(Written by Tim Durkin/Caleb Boisvert/Hockey Canada)
The Trenton Golden Hawks organization is going to be well represented at the 2023 World Junior A Challenge in Truro Nova Scotia in December.
Hockey Canada has announced that Derek Smith has once again been named as an Assistant Coach for Team Canada East. Smith will work alongside former Trenton Coach/GM Peter Goulet and former GHawks Assistant Coach Josh Hardiman.
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Coach Smith says, “We want to build around our success last year (2022). We brought home a silver medal, which is an honour, but not our goal.” Smith continued, “It is an amazing accomplishment and I am really excited for the opportunity. It is a very short tournament. We have a lot of expectations and we know what it takes to be successful.”
Smith’s main focus will be working with the d-core for Canada East.
The Head Coach for Team Canada East is Billy McGuigan, the Coach for Summerside in the MHL.
Rounding out the Trenton connections is Leah Toffelmire. The Trenton resident and Athletic Therapist for the Golden Hawks will return to the role for Canada East for a second year. “It is an honour to not only work at such a high level, but also to represent Canada. I look forward to building on last year’s silver medal experience. ”
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“The coaches selected to lead Team Canada East and Team Canada West are an excellent representation of the level of talent within the coaching ranks of Junior A hockey in Canada,” said Andy Harkness, president of the CJHL. “All eight of these individuals bring a wealth of coaching and playing experience both internationally and in Canada. It is an honour for them to be named to these positions, and we look forward to them guiding our Canadian teams through a fantastic event in Nova Scotia.”
“We are excited about the quality of coaches that will lead two teams of highly-skilled players from across the country as they compete for a gold medal at the 2023 World Junior A Challenge in Truro,” said Scott Salmond (Creston, BC), senior vice-president of hockey operations with Hockey Canada. “We look forward to showcasing the talent from across the CJHL, and we know fans in Truro and across Nova Scotia will be treated to an exciting week of hockey.”
The tournament starts for Canada East on December 10th against Slovakia.
