Hockey Canada has named the management group that will lead Canada’s National Men’s Team at the 2023 Spengler Cup, set for Dec. 26-31 in Davos, Switzerland.
Brad Pascall (Coquitlam, BC/Calgary, NHL) and Olympic gold medallist Joe Thornton (St. Thomas, ON) will serve as co-general managers, working alongside assistant general manager Hnat Domenichelli (Edmonton, AB/HC Lugano, NL). Thornton and Domenichelli are set to make their international management debuts, while Pascall makes his return to Canada’s National Men’s Team for the first time since departing Hockey Canada for the Calgary Flames in 2014.
“We are excited to announce our experienced management group that will be tasked with building a staff and roster that will attempt to reclaim the Spengler Cup for the first time since 2019,” said Scott Salmond (Creston, BC), senior vice-president of hockey operations. “Brad, Joe and Hnat bring a wealth of international experience to our management group, having participated in various events and a combined eight Spengler Cups in playing and management capacities. We know these three will represent Canada with pride and build a team that can compete for a championship in Davos.”
Pascall is currently in his 10th season (2014-2023) as assistant general manager of the Calgary Flames, adding the title of vice-president of hockey operations this season, as well as general manager of the Adirondack/Stockton Heat and Calgary Wranglers of the American Hockey League (AHL). Prior to joining the Flames, Pascall was the vice-president of hockey operations and national teams with Hockey Canada for nearly four years (2010-14), and worked for the organization from 1996-2014. During his tenure, he won five-straight gold medals at the IIHF World Junior Championship (2005-09), three Olympic gold medals (2002, 2010, 2014), two IIHF World Championship gold medals (2003, 2004), the 2004 World Cup of Hockey and the 2012 Spengler Cup.
Thornton enjoyed a 25-year professional playing career that included NHL stints with the Boston Bruins (1997-2005), San Jose Sharks (2005-20), Toronto Maple Leafs (2021) and Florida Panthers (2021-22), as well as parts of three seasons with HC Davos (2004-05, 2012-13, 2020-21) during NHL lockouts and the COVID-19 pandemic. In over 1,700 NHL games, he amassed 1,539 points (430-1,109—1,539), was a six-time all-star and won the Hart Trophy and Art Ross Trophy in 2005-06. Internationally, Thornton suited up for Canada eight times, winning a gold medal at the 1996 Pacific Cup, gold at the 1997 IIHF World Junior Championship, silver at the 2005 IIHF World Championship and gold at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games, as well as the World Cup of Hockey in 2004 and 2016. He also played in two Spengler Cups (2004, 2012) with HC Davos, winning the championship in 2004.
Domenichelli is currently in his fifth season (2019-23) as general manager of HC Lugano of the National League. As a player, he had an 18-year professional career that included 922 games in the NHL, AHL and NL, while also representing Canada nine times. Domenichelli won a gold medal at the 1996 IIHF World Junior Championship, suited up at the Spengler Cup four times (2003, 2004, 2005, 2008), winning the championship in 2003, and represented Switzerland at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games. He also won back-to-back Memorial Cups (1994, 1995) with the Kamloops Blazers of the Western Hockey League (WHL), as well as the Calder Cup with the AHL’s Houston Aeros in 2003.
Canada is grouped with host HC Davos and Frölunda HC for the preliminary round and will open the 2023 Spengler Cup against Frölunda HC on Dec. 26 at 12:15 p.m. MTN. Preliminary-round action wraps up on Dec. 28, with the championship game set for Dec. 31 at 4:10 a.m. MTN.
TSN, Hockey Canada’s official broadcast partner, will broadcast all 11 tournament games; please check local listings for details.
For more information on Hockey Canada and Canada’s National Men’s Team, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along via social media on Facebook, X and Instagram.
