Bannister selected by Hockey Canada

Soo Greyhounds Coach Drew Bannister will get some international coaching experience this summer.

Bannister will serve as an assistant coach with Canada’s Under-18 team at the Ivan Hlinka Memorial tournament that takes place in August in the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

Hockey Canada named Bannister to the position after Brent Kisio of the Lethbridge Hurricanes was promoted to head coach. Kisio takes over for Paul McFarland after the latter took an assistant coach position with the NHL’s Florida Panthers.

“Both men are experienced and detail-oriented hockey coaches that know what it takes to compete and win in short-term competition,” said Scott Salmond, Hockey Canada’s vice-president of hockey operations and national teams, in a prepared statement. “With both having been a part of our Program of Excellence the past couple of years, they will bring their knowledge and passion of the game in helping our players develop and succeed at an elite level.”

For Bannister, it’s another opportunity to work on the international stage. He won gold as the head coach of Team Ontario at the 2015 Canada Winter Games and also served as an assistant coach with Team Ontario in the 2014 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge. He also won a gold medal as a player with the Canadian National Junior team at the 1994 World Junior Hockey Championships.

The beginning of August will see 44 players participate in a selection camp as Hockey Canada prepares for the annual tournament, which begins on Aug. 7 in Breclav, Czech Republic and Bratislava, Slovakia.