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Hockey Canada has appointed Doug Armstrong, hailing from Sarnia, ON, and serving as the NHL's St. Louis General Manager, to lead Canada’s Men’s Olympic Team for the 2026 Olympic Winter Games. The mega event will be held in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy. Additionally, he will spearhead the management group for Canada’s National Men’s Team, facilitating appointments for various events over the next two seasons.
Doug Armstrong will collaborate with an executive committee featuring Ryan Getzlaf from Regina, SK, representing player relations advisory, alongside Scott Salmond, the Senior Vice-President of High Performance and Hockey Operations.
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The committee also includes Katherine Henderson as President and Chief Executive Officer, and Pat McLaughlin as Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice-President of Strategy.
His responsibilities include overseeing Team Canada at the 2024 IIHF World Championship, 2025 NHL 4 Nations Face-Off, and 2025 IIHF World Championship.
Fans expressed concerns about Armstrong's ability to construct a competitive team for the Olympics.
"This makes absolutely no sense. He's completely blown it with St Louis," a fan posted on X(formerly Twitter)
Meanwhile, others raised concerns about potential challenges and emphasized the need for effective management.
Some fans also expressed their views on Patrice Brisebois being the best fit for this.
Working closely with Doug Armstrong and Salmond, Getzlaf will act as a liaison between athletes, the executive committee, and management groups for the upcoming events, ensuring coherence across teams, athletes, and staff.
Canadian Hockey Icons: Doug Armstrong, Getzlaf, and Salmond's Legacy
Doug Armstrong, with two Olympic gold medals (2010, 2014) and a World Cup of Hockey championship (2016), has been integral to Canada's hockey management. The national team secured gold at the IIHF World Championships in 2007, 2016, and 2023, and silver in 2008 and 2009.
As GM of the St. Louis Blues for 14 seasons, he won the Stanley Cup in 2019 and was named NHL General Manager of the Year in 2011-12. Armstrong, the 11th NHL GM to achieve 800 career wins, contributed to the Dallas Stars' 1999 Stanley Cup win as assistant GM.
Ryan Getzlaf's 17-year NHL career, mainly with the Anaheim Ducks, included 12 seasons as captain and a Stanley Cup in 2007. Internationally, he won gold at the 2010 and 2014 Olympics, the 2016 World Cup of Hockey, at the 2003 IIHF World U18 Championship, and the 2005 IIHF World Junior Championship.
Scott Salmond's successful tenure with Hockey Canada saw the team win numerous gold medals across various championships since 2001. Some of their major wins include the Olympic Winter Games, IIHF World Championships, IIHF World Junior Championships, and IPC World Para Hockey Championship. Salmond has overseen operations for Canada's men's, women's, and para hockey teams.
