U18 Men’s Worlds Recap – Canada 8, Czechia 3

“We are very excited to unveil our coaching and support staff for the
upcoming world championship, as we believe this group provides important
experience from the Canadian Hockey League and internationally,” Millar
said. “Jeff, John, Bruce and Justin are thrilled to represent Canada and
lead our team, and we know the athletes will benefit greatly from their
leadership as we compete for a gold medal in Switzerland.”

Truitt
recently completed his first season as head coach of the Prince Albert
Raiders of the Western Hockey League (WHL) after serving as an assistant
for four seasons (2018-22). He will represent Canada behind the bench for
the fifth time and first as a head coach, previously winning a World Junior
gold medal in 2005 and a silver medal in 2004, both as a video coach.
Truitt was also an assistant coach for Canada at the Ivan Hlinka Memorial
Tournament and IIHF U18 World Championship in 2007. His coaching career
began in 1993 and includes stops with the WHL’s Lethbridge Hurricanes
(1993-97), Kelowna Rockets (2000-07), and Red Deer Rebels (2013-18), as
well as the American Hockey League’s Springfield Falcons (2007-09), San
Antonio Rampage (2010-11) and Texas Stars (2011-12). Truitt is a three-time
WHL Champion, winning as an assistant coach in Kelowna in 2003 and 2005,
and with Prince Albert in 2019. In 2004, his Kelowna Rockets captured the
Memorial Cup on home ice.

Dean
has been the head coach of the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds of the Ontario
Hockey League (OHL) for the last five seasons (2018-23). Prior to joining
the Greyhounds, he spent three seasons (2014-17) as assistant coach of the
OHL’s North Bay Battalion and was as an assistant and head coach of the
Ontario Junior Hockey League’s North York Rangers (2009-14) and the
assistant general manager and head coach of the Toronto Patriots (2017-18).
He made his international coaching debut at the 2017 World Junior A
Challenge, serving as the video coach for Team Canada East.

Richardson
returns to the international stage for the third time, and second as an
assistant coach. Most recently, he was the head coach of Team Canada White
at the 2022 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge and was an assistant with Team
Canada Black at the 2014 edition of the event. He recently completed his
fifth season (2018-23) as head coach of the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada of
the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). Prior to joining the Armada,
he was head coach of the Châteauguay Grenadiers (2011-2014, 2016-2018) of
the Ligue de développement du hockey M18 AAA du Québec and had a two-year
stint as head coach of the QMJHL’s Victoriaville Tigres (2014-2016).

Pogge
is set to make his international coaching debut at the 2023 IIHF U18 World
Championship. The former third round draft pick of the Toronto Maple Leafs
represented Canada twice as a player, winning a gold medal at the 2006 IIHF
World Junior Championship and finishing with a tournament leading .952 save
percentage. He was also named a reserve for Canada’s Men’s Olympic Team for
the 2022 Olympic Winter Games. During the 2005-06 season, he was named the
WHL’s Top Goaltender and Player of the Year while also taking home the CHL
Player of the Year Award. He recently wrapped up his seventeenth season of
professional hockey that spanned the NHL, AHL, ECHL, KHL, DEL, SHL and
LIHG.

Hockey Canada also announced the support staff that will work with Canada’s
National Men’s Under-18 Team at the event:

• Video coach Andrew Boucher (Timmins, Ont.)
• Equipment manager Ashton ‘A.J.’ Murley (St. John’s, N.L.)
• Athletic therapists Kevin Elliott (Charlottetown, P.E.I.) and Jimmy McKnight (Bradford, Ont./Edmonton, WHL)
• Team physician Dr. Michael Conrad (Vancouver, B.C./Victoria, WHL)
• Education consultant Nic Reynard (Victoria, B.C./Victoria, WHL)
• Hockey operations coordinator Cassidy Wait (North Vancouver, B.C.)