USA Hockey officially announced their leadership for the upcoming World Championship games that will be played next month in Germany. In a repeat from the Olympics, Brian Burke will be the GM and the Predator's David Poile will be the Associate GM. Scott Gordon will be the team's head coach.
Here is the full release from the Predators and USA Hockey...
Burke, Poile To Manage 2010 U.S. Men's National Team;
Gordon to Serve as Head Coach;
Richards and Rolston as Assistant Coaches
Team USA to Compete in IIHF World Men's Championship May 7-23 in Germany
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - USA Hockey announced today that its management team from the silver medal-winning 2010 U.S. Olympic Men's Ice Hockey Team -- general manager Brian Burke and associate general manager David Poile -- will team up again in the same capacities to lead the 2010 U.S. Men's National Team for the upcoming International Ice Hockey Federation World Men's Championship, May 7-23, in Cologne, Gelsenkirchen and Mannheim, Germany. Burke is the president and general manager of the National Hockey League's Toronto Maple Leafs, while Poile serves a similar role with the NHL's Nashville Predators.
In addition, USA Hockey also announced that Scott Gordon, who served as an assistant coach of the 2010 U.S. Olympic Men's Ice Hockey Team and is the head coach of the NHL's New York Islanders, will serve as head coach of the 2010 U.S. Men's National Team. Todd Richards, head coach of the NHL's Minnesota Wild, and Ron Rolston, one of two head coaches at USA Hockey's National Team Development Program, will serve as Gordon's assistants.
Team USA's management group, led by Burke and Poile and also including Jim Johannson, USA Hockey's assistant executive director for hockey operations, and NHL general managers Paul Holmgren (Philadelphia Flyers), Dean Lombardi (L.A. Kings), Ray Shero (Pittsburgh Penguins) and Don Waddell (Atlanta Thrashers), will select the 2010 U.S. Men's National Team.
NOTES: USA Hockey also announced the following support staff for the 2010 U.S. Men's National Team: Bob Webster, team leader; Brent Proulx (Minnesota Wild), equipment manager; Ryan Ward (New York Islanders), video coordinator; Dr. Steve Stecker, team physician; Tim Clark (Anaheim Ducks) and Stan Wong, athletic trainers; Peewee Willmann, massage therapist; and Dave Fischer, USA Hockey's senior director of communications ... Team USA opens the 2010 IIHF World Men's Championship against host Germany on May 7. The game will be played at Gelsenkirchen's VELTINS-Arena, home of the German soccer league's FC Schalke. The contest is expected to be played in front of a world record crowd of more than 76,000 spectators ... USA Hockey's international council, chaired by Tony Rossi, vice president of USA Hockey, has oversight responsibilities for all U.S. national teams.
ABOUT BURKE
Burke, the president and general manager of the NHL's Toronto Maple Leafs, most recently served as the general manager of the silver medal-winning 2010 U.S. Olympic Men's Ice Hockey Team. He also served in the same capacity for both the 1993 and 2009 U.S. Men's National Teams that competed at IIHF World Men's Championships.
Before coming to the Maple Leafs in November 2008, Burke was the executive vice president and general manager of the Anaheim Ducks for three seasons (2005-08). While in Anaheim, Burke led the Ducks to their first-ever Stanley Cup in 2007, the first for a team from California. Additionally, the Ducks made the Stanley Cup Playoffs in each of Burke's three seasons with the organization.
He joined Anaheim after a six-year stint as president and general manager of the Vancouver Canucks, where he revitalized the team and community en route to consecutive 100+ point seasons and a Northwest Division title in 2003-04.
Burke was named president and general manager for the Canucks on June 22, 1998. Under his leadership, the team increased its point total four consecutive years from 1999-2003. Over his last four seasons with the team, Burke engineered four consecutive seasons of at least 90 points. For his efforts, Burke was named by The Sporting News as NHL Executive of the Year in 2001.
Prior to joining the Canucks organization, Burke worked in the NHL front office as senior vice president and director of hockey operations (1993-98). While at the league office, he served as the chief disciplinarian, ruling on violations for on-ice player conduct. He worked closely with Commissioner Gary Bettman on league direction, including collective bargaining matters.
ABOUT POILE
Poile, the associate general manager for the silver medal-winning 2010 U.S. Olympic Men's Ice Hockey Team, will serve in the same capacity for the 2010 U.S. Men's National Team.
On the international stage, Poile served as general manager for two U.S. Men's National Teams (1998, 1999), while serving as associate general manager for the 2009 U.S. Men's National Team.
