Hockey Canada’s announcement on Friday confirmed it. Dan De Palma is going on an all-expense-paid trip to Edmonton.
But this is no vacation.
The 52-year-old Prince George native has been named to the coaching staff as goaltending consultant for Team Canada at the Hlinka-Gretzky Cup, May 5-10, 2025 in the Alberta capital.
Just a couple of months ago, De Palma got to hoist the trophy in Finland after Canada’s gold-medal win at the IIHF Under-18 World Championship.
“It’s a cheaper trip than the last time,” laughed De Palma. “It’s pretty cool, actually, I’m excited.”
The national team obviously likes what De Palma has accomplished in his 18 seasons as a goaltending coach in the Western Hockey League, a position he held for three years with the Prince George Cougars before he migrated south to the Kamloops Blazers. He’s heading into his 16th season with the Blazers.
He got into coaching young kids in Kamloops and in 2006 he started working with the Cougars in Prince George, where he helped Real Cyr and company get to the WHL conference final that season.
Canada’s undefeated 7-0 run to U-18 gold in May was in jeopardy in the final when the Canadians fell behind 3-2 heading into the third period. But they took advantage of a five-minute power play to score three late-game goals to cap a 6-4 win over the United States.
“It’s always a tricky tournament for Canada to win because you just don’t always get the players you’d like to get with the CHL playoffs going on,” said De Palma.
“The brass felt it was a pretty good team and we found a way. We were on the ropes in the final, down 3-2 and the score flattered us. Our goalie (Carter George of the Owen Sound Attack) kept us in it for a long stretch, he was unreal, and then we got three goals in that five-minute major.”
De Palma will get a championship ring for his role as a coach.
He gets his turn next week to show off the IIHF U-18 World Championship cup and plans to bring it to Prince George on Wednesday to give his friends and family and some time with the trophy.
“It makes you think, you’ve got roots in P.G. and it makes you think about a ton of your childhood, playing street hockey with your friends and always playing for the Canada Cup or Stanley Cup either for Team Canada or your favourite team,” he said.
“It brought back a ton of memories. It just reminds you of your humble beginnings and where you all started in life and in the sport. I just feel pretty lucky they even asked me to go, let alone win it all.
De Palma grew up in the Seymour subdivision and graduated from Duchess Park Secondary School in 1989. He had a chance to play junior hockey as a goalie but knew his own goaltending abilities weren’t going to lead to a professional playing career.
“I just decided I was better at school than I was at hockey,” he said.
He studied economics at UBC and got a job soon after he graduated at Arrow Transportation Systems, where he now works in Kamloops as director of marketing and business development.
With the eight-team Hlinka-Gretzky Cup tournament set for Edmonton, there’s a chance the Great One himself might make the trip back to his old stomping grounds. If Gretzky is there, De Palma won’t be shy about introducing himself.
“I’ve never met him, it would be pretty special to meet him, I’m hoping he is there,” he said.
Featuring mostly 2007-born players, Canada’s roster will be announced next week and Medicine Hat Tigers centre Gavin McKenna will certainly be on it. As a 16-year-old the Whitehorse native broke the all-time record for points at U-18 worlds with 20, including 10 goals, and in the final against the U.S. he had three goals and an assist.
“He’s just a special player, he’s real talented and just has a unique sense for the game and space and it’s pretty neat to have him on your team,” said De Palma. “There’s 21 other (WHL) that wish he was on their team, for sure.”
Kris Mallette of the Kelowna Rockets was named head coach of the Hlinka-Gretzky team.
Canada opens against Switzerland Aug. 6. The medal-round games are on Aug. 10.
