CALGARY, Alta. – Hockey Canada announced Friday its coaching staff for the 2012 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship. Brent Sutter (Viking, Alta.) will be the head coach, with Guy Boucher (Notre-Dame-du-Lac, Que./Tampa Bay, NHL) and Kirk Muller (Kingston, Ont./Carolina, NHL) serving as assistant coaches.

Canada’s team for the 2012 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship is being assembled by a management team led by general manager Kevin Lowe (Lachute, Que./Edmonton, NHL) and assistant general managers Peter Chiarelli (Ottawa, Ont./Boston, NHL), Dave Nonis (Burnaby, B.C./Toronto, NHL) and Brad Pascall (Coquitlam, B.C./Hockey Canada).

“This is a coaching staff that has a great deal of professional and international experience,” said Lowe. “Brent, Guy and Kirk are all looking forward to working with the 17 players we have named and leading this group to success in Helsinki.”

Brent Sutter, 49, has coached Canada in international competition on three previous occasions, leading Canada to gold medals at the 20 IIHF World Junior Championships and a 7-0-1 record at the 2007 Canada-Russia Super Series, which featured both countries’ national junior programs. The native of Viking, Alta., just completed his third season as head coach of the NHL’s Calgary Flames. Sutter also represented Canada as a player on four occasions, at the 1986 IIHF World Championship and 1984, 19 Canada Cups

Guy Boucher, 40, just completed his second season as head coach of the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning. The native of West Island, Que., was an assistant coach with Canada’s National Junior Team at the 2009 IIHF World Junior Championship, winning a gold medal, and an assistant coach for Canada at the 2008 IIHF World Under-18 Championship, also winning gold. He also coached Canada’s National Men’s Summer Under-18 Team at the 2006 Memorial of Ivan Hlinka tournament, finishing fourth.

Kirk Muller, 45, just completed his first season as head coach of the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes. Muller started the season as head coach of the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals before joining Carolina on . The native of Kingston, Ont., was an assistant coach for Canada at the 2006 IIHF World Under-18 Championship, finishing fourth, and an assistant coach with Canada’s National Men’s Team at the 2005 Lotto Cup, finishing third. Muller also represented Canada as a player on several occasions, including the 1984 Olympic Winter Games, four IIHF World Championships (1985, 1986, 1987, 1989) and the 1984 IIHF World Junior Championship.

The management team announced a first group of 17 players on April 11, and will add additional players over the coming weeks, with a limit of 25 players on the official roster. Canada’s 2012 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship management team is also supported by members of the National Men’s Team management group, comprised of executive director Steve Yzerman (Nepean, Ont./Tampa Bay, NHL), Doug Armstrong (Sarnia, Ont./St. Louis, NHL), Ken Holland (Vernon, B.C./Detroit, NHL), Bob Nicholson (Penticton, B.C./Hockey Canada), Lowe and Pascall.

Canada’s National Men’s Team will be holding a pre-competition camp in Zurich, Switzerland, from April 27-May 1, playing in two pre-competition games – April 29 vs. Switzerland in Fribourg, Switzerland, and May 1 vs. Switzerland in Kloten, Switzerland. The 2012 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship runs from May 4-20 in Helsinki, Finland and Stockholm, Sweden, with Canada based out of Helsinki for the entire event. Canada opens up against Slovakia on May 4. All of Canada’s games will be broadcast on TSN/RDS. Check your local listings for game times in your area.

For more information on Hockey Canada, its teams, events and programs, please visit www.HockeyCanada.ca.

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