CALGARY, AB – Hockey Canada announced on Friday that Pat Quinn, who led Team Canada as head coach at the 20 Winter Olympics and 2004 World Cup of Hockey and coached in the NHL for 19 seasons, has been named head coach of Canada’s national men’s team for the upcoming Spengler Cup, December 26th-31st in Davos, Switzerland.

The Spengler Cup is the oldest professional hockey tournament in the world and has been held annually since 1923. Canada’s roster will be made up of Canadian players currently in European leagues and players on loan from NHL teams from their AHL affiliates. Canada’s roster will be announced in mid-December.

The 2006 Spengler Cup will mark Quinn’s eighth international appearance with Team Canada. Quinn, a native of Hamilton, ON, was assistant general manager of Canada’s 1996 World Cup team, general manager for Team Canada at the 1998 World Hockey 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.

Quinn’s professional head coaching career began in 1978-79, when he won the AHL championship with the Maine Mariners. From there, he went on to coach in the NHL with the Philadelphia Flyers, Los Angeles Kings, Vancouver Canucks and Toronto Maple Leafs. One of Quinn’s NHL career highlights came in 1993-94, when, under his direction, the Canucks made it to the Stanley Cup Final, losing out in seven games to the New York Rangers.

“I thoroughly enjoy my time coaching Team Canada,” said Quinn, 63. “I’ve coached at the Olympics and at World Cups but this marks a first for me at the Spengler Cup.”

Johnny Misley, Hockey Canada’s Executive Vice-President, Hockey Operations said Quinn’s resumé speaks for itself when it comes to international hockey.

“Pat Quinn is well known as one of the best hockey minds around,” Misley said. “He has proved his worth with Team Canada and in the NHL and we’re extremely excited to see him on the bench at the Spengler Cup.”

Quinn will be joined behind the bench by Sean Simpson and Jim Koleff, both of whom are Canadians coaching in Europe who will serve as assistant coaches under Quinn. Simpson, who coaches at EV Zug of the Swiss Elite League, recently coached Team Canada at the 2006 Swiss Challenge. This will mark his third straight trip to the Spengler Cup as an assistant coach.

Koleff was an assistant for Team Canada at the Swiss Challenge and the Deutschland Cup. He was an assistant coach with Team Canada in 2002, when the club won the Spengler Cup. Koleff is a consultant and scout with the Zurich Lions of the Swiss Elite League.

Canada finished in second place at the 2005 Spengler Cup, losing the final to Mettallurg Magnitogorsk. The Men’s National Team has competed in the Spengler Cup since 1984, winning 10 titles during that period. Team Canada’s last championship was in 2003.

For more information on the National Men’s Team Program, visit www.hockeycanada.ca