CALGARY, Alberta – The Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL), in partnership with Hockey Canada, announced today that Tim Fragle, head coach and general manager of the Alberta Junior Hockey League's Sherwood Park Crusaders, will be the head coach of Canada West at the 2015 World Junior A Challenge, scheduled to take place Dec. 13-19 in Whitby and Cobourg, Ont.
Fragle will be joined by assistant coaches Barry Wolff (head coach and general manager, Coquitlam Express, British Columbia Hockey League), Paul Dyck (head coach and general manager, Steinbach Pistons, Manitoba Junior Hockey League) and Mike Reagan (head coach and general manager, Flin Flon Bombers, Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League).
I’m honoured to have been appointed the head coach of Canada West and truly excited to get the opportunity to work with the top CJHL players from Western Canada,” said Tim Fragle, head coach of Canada West. “I look forward to working with the staff in preparations for the selection camp and the World Junior A Challenge in December.”
Tim Fragle, 35, will make his second appearance with Canada West at the World Junior A Challenge after serving as an assistant coach in 2014. Entering his sixth year as head coach and general manager in Sherwood Park, Fragle has 17 years of coaching and instructional experience. He finished his CJHL playing career with the Crusaders, serving as captain in 2000-01.
Barry Wolff, 48, will make his second appearance with Canada West at the World Junior A Challenge, having been an assistant coach in 2010. Wolff has been head coach and general manager of Coquitlam Express for the past three seasons, leading the team to the BCHL championship in 2014. He also won the BCHL championship with the Surrey Eagles in 2005. Wolff was a guest coach evaluator for Canada West in preparation for the 2014 World Junior A Challenge.
Paul Dyck, 44, will make his first appearance with Canada West at the 2015 World Junior A Challenge. He was named head coach of Team West for the 2014 CJHL Prospects Games. Paul has been the head coach and general manager in Steinbach for the past three seasons, guiding the Pistons to the MJHL final in each of his three years, winning the league title in 2013. Dyck was a guest coach evaluator in 2013 and 2014 at Canada West selection camps.
Mike Reagan, 36, will be an assistant coach with Canada West at the World Junior A Challenge for the first time. He has been the head coach and general manager of the Bombers for the past eight years. During that time, Reagan has a coaching won / loss record of 243 wins and 172 losses. Reagan has been part of the selection process for players coming out of Saskatchewan for the World Junior A Challenge for the past three seasons and was a guest coach at selection camp in 2014.
Canada West has appeared in six of the nine gold medal games at the World Junior A Challenge, winning gold in 2006 (Yorkton/Humboldt, Sask.), 2007 (Trail/Nelson, B.C.), and 2012 (Langley, B.C.). It also won silver in 2008 (Camrose, Alta.), 2009 (Summerside, P.E.I.), and 2012 (Yarmouth, N.S.), and won bronze in 2013 (Yarmouth, N.S.). It finished fourth in 2010 (Penticton, B.C.).
The CJHL in partnership with Hockey Canada will be announcing the coaching staff for Canada East tomorrow afternoon at 1:00 pm EST.
For more information on the 2015 World Junior A Challenge, please visit www.hockeycanada.ca/wjac.