Nov 22, 2019 | 12:27 PM

CALGARY — Hockey Canada named its management and coaching staff for the 2019 Spengler Cup, with Sean Burke returning as general manager and Craig MacTavish taking over as head coach.

Burke’s management team will include Shane Doan and Misha Donskov.

MacTavish will be joined by assistant coach Paul Coffey.

Burke will return for a fourth Spengler Cup, helping Canada to wins in 2016 and 2017 and a runner-up finish last year. He was also GM of Canada’s bronze-winning team at the 2016 Pyeongchang Olympics.

Doan, a former star with the Winnipeg Jets/Arizona Coyotes franchise, served as a consultant for Canada’s runner-up team at the 2019 world championship. Donskov is in his fourth season as director of hockey operations for the Vegas Golden Knights.

MacTavish was head coach of the Edmonton Oilers for nine seasons (2000-09), leading the team to the Stanley Cup final in 2006. He was head coach of Canada’s third-place team at the 2009 Spengler Cup.

Coffey, a Hall of Fame defenceman, will make his coaching debut with Canada’s national team.

Canada, under co-GMs Burke and Ron Francis and head coach Kevin Dineen, finished second to Finnish club KalPa Kuopio at last year’s Spengler Cup.

The 2019 Spengler Cup runs Dec. 26-31 in Davos, Switzerland. Canada has won the annual invitational tournament 15 times, tied with host club HC Davos for the most titles.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 22, 2019.

The Canadian Press

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