WHL Spokane Chiefs

Nachbaur Named Canada's Under-18 Assistant Coach

Published on May 26, 2011 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Spokane Chiefs News Release


Spokane Chief Head Coach Don Nachbaur has been named the Assistant Coach with Canada's National Men's Summer Under-18 Team that will participate in the 2011 Memorial of Ivan Hlinka tournament, scheduled for August 8-13 in the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

Nachbaur recently won the Dunc McCallum Memorial Trophy as the WHL's Coach of the Year after leading the Chiefs to a 48-18-4-2 record in his first season behind Spokane's bench. He now has 479 career WHL wins, sixth all-time in WHL history. Nachbaur will assist Steve Spott (Head Coach and General Manager of the OHL's Kitchener Rangers). Mario Duhamel (head coach, Drummondville Voltigeurs, QMJHL) will be the other assistant for the tournament, which Canada has won in each of the last three years, and six of the last eight.

Steve Spott, 43, will make his fourth appearance on a Team Canada coaching staff and second with Canada's National Men's Summer Under-18 Team. He was an assistant coach with Canada's National Junior Team at the 2010 IIHF World Junior Championship, winning a silver medal, with Canada's National Men's Under-18 Team at the 2009 IIHF World Under-18 Championship, where Canada finished fourth, and with Canada's National Men's Summer Under-18 Team at the Memorial of Ivan Hlinka in 2008, winning a gold medal. Spott was Ontario's head coach at the 2000 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, winning a silver medal, and at the 1999 Canada Winter Games, finishing fourth. Head coach and general manager of the Kitchener Rangers since 2008, Spott has been with the organization since 2001, starting as an assistant coach. With the Rangers, Spott won the Memorial Cup in 2003 as an assistant coach and finished as the runner-up in 2008.

"It is always a tremendous privilege and honour to represent Canada on the international stage," said Spott. "Being with Team Canada in the past has always been a tremendous experience and I am anxious to get started with the coaching staff to get our plan in place."

Nachbaur, 52, will be an assistant coach for the second time with Canada's National Men's Summer Under-18 Team after winning gold at the 1999 Four Nations Cup.

Mario Duhamel, 36, will make his first appearance with Team Canada at the 2011 Memorial of Ivan Hlinka. He has been head coach of the Drummondville Voltigeurs for the past two seasons and was a finalist for the QMJHL's Coach of the Year this season. Prior to joining the Voltigeurs, Duhamel was an assistant coach with the QMJHL's Rouyn-Noranda Huskies from 2005-09, and served as an assistant coach with Quebec at the 2009 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge in Port Alberni B.C., finishing fifth.

Hockey Canada will announce details for Canada's National Men's Summer Under-18 Team selection camp in the near future, including the players that will be invited to camp.

Check out the Spokane Chiefs Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



Western Hockey League Stories from May 26, 2011


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.

OurSports Central