Dale Hunter of Petrolia, Ontario has been named Canada’s head coach of the 2026 World Junior Hockey Championships in Minneapolis-Saint Paul, Minnesota. According to Jared Brown of The Hockey News on Thursday, Hunter will be looking to win his second gold medal as the head coach of Canada’s national junior team at the International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Hockey Championships. He was previously the bench boss for Team Canada in 2020. At the 2020 World Junior Hockey Championship in Ostrava, Czech Republic, Canada defeated Russia 4-3 in the gold medal game on a game-winning goal by Akil Thomas of Toronto, Ontario.
Hunter was the head coach of the Washington Capitals for one season in 2011-12. He has spent the majority of his coaching career with the London Knights. Since 2001, except for 60 games as the head coach of the Capitals, Hunter has been the Knights head coach. In that time, Hunter has won three Memorial Cups (2005, 2016 and 2025).
As a National Hockey League player, Hunter played 19 seasons from 1980 to 1999. He played with the Quebec Nordiques, Capitals and Colorado Avalanche. In 1407 games, Hunter had 323 goals and 697 assists for 1020 points. He was a +101 with 3565 penalty minutes, 245 power-play points, 27 shorthanded points, 42 game-winning goals, and 2047 shots on goal. In 1996-97, Hunter was an All-Star with the Capitals.
