Hockey Canada names Rick Nash general manager for Men’s World Championship Team

A former NHL All-Star is set to put together the roster representing his country this spring.

On Tuesday, Hockey Canada named Rick Nash general manager of Canada’s National Men’s team at the 2024 IIHF World Championship.

Nash was selected by a group headed by St. Louis Blues GM Doug Armstrong, which also featured former Anaheim Duck Ryan Getzlaf and HC senior vice-president of hockey operations and high performance Scott Salmond.

“Rick is an outstanding person to lead Canada’s National Men’s Team at this year’s world championship,” Armstrong said in a release. “He brings a wealth of international and NHL experience from his playing career and his time as an executive. We are excited to work with Rick and begin building the staff and roster that will wear the Maple Leaf in Czechia and help us defend gold this May.”

The former Columbus Blue Jacket was the assistant general manager for Team Canada in 2022, when the squad took home silver at that year’s World Championships. Nash is currently with the Blue Jackets as director of player development, a role he has held since 2021.

Nash is not unfamiliar with representing his country on the international stage. The Brampton, Ontario native won silver at the 2002 World Junior Championships, finishing second with Canada at the 2005 and 2008 World Championships. He was part of gold medal-winning teams at the 2007 World Championship, as well as the 2010 and 2014 Olympic Games.

Nash played 15 seasons in the NHL, also playing with the New York Rangers and Boston Bruins. He scored 437 goals and 368 assists in 1,060 games, including another 46 points in 89 playoff games.

This year, the tournament will be held in Prague and Ostrava, Czechia, from May 10 to 26. Canada opens group play on May 11 against Great Britain.