Image Credit: Allen Douglas/Kamloops Blazers

By Victor Kaisar

Spengler Cup

Pair of former Kamloops Blazers to represent Canada at 2024 Spengler Cup

Dec 21, 2024 | 8:06 AM

KAMLOOPS — A pair of former Kamloops Blazers will represent Canada the latest edition of the Spengler Cup in Switzerland.

Goaltender Dylan Ferguson was one of three goaltenders named to Canada’s roster for the oldest invitational hockey tournament in the world.

Ferguson, 26, is currently playing for the Iowa Wild in the American Hockey League. A native of Lantzville, B.C., Ferguson has a 3-3 record with a 3.19 goals against average and a 0.899 save percentage in six games this season.

As a Blazer, Ferguson finished with a 61-72-5-6 record, a career 3.04 goals against average and a .908 save percentage in 155 games spread across four WHL seasons between 2015 and 2019.

Former Blazers forward Hnat Domenichelli is also back as Team Canada’s assistant general manager for the second consecutive Spengler Cup.

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Domenichelli, 48, is into his sixth season as general manager of HC Lugano of the Swiss National League, following a 922 game career in the NHL, AHL, and the Swiss A league that spanned 18 seasons.

Hnat Domenichelli during a media scrum in Dec. 2019. (Photo via HC Lugano)

As a Blazer, Domenichelli won two Memorial Cups in 1994 and 1995, and was a fourth round pick (86th overall) of the Hartford Whalers in the 1994 NHL Entry Draft.

He represented Canada nine times in international play, and won a gold medal at the 1996 World Juniors. He also suited up at the Spengler Cup on four occasions and won the tournament in 2003.

The Spenger Cup gets underway on Boxing Day, with Canada facing hosts HC Davos in their first game. Former Blazer Michael Fora is one of eight defencemen on the Swiss team’s roster.

Canada will also face the Straubing Tigers of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga in the group stage of the tournament. Former Blazers forward JC Lipon is into his third season with the Tigers.

Former Blazers Jiri Smejkal and Ondrej Vala will also participate in the tournament as members of HC Dynamo Pardubice of the Czech Extraliga.