Dean Evason (second from right) and Ryan Huska (right) are pictured here. (Image Credit: Hockey Canada)

By Victor Kaisar

IIHF Worlds

Former Blazers’ Evason, Huska named to Canada’s World Championship coaching staff

May 1, 2025 | 9:30 AM

KAMLOOPS — A pair of former Kamloops Blazers will be part of Team Canada’s coaching staff at the 2025 IIHF World Championships, which will be held in Sweden and Denmark this month.

Dean Evason, the former Kamloops Blazers head coach – and Junior Oilers centre – has been named Team Canada head coach, while former Blazers forward Ryan Huska has been named an assistant coach.

Evanson and Huska will be joined by assistant coaches Steve McCarthy, an assistant coach in Columbus, and Andrew Brunette, the head coach of the Nashville Predators, as Canada looks to better on its fourth place finish in Czechia last year.

“Dean, Andrew, Ryan and Steve are excellent NHL coaches that bring many years of professional experience and leadership, and we are thrilled that they will lead Team Canada at the 2025 world championship,” General Manager Kyle Dubas said.

“Our coaching staff will also be supported by an elite support staff that has many years of NHL experience, as well as experience at several world championships and Olympics. We know our entire staff will create an environment for our players to succeed and wear the Maple Leaf with pride in Stockholm and Herning.”

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Evason, who played two and half seasons as a Junior Oiler before coaching the Blazers for three seasons, has wrapped up his first season as bench boss of the Columbus Blue Jackets. Meanwhile, Huska, a three-time Memorial Cup Champion with the Blazers, has been the head coach of the Calgary Flames for the past two seasons.

Former Blazers in line to play for Team Canada

A pair of former Kamloops Blazers are also in line to play for Canada at the 2025 World Hockey Championships.

Dylan Garand was one of 15 players – and the only goaltender – added to the roster Thursday.

The 2021-22 Canadian Hockey League goaltender of the year has wrapped up his third season with the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins. He went 20-10-8 with a 2.73 goals against average and a .913 save percentage this season, making this the best season yet in his fledgling professional career.

Elsewhere, Blazers defenceman Harrison Brunicke is one seven players invited to Canada’s pre-tournament camp in Vienna and Budapest. The 18-year-old Brunicke, who had a goal and four points in 12 AHL games this season, is expected to be back in Kamloops this fall.

Garand previously won a gold and a silver medal as a member of Canada’s World Junior team in 2022 and 2021 respectively, while Brunicke won gold at the 2024 IIHF U18 World Championships.

Hockey Canada will add more players to its roster in the coming weeks pending the results of the National Hockey League playoffs.

Canada opens the 2025 World Hockey Championships against Slovenia on May 10. They’ll also play Latvia, France, Austria, Slovakia, Finland and Sweden in the preliminary round. The knockout round will begin on May 22, with the medal games to be played on May 25.

Team Canada will also play a pair of warm-up games against Austria on May 4 in Vienna and against Hungary on May 6 in Budapest.