The president of hockey operations and general manger for the NHL's Nashville Predators, Poile has 27 consecutive years of experience as an NHL general manager, ranking as the second-longest current streak in the league and sixth in NHL history.
Prior to his time with Nashville, Poile led the Washington Capitals to the Stanley Cup Playoffs 14 times during his 15-year tenure.
In 2005, Poile was selected as one of four NHL general managers to sit on the first NHL competition committee, the steering body that formulates and recommends rule changes for approval by the NHL Board of Governors. In this role, he helped usher in a new era of NHL hockey, featuring on-ice innovations such as the regular-season shootout and the elimination of the red line. In 2006-07, Poile was recognized by The Sporting News as its executive of the year.
In addition, Poile received the Lester Patrick Award in 2001 in recognition of his outstanding contributions to hockey in the United States.
ABOUT GORDON
Gordon, an assistant coach for the silver medal-winning 2010 U.S. Olympic Men's Ice Hockey Team, is back behind the bench of a U.S. Men's National Team for the second straight year after serving as an assistant coach for the 2009 U.S. Men's National Team at the IIHF World Men's Championship in Bern and Zurich-Kloten, Switzerland.
A Team USA veteran, Gordon was also a member of the 1992 U.S. Olympic Men's Ice Hockey Team that competed at the Olympic Winter Games in Albertville, France.
The 2009-10 season marked Gordon's second year as the head coach of the NHL's New York Islanders.
Prior to joining the Islanders, Gordon led the Providence Bruins to the American Hockey League's best regular-season record at 55-18-3 in 2007-08, and was named the recipient of the Louis A.R. Pieri Memorial Award as the AHL's Coach of the Year. After being promoted to head coach in his third season with Providence for the final nine games, Gordon then spent the next five seasons as the club's head coach.
ABOUT RICHARDS
Richards, who is in his first season as head coach of the NHL's Minnesota Wild, is making his Team USA debut as an assistant coach with the 2010 U.S. Men's National Team.
Prior to joining the Wild, Richards spent the 2008-09 season as an assistant coach with the NHL's San Jose Sharks, helping lead the team to the NHL's best regular-season record.
From 2006-08, Richards served as the head coach of the American Hockey League's Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Richards led the AHL’s Penguins to a berth in the Calder Cup Finals his last season with the team and left Wilkes-Barre/Scranton as the club’s coaching leader in franchise wins (98) and winning percentage (.653). He also coached the PlanetUSA Team at the 2007 RBK Hockey/AHL All-Star Classic in Toronto.
Before working with the Penguins, Richards began his coaching career as an assistant coach with the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals (2002-06). While in Milwaukee, the Admirals won two West Division titles and made two trips to the Calder Cup Finals (2004, 2006), winning the Calder Cup in 2004.
ABOUT ROLSTON
Rolston, one of two head coaches at USA Hockey's National Team Development Program, will serve as an assistant coach for the U.S. Men's National Team for the first time.
Rolston, who recently completed his sixth season as a head coach at the NTDP, has compiled a career record of 210-138-7-20 (W-L-T-OTL). In January, he led the U.S. National Under-17 Team to its third first-place finish at the 2010 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge.
In 2009, Rolston led the U.S. Men's National Under-18 Team to its sixth consecutive medal and fourth gold at the IIHF World Men's U18 Championship in Fargo, N.D., and Moorhead, Minn. He also guided the U.S. Men’s National Under-18 Team to gold at the 2005 IIHF World Men's U18 Championship in Plzen, Czech Republic, making him the only head coach in NTDP history to earn two gold medals at the IIHF World Men's U18 Championship. Additionally, Rolston piloted the U.S. Men’s National Under-18 Team to the silver medal at the 2007 IIHF World Men's U18 Championship in Tampere and Rauma, Finland.
Rolston also served as head coach for both the 2007 and 2009 U.S. National Junior Teams, leading Team USA to the bronze medal at the 2007 IIHF World Junior Championship in Leksand and Mora, Sweden.
Prior to his arrival at the NTDP, Rolston was an assistant coach at Boston College from 2002-04. He also served as the top assistant at Harvard University from 1999-2002. Rolston also spent time as an assistant coach at Clarkson University (1996-99) and Lake Superior State University (1990-95). While at LSSU, Rolston helped guide the Lakers to two national championships (1992, 1994). He was elevated to associate head coach for the Lakers for the 1994-95 season.
More Later...
Buddy Oakes for PredsOnTheGlass
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