Team Canada names General Manager for their upcoming tournaments

In the next eighteen months, the international hockey world will be watching multiple senior men's tournaments in the lead-up to the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano-Cortina, Italy, where National Hockey League players will make their long awaited return to compete at one of the most prestigious tournaments in the world. Until then, Hockey Canada has some work to do to develop a team that can ultimately compete for a gold medal at those games.

With that comes word today that Hockey Canada named their general manager for the upcoming Four Nations best-on-best tournament, and Boston Bruins general manager Don Sweeney has been tabbed to lead the team in February. But not only will the fifty-seven-year-old be responsible for putting the best team he possibly can together to compete against four other powerhouse nations, but it is also expected he will be part of Doug Armstrong's Olympic management group. As an important aside, Jim Nill has been named associate general manager


While Sweeney has had a respectable career building and rebuilding, as well as guiding the Bruins through some difficult times after the team won a Stanley Cup in 2011, some of the draft picks under his leadership have not panned out, so although he has not necessarily brought the NHL team he has managed to the promise land, it does not mean he cannot help lead Canada through a successful tournament and possibly beyond.


So whatever happens in the next eighteen months with the on-ice product that Hockey Canada presents, it's important to understand and appreciate that it's a process, and the focus for those who appreciate the game should be what Sweeney has been asked to do: lead a team at the Four Nations Cup.