Team North America adds Cooper, DeBoer, Tippett

Jon Cooper, Peter DeBoer, Dave Tippett and Jay Woodcroft were named assistant coaches for Team North America for the 2016 World Cup of Hockey on Friday by the NHL and NHL Players' Association.

Edmonton Oilers coach Todd McLellan will serve as the head coach. He said he liked that the assistant coaches have extensive experience working with younger players. Team North America will consist of players from the United States and Canada who will be age 23 or younger as of Oct. 1, 2016.

"A lot of experience, international experience," McLellan said. "Coaches that have been around a lot of young players for a while. I look at [Tippett on Thursday against the Oilers] having [Anthony] Duclair and [Max] Domi and a growing [Oliver] Ekman-Larsson, those type of players. [Cooper] with his group in Tampa. Peter DeBoer has some young players that he's had in the past both in Florida and New Jersey. The comfort of working with those people that I've been involved with in the past, we're excited about it."

Said Edmonton Oilers general manager Peter Chiarelli, who is the GM of Team North America: "We are excited to announce Team North America's assistant coaches for the World Cup of Hockey 2016," said Chiarelli. "Jon, Peter, Dave and Jay are great additions to our staff and their tremendous experience will go a long way in helping our young players have a successful tournament."

Team North America will play in Group B, along with Team Finland, Team Russia and Team Sweden. Group A will consist of Team Canada, Team Czech Republic, Team USA and Team Europe, which will include players from outside the four countries that will send teams.

Cooper is in his third full season as coach of the Tampa Bay Lightning. Last season he guided the Lightning to the Stanley Cup Final and was a finalist for the 2015 Jack Adams Award. Prior to joining the Lightning during the 2012-13 season he had success coaching younger players in the American Hockey League and United States Hockey League, winning championships in both leagues.

"It is a privilege to have the opportunity to work with such a talented coaching and managerial staff at such a prestigious event," Cooper said, according to the Tampa Bay Times. "I am really excited to help coach the futures stars of the NHL and try and win a World Cup."

DeBoer is in his first season as coach of the San Jose Sharks. He has also has coached the Florida Panthers and New Jersey Devils, who he guided to the 2012 Stanley Cup Final. He also led the Kitchener Rangers of the Ontario Hockey League to the Memorial Cup in 2003.

This will be the second time DeBoer has been an assistant to McLellan; they worked in the same roles to help Canada win the gold medal at the 2015 IIHF World Championship.

"I'm excited about it," DeBoer said. "Todd and I worked together at the World Championships. ... Any time you can coach the best players in North America 23 and under, it makes you a better coach."

Tippett is in his seventh season as coach of the Arizona Coyotes, and prior to that coached the Dallas Stars for six seasons. He's made the Stanley Cup Playoffs eight times and gone to the Western Conference Final twice.

Woodcroft joined McLellan's staff as an assistant coach in Edmonton this season after working with him for seven seasons as an assistant coach with the San Jose Sharks. He also was an assistant coach under McLellan at the 2015 World Championship.

"I'm looking forward to bringing what I bring which I think is energy, preparation and attention to detail and that's probably the reason why I've been asked to join that group," Woodcroft said. "I'm very fortunate. I'm going to go in with an open mindset and open attitude and I'm looking forward to learning, not only from the entire coaching staff, but from the management staff and learning from the players that you get to work with as well."

The 2016 World Cup of Hockey will take place at Air Canada Center in Toronto from Sept. 17-Oct. 1. All games will be televised by ESPN in the United States and Sportsnet and TVA Sports in Canada.