In November, Dave Struch took the next step. He was named as an assistant coach for Team WHL in the CIBC Canada Russia Series.
“I’ve been very fortunate to have been involved with Hockey Canada. This was just something a little bit bigger,” Struch said after the games in Saskatoon and Prince Albert. “These players are trying to impress for a World Junior tryout. Being a part of that coaching staff and the organization of the players and high-end talent is a special feeling. Getting a chance to work with those guys, you get to learn a lot. You sit back and you watch and especially when it’s the opportunity to win something with those kids. (I) was fortunate to have a lot of them with me at the Under 17s and try to enjoy some success with them again.”
Struch has previous experience coaching many of the players on Team WHL.
(Photo – Don Healy)
In 2016, Struch was an assistant coach for Team Canada Black which won a silver medal at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont. Players like Ty Smith, Calen Addison, Chase Wouters, Nolan Foote, and Luka Burzan were on that team as well as this year’s Team WHL.
The next year, Struch led the Team Canada Black coaching staff at the 2017 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge in Dawson Creek and Fort St. John, B.C. He coached the likes of Kirby Dach, Kaedan Korczak, and Nolan Maier to a seventh-place finish.
Struch was then named to the staff of the 2019 IIHF U18 World Championship as an assistant coach. The team fell to the United States in the bronze medal game. Braden Schneider, Kaedan Korczak, Brayden Tracey, Dylan Cozens, and Nolan Maier were all part of that team.
Dale Hunter is this year’s head coach for Team Canada at the WJHC. He is in his 19th season as the London Knights head coach. Hunter did leave partway through the 2011-12 season to coach the Washington Capitals but returned to London the next season. He has led the Knights to three OHL titles and two Memorial Cups.
Struch commented on the experience of coaching with Dale. “It was fantastic. Just being around him for the three days, to watch the way he works. Coming from the London Knights, that program is a very successful program. There’s really nothing flashy about them, but you can see that he coaches to win. He has that energy in him that he transfers on to his players and to our coaching staff. It’s very good to be a part of that. I couldn’t ask for anything better as far as experience goes in the game of hockey”
