Vernon-born Ken Holland and former Vernon Lakers striker Scott Salmond have been named to the men’s Canadian Olympic team management group for the Beijing 2022 Olympics, if NHL players can compete.
Doug Armstrong of the St. Louis Blues has been named general manager, while Holland, the current GM of the Edmonton Oilers, will be the associate GM.
Salmond, who helped the Lakers win the BC Hockey League championship in 1989 before being awarded to rival Kelowna Spartans the following year, is Canada’s senior vice president of national teams hockey.
Ron Francis of the Seattle Kraken expansion, former Vancouver Canucks goalkeeper Roberto Luongo, and former Boston Bruin Don Sweeney have also been appointed as deputy general managers.
The Canadian men’s Olympic team management group is led by Tom Renney, Chief Executive Officer of Hockey Canada and former head coach of Columbia Valley Rockies, subsidiary of the Lakers Kootenay International Junior Hockey League, and Scott Smith, President and Chief Operating Officer of the organization Officer.
“It is an exciting time to introduce the members of the Canadian Management Group, each with a tremendous amount of international and championship experience that will benefit our team when NHL players can compete in the 2022 Winter Olympics,” said Renney. “Under the leadership of Doug and our entire management group, we are excited to appoint them to lead us into 2022 and to have the ability to monitor our staff and players as they compete for an Olympic gold medal.”
Holland has a wealth of international experience having worked for the Canadian Men’s Olympic Team in 2010 and 2014 and winning two Olympic gold medals. He was also General Manager of Team Canada at the 2006 IIHF World Championships, won silver in 2005 as Deputy General Manager and was part of the management group in 2013.
Holland is in his sophomore season as general manager and president of the hockey business for the Edmonton Oilers, and after 22 seasons as the general manager of the Detroit Red Wings, which included three Stanley Cup championships (1998, 2002, 2008) Oilers. He spent more than 35 years with the Red Wings as a player, scout and manager and won another Stanley Cup in 1997 as deputy general manager.
In 2019, Holland was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in the Builder category. He is also anchored in the Okanagan Sports Hall of Fame at Kal Tire Place.
Salmond was promoted to Senior Vice President of National Teams for Hockey Canada in 2018 after serving as Vice President of National Teams for four years. In this position, Salmond oversees all operations for Canada’s men’s, women’s and para hockey teams. He has led Canada to gold medals at two Winter Olympics (2010, 2014), four IIHF World Championships (2003, 2004, 2015, 2016) and five IIHF Junior World Championships (2007, 2008, 2009, 2015, 2018). an IIHF U18 World Championship (2013), an IPC Para Hockey World Championship (2017) and a Paralympic Winter Game (2006) as well as a Hockey World Championship (2016) and a Spengler Cup three-pits (2015, 2016), 2017) .
Salmond joined Hockey Canada in 2001 and has held senior leadership positions during his tenure with the organization.
The management group will work together to select the coaching and support staff who will lead Team Canada at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, which will be announced at a later date.
READ MORE: Vernon’s Ken Holland was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame
READ MORE: Senators release Lazar to play for Canada
roger@vernonmorningstar.com
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
Canadahockey Winter Olympics
Get local stories you won’t find anywhere else straight to your inbox.
Login here
