Former Leafs Assistant GM Makes Official Move to Team Canada
Photo credit: HockeyPatrol
Former Leafs Assistant General Manager Mark Hunter is officially joining the Canadian national team alongside his brother Dale, following Team Canada's announcement.
Mark Hunter, a former Toronto Maple Leafs assistant general manager, and current general manager/owner of the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League, has been named as part of the management group for the Canadian National junior hockey team.
Hunter spent four seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs from 2014-2018, two seasons as Director of Player Personnel, and then the next two as the team's Assistant General Manager.
Mark's older brother, Dale, was also named head coach of the team, and will lead the Canadians at the 2026 World Juniors.
Dale, who is the head coach of the Knights and a co-owner alongside his brother, led the London Knights to an OHL championship and a Memorial Cup win this past season.
Hunter Brothers welcomed to Team Canada looking to return to glory
Program of Excellence general manager Alan Millar said in a statement that Dale Hunter is the right leader for the Canadians:
Dale's resume speaks for itself: three Memorial Cups, three OHL Coach of the Year awards and two international gold medals.
His passion for this program runs deep, and we feel he is the best candidate to lead us to a gold medal in Minnesota. - Alan Millar
His passion for this program runs deep, and we feel he is the best candidate to lead us to a gold medal in Minnesota. - Alan Millar
VP of Hockey Operations Scott Salmond said that Mark Hunter, who will work alongside Salmond and Millar in roster construction for the World Juniors, is the right fit for building a winning roster:
Mark led Canada to a World Juniors gold medal in 2020 and has built one of the premier franchises in the Canadian Hockey League, with unparalleled on-ice success and player advancement.
Alan (Millar) and Mark provide a stable backbone for our National Junior Team and I'm confident they will build a staff and roster that Canadians can be proud of come December. - Scott Salmond
Alan (Millar) and Mark provide a stable backbone for our National Junior Team and I'm confident they will build a staff and roster that Canadians can be proud of come December. - Scott Salmond
Canada will be looking to rebound from two consecutive quarterfinal exits in the World Juniors, having been criticized last year for their roster selection that prioritized physicality and grit over skill, which ended up leading to Canada's struggles to produce offense.
The hope is that next year will be a rejuvenated Canada that can once again be a competitive powerhouse that will be able to challenge for gold.
| POLL | ||
JUILLET 10 | 3338 ANSWERS Former Leafs Assistant GM Makes Official Move to Team Canada Was the Mark Hunter era good for Toronto? | ||
| Yes | 2262 | 67.8 % |
| No | 1076 | 32.2 % |
| List of polls | ||
TRENDING NOW
