Image Credit: CFJC Today

By Adam Donnelly

DAN DE PALMA

Blazers goaltending coach De Palma tapped for Team Canada at 2024 IIHF U-18 World Championships in Finland

Apr 11, 2024 | 6:30 PM

KAMLOOPS — The Kamloops Blazers will be represented behind the bench for the upcoming IIHF U18 World Championships, which will take place in Finland from April 25 to May 5.

Longtime Blazers’ goaltending coach Dan De Palma has been selected to fill that same role for Hockey Canada. De Palma has been with the Blazers since 2010, and before that, spent three seasons with the Prince George Cougars. He was also a goaltending consultant with Team Canada Black at the 2016 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge. He says he’s honoured by the selection.

“It’s a real honour,” De Palma tells CFJC Today. “When you say it, it really hits home; this thing has moved pretty quickly. I’m really excited, feel really grateful, and I’m really honoured. Getting to represent Canada is always a dream and I get to realize that dream.”

For events like the U18 World Championships, coaches don’t get a lot of time to work with players heading into the tournament. De Palma says his role will be ensuring the goaltenders on the roster feel good about their game as they help backstop Canada.

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“For the goaltenders, you just want to make sure they feel real good,” De Palma explains. “They feel confident about their game, they’re doing the things that made them successful, they play their game, and really just support them. You’re not going to change anyone’s game in a matter of two or three weeks, and you don’t want to. They’re there for a reason, so you just try to help them realize their game.”

University of New Brunswick head coach Gardiner MacDougall will serve as the head coach for the U18 squad. The team will open the tournament on April 25 against Sweden and will also take on Czechia, Switzerland and Kazakhstan in the preliminary round. Of course, any time Team Canada hits the ice, there’s one goal in mind.

“A gold medal, simply,” said De Palma. “The goal is to go over there and win. In the process of winning, you’re going to learn a lot.”