CALGARY, Alberta – Hockey Canada has announced that the 18th edition of the Para Cup will be hosted Nov. 29-Dec. 5 at the Paradise Double Ice Complex in Paradise, Newfoundland and Labrador.

The Para Cup, the first international competition following the 2026 Paralympic Winter Games, returns to Newfoundland and Labrador for the first time since 2019. Atlantic Canada has hosted the world’s best para hockey players a total of nine times, including five events in Prince Edward Island (2008, 2009, December 2016, 2017, 2024), two in Nova Scotia (January 2016, 2022), one in New Brunswick (2023) and once in Newfoundland and Labrador (2019).

“The passion for hockey in this community, combined with its proud tradition of welcoming national events, makes Paradise an outstanding host for our para hockey family,” said Dean McIntosh, senior vice-president of revenue, fan experience and community impact. “This tournament will showcase the very best of para hockey while inspiring fans of all ages, and we can’t wait to celebrate the sport, the athletes and the incredible spirit of Newfoundland and Labrador in 2026.”

Since the tournament’s inception in 2007, Canada has won five gold medals (2007, 2008, April 2011, November 2011, 2013), 11 silver (2009, 2012, January 2016, November 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025) and one bronze (2015).

“We are honoured to welcome the Para Cup back to Newfoundland and Labrador and to host it here in Paradise once again,” said Paradise Mayor Patrick Martin. “Paradise is known for its hospitality, volunteers and love of hockey, and we’re proud to welcome the athletes, officials and fans taking part in this tournament. The event builds on our province’s para hockey legacy and highlights how sport brings people together.”

“Newfoundland and Labrador has a deep connection to hockey, and hosting the Para Cup is an opportunity to celebrate the skill, dedication and resilience of these remarkable athletes. Paradise has a proud history of welcoming national and international sport, and through a $30,000 contribution from Celebrate NL to support securing this event, the tournament will bring communities together while inspiring fans of all ages across our province,” said The Honourable Andrea Barbour, Minister of Tourism, Culture, Arts and Recreation with the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador.

The official tournament schedule and ticket information will be announced at a later date. Fans can stay up to date on tournament information by signing up to become a Hockey Canada Insider .

For more information on Hockey Canada and the Para Hockey Cup, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along through social media on Facebook , X, Instagram and TikTok .

DAWSON CREEK, British Columbia – Canada’s National Para Hockey Team has earned the silver medal at the 2025 Para Cup after coming up short against the United States 2-0 in the gold medal game Saturday evening.

Corbin Watson (Kingsville, ON) was terrific in the Canadian goal, finishing with 16 saves. Brett Bolton opened the scoring for the Americans 8:05 into the opening period before Brody Roybal found the empty net in the final minute.

“Our forecheck is our bread and butter, and when we were strong on the forecheck we were a relentless team. We forced a lot of turnovers and created scoring opportunities from the forecheck, and we are thrilled with that. Moving forward, consistency and execution in big moments will be a key for us,” said captain Tyler McGregor (Forest, ON). “We will be ready [for the Paralympics], and by the time March rolls around we will be ready to perform in Milan and represent Canada to the best of our ability.”

“We are happy with our tournament as a whole because our team got better every game and we are building a sense of belief,” said forward Adam Dixon (Midland, ON). “We are excited about the opportunities we have to gather as a team over the next few months because it will allow us to work on our systems, and Canadians should be excited to tune [to the Paralympics] because it is going to be a great tournament.”

A full game summary can be found here.

“We have taken some big steps since this team first got together in August, but now the real season starts when we gather again in Calgary in January. The next few months are going to be a lot of fun because our players and staff know how close the Paralympics are, and we have two months to prepare and be ready to represent Canada [in Italy],” said head coach Boris Rybalka (Camrose, AB). “I am proud of these guys and we are happy with our progress on the ice so far this season, but a few months of practice will be great for us as we look ahead to Milan.” 

Canada’s National Para Hockey will host a pair of training camps in Canada ahead of the 2026 Paralympic Winter Games, with the team gathering in Calgary, Alberta, from Jan. 8-20 and Oakville, Ontario, from Feb. 9-19. Canada will open its Paralympic schedule on March 7 against Slovakia, and will also take on Germany and Czechia in the preliminary round before the tournament concludes with the medal games on March 15.

