Prince Albert Raiders head coach Ryan McDonald will be behind the bench at the 2026 Hlinka Gretzky Cup in August.
McDonald is one of three assistant coaches on Canada’s U18 team. Ryan Oulahen of the OHL’s North Bay Centennials will be the head coach while Charlottetown’s Brad MacKenzie and former Prince Albert Raider Kyle Chipchura will join McDonald as assistants.
“We are thrilled to welcome Ryan, Ryan, Brad, and Kyle to the staff for the Hlinka Gretzky Cup,” Program of Excellence GM Alan Millar said in a press release. “Each brings a pedigree of coaching experience, particularly in short-term international competition, which will be a tremendous asset as we prepare for the tournament. We’re excited to continue the process of building a team and working with a group of players who will proudly represent Canada and showcase their talent to hockey fans in Edmonton in August.”
McDonald previously served as head coach of Canada Red at the 2025 U17 World Challenge where he won a gold medal. He was also an assistant coach at the World Challenge in 2024.
Canada will play its opening game of the 2026 Hlinka Gretzky Cup on Aug. 3. It will also face Slovakia on Aug. 4 and Sweden on Aug. 5 to close out the preliminary round before the tournament concludes with the medal games on Aug. 8.
Canada’s National Men’s Summer Under-18 Team will hold a training camp prior to the start of the tournament, set for July 27-30 at NAIT Arena in Edmonton, which will include practices and a game against Sweden on July 30. It will also take on Czechia on Aug. 1 as part of the Hlinka Gretzky Cup pre-tournament schedule.
