OTTAWA, ON – Hockey Canada, in partnership with the Canadian Hockey League, announced on Thursday that Pat Quinn will make his 10th appearance at an international event for Canada as head coach of Canada’s National Junior Team at the 2009 IIHF World Junior Championship in Ottawa, ON. Quinn was head coach of Canada’s National Men’s Under-18 Team in April 2008, when it captured gold at the 2008 IIHF World Under-18 Championship in Kazan, Russia and is a part-owner of the CHL’s Vancouver Giants of the Western Hockey League.

In addition, Hockey Canada and the CHL announced that Guy Boucher (West Island, QC/ Drummondville, QMJHL) will join the coaching staff as an assistant coach, joining assistant coaches Dave Cameron (Charlottetown, PEI/Mississauga, OHL) and Willie Desjardins (Climax, SK/Medicine Hat, WHL).

The addition of Pat Quinn as head coach comes after Benoit Groulx stepped down as head coach of the National Junior Team in August to accept a position in the American Hockey League.

“The World Under-18 Championship was a fantastic experience,” says Quinn. “And the World Junior Championship is only going to be better. I look forward to helping Canada go for gold in front of great crowds in Ottawa.”

The 2009 IIHF World Junior Championship kicks off on Boxing Day in Ottawa, ON, as Canada will face the Czech Republic. Canada is attempting to win its fifth-straight gold medal at the IIHF World Junior Championship.

Quinn was head coach of Canada’s National Men’s Team at the 2006 Spengler Cup. The native of Hamilton, ON, was also head coach of Team Canada at the 20 Winter Olympic Games, leading Canada in 2002 to their first gold medal in 50 years, and also led Canada to a gold medal victory at the 2004 World Cup of Hockey. He was assistant general manager of Canada’s 1996 World Cup team, general manager for Team Canada at the 1998 IIHF World Championship, co-general manager of Team Canada at the 1997 Worlds and head coach of Canada’s bronze medal-winning team at the 1986 Worlds.

Guy Boucher has been an assistant coach with Canada’s National Men’s Under-18 Team program three times, most recently at the 2008 IIHF World Under-18 Championship. He was also behind the bench at the 2007 Memorial of Ivan Hlinka summer tournament and the 2006 IIHF World Under-18 Championship. Boucher is going into his second season as head coach of the QMJHL’s Drummondville Voltigeurs. He was an assistant coach with the Rimouski Oceanic from 2002-06 and Rouyn-Noranda Huskies from 1997-2000.

Dave Cameron will be serving behind the bench with Hockey Canada’s Program of Excellence for the third time, his first with Canada’s National Junior Team. Cameron guided the National Men’s Summer Under-18 team to a gold medal at the 2004 Junior World Cup, and was also an assistant coach, under head coach Bob Lowes, with the National Men’s Summer Under-18 Team at the 2003 Junior World Cup, where Canada finished fourth. Cameron is the head coach/general manager of the OHL’s Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors, a position he has held for eight seasons.

Willie Desjardins was an assistant coach with Canada’s National Men’s Team in 1998-99, under head coach Mike Johnston, which included the 1999 IIHF World Championship, where Canada finished fourth. Desjardins will be behind the bench for Hockey Canada’s Program of Excellence for the first time at the 2009 IIHF World Junior Championship. Desjardins has just completed his fifth season as head coach with the WHL’s Medicine Hat Tigers, adding the general manager responsibilities to start the 2005-06 season. He has guided Medicine Hat to two WHL championships, and was named 2006 CHL Coach of the Year.

“We’re very pleased to finalize our coaching staff for Canada’s National Junior Team in Ottawa,” says Brad Pascall, senior director of men’s national teams for Hockey Canada. “This group of coaches has.a great combination of leadership and experience in the CHL and internationally, and we are confident that they will give Canada a tremendous opportunity of succeeding in Ottawa in December and January.”

Quinn will immediately begin working with Boucher, Cameron and Desjardins in preparation of Canada’s National Junior Team selection camp, which will be held in early December in Ottawa.