China defeats Czechia to win second-consecutive bronze medal

Earlier in the day, China captured its second-consecutive bronze medal at the Para Cup, doubling up Czechia 4-2. Dianpeng Qiu, Xiaodong Song, Zhidong Wang and Jintao Tian provided the offence for China, while Wei Wang made seven saves.

For more information on Hockey Canada and Canada’s National Para Hockey Team, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along via social media on Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok.

CALGARY, Alberta – Hockey Canada has unveiled the 18 players who will wear the Maple Leaf with Canada’s National Para Hockey Team at the 2025 Para Cup, set for Nov. 30-Dec. 6 in Dawson Creek, B.C.

Three goaltenders, five defencemen and 10 forwards were selected by head coach Boris Rybalka (Camrose, AB), assistant coach Steve Arsenault (Spruce Grove, AB), goaltending consultant Dominic Larocque (Québec, QC), and video and skills coach Dean Seymour (Calgary, AB), with input from Adam Janssen (Richmond Hill, ON), manager of hockey operations.

“We are excited to unveil the 18 players who will represent Canada on home ice at the Para Cup in Dawson Creek, as this is a key milestone in our preparation for the 2026 Paralympic Winter Games,” Rybalka said. “We know the community will provide an incredible atmosphere and be a great host for our athletes and staff, and we look forward to continuing to build our team culture while competing against three other strong countries.”

All 18 players named to the roster won a silver medal at the 2025 International Para Hockey Cup in October, while 16 won a gold medal at the 2024 World Para Hockey Championship in Calgary (Armstrong, Boily, Burnett, Cozzolino, Dixon, Dunn, Halbert, Henry, Hickey, Jacobs-Webb, Kingsmill, Kovacevich, Lavin, Lelièvre, McGregor, Watson).

TSN and RDS, the official broadcast partners of Hockey Canada, will broadcast the medal games on Dec. 6; please check local listings for details. All preliminary-round games and both semifinals will be livestreamed at HNLive.ca.

A variety of ticket options, including full-event ticket packages for $124 (including fees), are available for purchase now at HockeyCanada.ca/ParaCup.

Prior to the start of the tournament, Canada’s National Para Hockey Team will host a training camp at WinSport Arena at Canada Olympic Park in Calgary, set for Nov. 21-26.

For more information on Hockey Canada and Canada’s National Para Hockey Team, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along via social media on Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok.

CALGARY, Alberta – Hockey Canada has unveiled the schedules and ticket package details for the 2025 editions of the U17 World Challenge, U18 Women’s National Championship, Para Cup and Junior A World Challenge.

“We are excited to unveil the schedules for our four fall events that will happen across Canada in November and December, and to provide an opportunity for fans to secure their tickets to watch some of the top players compete in incredible communities,” said Dean McIntosh, senior vice-president of revenue, fan experience and community impact for Hockey Canada. “These are exciting events for participants and fans alike, and we are grateful for the commitment of our host committees, volunteers, community leaders and Members who help us create world-class experiences for everyone involved.”

The U17 World Challenge returns to Nova Scotia for the first time since 2014, with Truro set to host at the 2,500-seat Rath Eastlink Community Centre from Nov. 2-8. Six teams – Canada Red, Canada White, Czechia, Finland, Sweden and the United States – will be split into two groups and will each play two preliminary-round games before the medal round. The event will also feature pre-tournament games in Truro, Amherst and Wolfville on Oct. 31.

For the first time in tournament history, the U18 Women’s National Championship will be held in Newfoundland and Labrador. Eight teams consisting of the top under-18 players in Canada – Alberta, Atlantic, British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario Blue, Ontario Red, Quebec and Saskatchewan – will compete for gold at Glacier Arena in Mount Pearl and CBS Arena in Conception Bay South from Nov. 2-8.

The Para Cup is set to return to British Columbia for the first time since the inaugural event in 2007, with Dawson Creek hosting at the 4,500-seat Ovintiv Event Centre from Nov. 30-Dec. 6. Canada’s National Para Hockey Team will take on China, Czechia and the United States as it looks to secure its first gold medal at the event since 2013.

