CALGARY, Alta. – Hockey Canada announced that Michael Dyck (Lethbridge, Alta./Vancouver, WHL) will lead Canada’s National Men’s Summer Under-18 Team as head coach following the departure of Dan Lambert, who has accepted an assistant coach position with the Nashville Predators of the National Hockey League.

Dyck will coach alongside assistants Mario Duhamel (Saint-Bruno, Que./Ottawa, OHL) and Dennis Williams (Stratford, Ont./Everett, WHL) during Canada’s National Men’s Summer Under-18 Team selection camp, as well as at the 2019 Hlinka Gretzky Cup.

“We are excited to have Michael Dyck join our under-18 coaching staff, as his experience and attention to detail will be a great asset to our group throughout summer camp and in a short-term competition like the Hlinka Gretzky Cup,” said Shawn Bullock, director of men’s national teams for Hockey Canada. “We know this will be a seamless transition for U18 program this season as we look to bring home a gold medal at the 2019 Hlinka Gretzky Cup.”

Dyck recently finished his first season as head coach of the Vancouver Giants, guiding the team to Game 7 of the Western Hockey League (WHL) Championship Series. He previously served as head coach of the Lethbridge Hurricanes (2005-09), was an assistant with the Medicine Hat Tigers (1996-97), Lethbridge (1997-2002), Vancouver Giants (2002-05) and Kootenay ICE (2013-14) of the WHL, and coached the Lethbridge Hurricanes of the Alberta Midget Hockey League (AMHL) to a bronze medal at the 2018 TELUS Cup, Canada’s National Midget Championship. Dyck was head coach of Team Pacific at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge in 2010 and 2012, won a silver medal with Canada at the 2016 Winter Youth Olympic Games, and coached Alberta to silver at the 2015 Canada Winter Games.

In the coming months, more than 40 players will complete for a spot on Canada’s National Men’s Summer Under-18 Team during a week-long selection camp. Twenty-two players will be selected to compete at the 2019 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, set for Aug. 5-10 in Breclav, Czech Republic and Piestany, Slovakia.

With Dyck taking the reins behind the bench, Hockey Canada is working to fill the U17 head coaching position for Team Canada White at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, and a replacement will be announced as soon as one is confirmed. The 2019 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge is set for Nov. 2-9 in Medicine Hat, Alta., and Swift Current, Sask. 

For more information on Hockey Canada, the Program of Excellence or Canada’s National Men’s Summer Under-18 Team, please visit HockeyCanada.ca or follow through social media on Facebook, Twitter and Twitter.com/HC_Men.