NEW YORK CITY – Dan Bylsma (Grand Haven, Mich.), head coach for the National Hockey League's Pittsburgh Penguins, will be the head coach of the 2014 U.S. Olympic Men's Ice Hockey Team, USA Hockey announced here today at a press conference at the New York Marriott Marquis in Manhattan.
“We're thrilled to have Dan as coach of our men's Olympic team” said Ron DeGregorio president of USA Hockey. “He's rapidly established himself as one of the most prominent coaches in our country today and we know he'll help put us in the best position of achieving our ultimately goal of bringing home the gold medal."
"In Dan, we've chosen someone that has had terrific success and relates well to players," said David Poile, general manager of the 2014 U.S. Olympic Men's Ice Hockey Team and also the GM of the NHL's Nashville Predators. "We're extremely pleased and I know that our entire management group looks forward to working with him and his staff."
USA Hockey also announced today that it plans to conduct an orientation camp the last week of August in Arlington, Va., at Kettler Çapitals IcePlex, the practice facility of the NHL's Washington Capitals. The camp will feature the top men's players in the United States.
"While complete details are still being worked through, we're thrilled to bring the camp to the D.C. area and cannot thank the staff of the Kettler Capitals IcePlex and Washington Capitals enough for hosting us," said Jim Johannson, assistant executive director of hockey operations for USA Hockey and part of the management team for the 2014 U.S. Olympic Men's Ice Hockey Team. "We'll have more to say on the camp in the weeks ahead, but we're excited to be bringing the most talented men's players in the U.S. together in our nation's capital region."
NOTES: While USA Hockey released details of the management team for the 2014 U.S. Olympic Men's Ice Hockey Team yesterday, the group was formally introduced at today's press conference, including David Poile, general manager; Ray Shero, associate general manager; Brian Burke, director of player personnel, and Johannson ... USA Hockey's international council, chaired by Gavin Regan, has oversight responsibilities for all U.S. National Teams ... USA Hockey expects to announce assistant coaches and support staff for the 2014 U.S. Olympic Men's Ice Hockey Team later this month ... The appointment of the management staff and head coach of the 2014 U.S. Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Team is subject to the approval of the United States Olympic Committee’s Games Preparation Division.
Bylsma is the head coach of the U.S. Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Team for the first time. In four-plus seasons behind the Pittsburgh Penguins bench, he has led the franchise to a Stanley Cup championship in 2009, received the Jack Adams Award as the NHL's Most Outstanding Coach in 2010-11 and delivered the best record in the Eastern Conference in 2012-13.