The Junior A World Challenge will head to Quebec for the first time when Trois-Rivières plays host at the 4,390-seat Colisée Vidéotron, set for Dec. 7-13. The four-team tournament will feature Canada East, Canada West, Sweden and the United States, with each team playing three preliminary-round games before the tournament wraps up with the bronze and gold medal games on Dec. 13. The event will also feature pre-tournament games, with matchups and locations to be announced in the coming weeks.

Full-event ticket packages for the U17 World Challenge, U18 Women’s National Championship, Para Cup and Junior A World Challenge are on sale now and can be purchased at HockeyCanada.ca/Tickets.

Hockey Canada and the local organizing committees of the 2025 Para Cup and 2025 Junior A World Challenge are currently looking to fill volunteer positions for both events. Individuals that are interested in creating a world-class experience for players and fans alike are encouraged to CLICK HERE to learn more about Hockey Canada’s volunteer program or visit the individual event pages to apply now.

TSN and RDS, the official broadcast partners of Hockey Canada, will air select tournament games, with broadcast details to be announced at a later date. Tournament games not being broadcast by TSN and RDS will be available via livestream.

For more information on Hockey Canada, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along through social media on Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok.

CALGARY, Alberta – With less than a month until the puck drops, Hockey Canada has announced the 17 players who will wear the Maple Leaf with Canada’s National Para Hockey Team and compete for a gold medal at the 2025 World Para Hockey Championship, May 24-31 at LECOM Harborcenter in Buffalo, New York.

The roster – two goaltenders, six defencemen and nine forwards - was selected by head coach Russ Herrington (Unionville, ON), assistant coaches Steve Arsenault (Spruce Grove, AB), Mike Fountain (Gravenhurst, ON), Liam Heelis (Georgetown, ON), Boris Rybalka (Vernon, BC) and Greg Westlake (Oakville, ON). Benoit Roy (Sudbury, ON), director of hockey operations, and Adam Janssen (Richmond Hill, ON) , manager of hockey operations, also provided input.

“Entering the World Championship as the defending champions is not something we take lightly,” said Herrington. “We know that every country will bring their best against us. As a group we have continued to grow and develop over the last year, from the Para Cup to the USA series. This roster has a ton of experience on the big stage, and we are excited to get going.”

The roster includes 16 players who helped Canada win a gold medal at the 2024 World Para Hockey Championship in Calgary (Armstrong, Boily, Burnett, Cozzolino, Dixon, Dunn, Halbert, Henry, Hickey, Jacobs-Webb, Kingsmill, Kovacevich, Lavin, Lelièvre, McGregor, Watson) .

Canada will be joined by China, Germany and Korea in Group A, while Group B features Czechia, Norway, Slovakia and the United States.

Canada opens its preliminary-round schedule on May 24 at 5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT against Germany and will face Korea on May 25 and China on May 27. The quarterfinals are set for May 28, followed by the semifinals on May 30 and the medal games on May 31.

All 20 tournament games will be available for free via livestream at USAHockeyTV.com .

Hockey Canada also announced the support staff that will travel to Buffalo:

• Equipment manager AJ Murley (St. John’s, NL)
• Athletic therapist Tracy Meloche (Essex, ON)
• Physiotherapist Michael Lenart (Keswick, ON)
• Team physician Dr. Danielle Kelton (Guelph, ON)
• Senior coordinator, operations Reid Folk (Stoughton, SK)
• Hockey operations coordinator Jake Grison (Lion’s Head, ON)
• Communications coordinator Branden Crowe (Virden, MB)

Canada has captured five gold medals at Para Worlds (2000, 2008, 2013, 2017, 2024), in addition to four silver (2015, 2019, 2021, 2023) and three bronze (1996, 2009, 2012).

For more information on Hockey Canada and Canada’s National Para Hockey Team, please visit HockeyCanada.ca or follow through social media on Facebook , X, Instagram and TikTok.

Being a goaltender is in Mitchell Garrett’s DNA. No matter what sport he plays, he always wants to be the last line of defence.

After playing as a catcher in baseball and a goaltender in soccer growing up, the Surrey, B.C., product began playing hockey at 10 years old.

“My dad grew up as a soccer player,” Garrett says. “Telling him that I wanted to switch into hockey was not necessarily the news he wanted to hear.”

Garrett played between the pipes for 12 years, usually in house league or occasionally in rep. After high school, he continued to play recreationally with some of his minor hockey teammates.

