Dale Hunter Named Head Coach of Canada's National Junior Team

Sports stats

OHL Ontario Hockey League

Dale Hunter Named Head Coach of Canada's National Junior Team

July 10, 2025 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL) News Release


TORONTO, ON - The Canadian Hockey League (CHL) is pleased to congratulate three-time Memorial Cup champion and 2020 World Juniors gold medalist Dale Hunter (London Knights / OHL) has been named head coach of Canada's National Junior Team for the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship. In addition, Mark Hunter (London Knights / OHL) will serve as a member of the management group.

Over the 2024-25 season, London Knights head coach Dale Hunter added to his impressive coaching résumé with two historic milestones. He became just the second head coach in both OHL and CHL history - joining Brian Kilrea - to record 1,000 regular-season wins. Capping off the year, Hunter led the London Knights to a third Memorial Cup championship under his guidance, tying Don Hay for the most titles by a head coach in CHL history. Remarkably, all three championships have come with the Knights, making Hunter the only coach to achieve that feat with a single CHL franchise.

In addition to capturing the Memorial Cup together in June, Dale and London Knights Vice President and General Manager Mark Hunter were instrumental in leading the team to its sixth Ontario Hockey League (OHL) championship in franchise history. The 2025 title marked the second time the Knights have won back-to-back OHL championships, adding to their previous victories in 2024, 2016, 2013, 2012, and 2005. London dominated the 2025 OHL Playoffs with a remarkable 16-1 record, becoming just the third team in OHL history to win the championship with one or fewer losses - joining the 1998 Guelph Storm (12-1) and the 1988 Windsor Spitfires (12-0) in that elite category.

The Hunters were selected by newly appointed Program of Excellence general manager Alan Millar and Scott Salmond, senior vice-president of high performance and hockey operations, with input from Benoit Roy, the organization's director of hockey operations.

"For me and my brother Mark, it's very exciting," stated Dale Hunter, who is set to work his 24th season in 2025-26 as the head coach of the London Knights. "It's always an honour to represent your country, and we're looking forward to getting started."

"The first order of business for myself and Scott was to find the best coach possible to lead our National Junior Team," said Millar. "Dale's résumé 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."

In his role on the management group, Mark will assist Millar, Salmond, and Roy with all hockey operations-related matters, including supporting the player evaluation and selection process.

"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," said Salmond. "Alan 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."

Dale Hunter began his coaching career with the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) in 2001 and has held that role for the last 24 seasons, save for 60 games as head coach of the Washington Capitals in 2011-12. As the team's bench boss, the Knights have won five OHL championships (2005, 2013, 2016, 2024, 2025) and three Memorial Cup championships (2005, 2016, 2025). Hunter has also been named OHL Coach of the Year three times (2003-04, 2004-05, 2009-10) and earned the CHL's Brian Kilrea Coach of the Year Award in 2003-04. In addition to his 2020 World Juniors gold, he coached Canada's National Men's Summer Under-18 Team to a gold medal at the 2014 Hlinka Gretzky Cup. Hunter played 1,409 NHL games with the Capitals, Quebec Nordiques, and Colorado Avalanche from 1980-99, recording 1,020 points (323-697- 1020). He ranks second in NHL history with 3,565 penalty minutes and is the only player to record over 1,000 points and 3,000 penalty minutes.

Mark Hunter has served in various roles for the franchise over the last 25 years, including owner (2000-25), vice-president of hockey operations (2000-25), general manager (2000-14, 2018-25), and head coach (2011-12). In that span, the Knights have captured six OHL championships (2005, 2012, 2013, 2016, 2024, 2025) and three Memorial Cup championships (2005, 2016, 2025). In 2014, Hunter was named director of player personnel with the Toronto Maple Leafs, a position he held for one season (2014-15) before he was promoted to assistant general manager (2015-18). Hunter played 12 NHL seasons (1981-93) with stops in Montreal, St. Louis, Calgary, Hartford, and Washington, winning a Stanley Cup with the Flames in 1989. Upon his retirement, he spent four seasons (1995-97, 1998-2000) as head coach of the OHL's Sarnia Sting and one season (1997-98) as head coach of the St. John's Maple Leafs of the American Hockey League (AHL).

Hockey Canada will announce the remainder of the National Junior Team coaching and support staff in the coming weeks, along with additions to the Program of Excellence management group, as well as the coaching staffs, support staffs, and rosters for the under-17 and under-18 programs.

Canada's National Junior Team will begin preparations for the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship at the World Junior Summer Showcase, July 27-Aug. 2 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, joining Finland, Sweden, and the United States.

For more information on Hockey Canada and Canada's National Junior Team, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along via social media on Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok.

Check out the Ontario Hockey League Statistics



Ontario Hockey League Stories from July 10, 2025


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.


Sports Statistics from the Stats Crew
OurSports Central