By Josh Sweetland
Tags: Chris Lazarydave cameronHockey CanadaOHL NewsOttawa 67’sSaginaw Spiritworld juniors
Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League is pleased to congratulate several hockey operations staff members from across the league on their appointment to Canada’s National Junior Team that will compete at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship set to take place in Ottawa, Ont.
Ottawa 67’s head coach Dave Cameron returns to take the reins as head coach after leading Canada to a gold medal at the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship. He will be joined by assistant coach Chris Lazary, who comes off a Memorial Cup Championship as head coach of the Saginaw Spirit. Other members of Canada’s National Junior Team coaching staff include assistant coaches Sylvain Favreau (Drummondville Voltigeurs, QMJHL) and Mike Johnston (Portland Winterhawks, WHL) along with goaltending consultant Justin Pogge and video coach James Emery.
In addition, Peter Anholt (Lethbridge Hurricanes, WHL) returns as the U20 lead for the Program of Excellence management group, serving alongside three-time Stanley Cup champion and Olympic gold medallist Brent Seabrook, who returns to the National Junior Team for the second-straight year. Anholt and Seabrook helped select the staff alongside Scott Salmond, senior vice-president of high performance and hockey operations, and Benoit Roy, senior manager of hockey operations.
“Dave has won two gold medals at the World Juniors and has proven to be an excellent leader of Canada’s National Junior Team, and we are excited to have him return to coach our team as we look to reclaim gold in the nation’s capital this year. We are also fortunate to round out our coaching staff with Sylvain, Mike, Chris, Justin and James, as all seven will benefit our team with their extensive CHL and international experience,” Salmond said. “We are also fortunate to work with Peter and Brent again, as they have helped assemble a world-class staff and will be key factors in building a highly skilled team that fans in Ottawa and across the country will be proud to cheer for this holiday season.”
Cameron has served as head coach of the Ottawa 67’s of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) for the past three seasons (2021-24), leading the team to three-straight playoff appearances and winning OHL and Canadian Hockey League (CHL) Coach of the Year awards in 2022-23. He previously spent two seasons as an assistant coach with the Calgary Flames (2016-18) and five seasons with the Ottawa Senators (2011-16) as head coach and assistant, and was the head coach and GM of the OHL’s Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (1997-99) and Toronto St. Michael’s Majors (2000-04, 2009-10). Cameron was also an assistant with the St. John’s Maple Leafs (1999-2000) and head coach of the Binghamton Senators (2004-07) of the American Hockey League (AHL). Internationally, he has won four medals at the IIHF World Junior Championship, including silver and gold as head coach in 2011 and 2022, respectively, and gold and silver as an assistant in 2009 and 2010, respectively. Cameron also won gold medals as an assistant coach at the 2016 IIHF World Championship and as head coach at the 2004 Junior World Cup.
Lazary has served as head coach of the OHL’s Saginaw Spirit for the past five seasons (2018-24) after parts of three seasons (2016-18) as an associate coach with Saginaw and two seasons (2014-16) as an assistant with the OHL’s Sarnia Sting. He led the Spirit to a Memorial Cup championship as the host team this season, as well as back-to-back West Division titles (2018-19, 2019-20). Prior to his CHL coaching career, he spent two seasons (2010-12) as an assistant coach with the St. Michael’s Buzzers of the Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL) and one season (2012-13) as an assistant with York University. Lazary was also named head coach of Canada Red for the 2020 U17 World Challenge, which was cancelled due to COVID-19.
Additional OHL hockey operations representatives will serve in support staff roles with Canada’s National Junior Team including Athletic Therapist Andy Brown of the Owen Sound Attack, Equipment Manager Chris Cook of the Brantford Bulldogs and Strength and Conditioning Coach Sean Young of the Ottawa 67’s.
“The coaching and support staffs that will lead Canada’s National Junior Team is second to none, and we know this group will do everything it can to help our team be successful in Ottawa in December and January,” Anholt said. “I know all members of our staffs are grateful for the opportunity to be a part of such a special event in Canada, and we look forward to building a roster that wears the Maple Leaf with pride on and off the ice as Canadians across the country cheer us on.”
Canada’s National Junior Team will gather at the WFCU Centre in Windsor, Ontario, for a four-day training camp, July 28-31, which includes practices, a Red-White game on July 30 at 7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT and a game against Sweden on July 31 at 7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT. Tickets for the games in Windsor can be purchased at HockeyCanada.ca/Tickets starting July 5, and are available for $30 plus fees per game or $45 plus fees for a two-game package.
The team will also travel to Plymouth, Michigan, to participate in the World Junior Summer Showcase, Aug. 1-3; it will take on Finland on Aug. 2 at 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT and the United States on Aug. 3 at 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT.
For more information on Hockey Canada, Canada’s National Junior Team and the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along via social media on Facebook, X and Instagram.
