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By Victor Kaisar

U18 Worlds

Blazers’ Dan De Palma returns to Team Canada coaching staff at 2025 IIHF U-18 World Championships

Apr 12, 2025 | 8:21 AM

KAMLOOPS — Kamloops Blazers goaltending coach Dan De Palma has been named to Team Canada’s coaching staff for the 2025 IIHF U18 World Championships in Texas.

The long-time Blazers goaltending coach was part of last year’s U18 team that won gold in Finland, alongside defenceman Harrison Brunicke.

De Palma also won gold at the 2024 Hlinka Gretzky Cup and a silver at the 2016 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge. He also served as goaltending coach for the 2025 World Juniors team.

He is set to work with three goaltenders – Burke Hood, Jack Ivankovic, and Colin Ellsworth – who were named to the pre-tournament camp roster Saturday (April 12). Like De Palma, Ivankovic, who plays for Brampton in the OHL, was part of the 2025 World Juniors team.

Canada will face Slovakia, Latvia, Finland, and Norway in the preliminary round of the 2025 IIHF U18 World Championships, which get underway in Frisco and Allen on April 23.

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The tournament will wrap up with the medal games on May 3.