Photo of Doug Shedden (left) when was named assistant coach to Canada’s World Hockey Championship team in April 2013Larry MacDougal/The Canadian Press
The Canadian team will have a familiar face on the bench when the squad tries to defend its Spengler Cup title next month in Switzerland.
Doug Shedden will return as head coach for the Dec. 26-31 tournament. He guided Canada to a 7-2 win over host HC Davos in last year's title game.
Longtime Swiss League coach Serge Pelletier will serve as an assistant. The team's management staff will include Winnipeg Jets assistant general manager Craig Heisinger, Phoenix Coyotes assistant GM Brad Treliving and Brad Pascall, Hockey Canada vice-president of hockey operations/national teams.
"We are extremely pleased with the coaching and management staffs that we have assembled to lead Team Canada at the Spengler Cup this year," Pascall said Wednesday in a release. "Doug brings great international experience as the head coach and has helped guide Canada internationally on many occasions.
"Both Craig and Brad have extensive knowledge of the game, having combined for more than 60 years in hockey, and will be great assets to assembling Canada's team for the Spengler Cup."
Shedden served as an assistant coach at the Spengler Cup in 2009 and 2010. He was head coach of Finland's national team in 2007-08 and led the Finns to a bronze medal at the 2008 world championship.
Shedden has been head coach of Swiss club EV Zug since 2008. He has previously coached in the Finnish Elite League, AHL, CHL, UHL and ECHL.
The 2013 team will be made up of Canadians that are playing pro hockey in Europe and could also include American Hockey League players on loan from NHL teams. The roster will be announced in mid-December.
Canada will play in the Cattini Group against the host team and HC Vitkovice Steel from the Czech Republic. Swiss side HC Geneve-Servette, CSKA Moscow from Russia and the AHL's Rochester Americans will play in the Torriani Group.
Canada opens the tournament against HC Vitkovice Steel on Dec. 26.
Canada has won the Spengler Cup 12 times since first taking part in the tournament in 1984.
The Spengler Cup has been held annually since 1923. It's the oldest professional international hockey tournament in the world.