NHL News

Armstrong & Getzlaf to Lead Hockey Canada Into 2026 Olympics

Doug Armstrong St. Louis Blues

Hockey Canada has announced that St. Louis Blues general manager (GM) Doug Armstrong has been named as Team Canada’s GM for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy. For the first time since the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, the NHL and its players will be returning to the biggest international stage, and Armstrong will be at the forefront of Team Canada’s roster construction.

Others who will be part of the executive committee include Ryan Getzlaf as a player relations advisor, Scott Salmond as the senior vice president of high performance and hockey operations, Katherine Henderson as the president and chief executive officer, and Pat McLaughlin as the chief operating officer and executive vice-president of strategy. Getzlaf, Salmond, McLaughlin, and Armstrong met with the media.

Armstrong’s Role for Team Canada

After being removed as GM of the 2022 Olympic team due to the state of the global pandemic and the lack of NHL involvement, Armstrong was disappointed but expressed today that with the passion the players have when it comes to Olympic participation, it was difficult to see them come so close and not be able to live that dream. Though the question asked was about him, as a true leader, Armstrong stated the importance of the players.

“When you work for Hockey Canada, to use a baseball analogy, we start on third base, but we still have to get home. That is our job, to get from third to home. With the talent we have, not only on the ice but in coaching, management, training staff, and support staff, it is a great opportunity to work with these guys and make Canada proud”.

Doug Armstrong, Team Canada’s GM for 2026 Olympics

Armstrong will be GM of Team Canada for the 2026 Winter Olympics, but until then he has his work cut out for him. Armstrong will need to select a manager for the 2024 World Championship team and wishes to do so within the next 10 days (by March 25). As for the 2025 NHL 4-Nations Face-Off, Armstrong stated that he hopes to have his GM selected for that team before the 2024 playoffs begin.

Doug Armstrong, General Manager of the St. Louis Blues (Photo by Jeff Vinnick/NHLI via Getty Images)

The coaching staff is chosen by not…

Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at The Hockey Writers…