“I remember when my accident happened, it was like a month before the new season started,” the 29-year-old says. “So that was a shock to them hearing that I wasn’t going to be able to play for them ever again.”

On July 29, 2017, Garrett was camping when he decided to take a friend’s ATV for a drive. When he didn’t return, a search party found Garrett had crashed on the side of the road.

He was airlifted to Vancouver General Hospital and diagnosed with a T4 complete spinal cord injury. Despite his prognosis, Garrett progressed quickly and completed rehabilitation within three months.

“It was a really fast process. I remember everybody telling me this is going much faster than what it’s typically supposed to,” he says. “I really wanted to make myself goal-oriented when I was in rehab because I didn’t want to be there. I just wanted to get going in my life, and I knew it was going to be a major change.”

Throughout the entire process, hockey was always on Garrett’s mind.

“I don’t remember my injury at all. I woke up in the hospital and I’m like, ‘Where am I right now?’ [They told me I’m] in the hospital, and I was like, ‘Oh, well I have a playoff game tonight, I need to go play hockey.’”

Now paralyzed from the chest down after his injury, Garrett immediately shifted his focus to how he could get back on the ice and began researching para hockey.

“I studied [Team Canada goaltender] Dom Larocque. I watched every single interview I could find of him,” he explains. “I remember watching it three or four times over and pausing on the on-ice clips, just really analyzing his setup and trying to figure it out for myself. [He] was a huge inspiration.”

More than nine months after his accident, Garrett returned to the ice and got back in net—this time in a sled.

“It was pretty monumental for me getting back to being a goaltender. My parents were there; my dad was on the ice and my mom was watching,” Garrett recalls. “I remember that skate, I just looked like a fish out of water.

“When I got off the ice, my mom was just like, ‘Is this for you? Do you really want to do this? It looks like you’re struggling out there.’ I just told her eventually it will be smooth, and everything will be good.”

Although he was back on the ice, his new reality did present some challenges for playing para hockey. Without the ability to move anything below his chest, it provided some limitations for being a goaltender again.

“[Other goalies] have their entire core to use and they have their legs and their knees to stand up on. I remember everybody telling me how much of a disadvantage I was at, [but I] never even consider that a disadvantage for a second,” he says. “We’re still playing the same game. We’re still going after the same goal.”

Mitchell with his dad, Ken Garrett.

Garrett set his eyes on his next goal—earning a spot on Canada’s National Para Hockey Team—and got to work. After every ice time, he would look at his sled setup and make adjustments.

“I have a shed at my place and that’s like the tool shed. That’s where all the hard work off the ice goes down, just to ensure I’m in tip-top shape when I’m out there,” he says. “I was consistently tweaking my sled for the longest time; moving it up, moving it down, figuring out where my blades go.”

His home rink, the Langley Sportsplex, provided free ice time so he could practice throughout the year. On the ice, Garrett’s dad Ken joined him to be a shooter for his practices and he became the head coach of British Columbia’s para hockey team.

“I know I wouldn’t be able to do it without him,” Garrett says. “My dad has been an enormous help throughout this entire process, making sure that it’s the most enjoyable for me.”

His hard work on and off the ice began to pay off, and Garrett was invited to participate in his first selection camp with Canada’s National Para Hockey Team ahead of the 2022-23 season.

“It’s always good to have somebody involved that has experience playing the position and the game prior to their accident,” says Russ Herrington, head coach of Canada’s National Para Hockey Team. “That was the one thing that we noticed right away with Mitch was that both glove hands and his ability to track the puck, that was something that transferred over from his previous experience.”

“It didn’t really go as I planned,” Garrett says about selection camp. “To be honest, it wasn’t a great showing for me. I think maybe I was a little starstruck at the camp. [I had never] played with these caliber players and these are players who I’ve wanted to play with for so long.”

After camp concluded, Garrett took the experience to heart and got back to training even harder for his next opportunity.

“I just told myself that I’m starting to trend in the right direction and just to stay on track and continue what I was doing because I noticed that it was working for me,” Garrett says.

Corbyn Smith (left) and Mitchell Garrett celebrate after beating Czechia at the 2023 Para Hockey Cup.

When he returned to selection camp in September, his improvements were evident to the coaching staff.

“I think he’s more comfortable in a sled,” Herrington says. “I think he was a little timid [getting to the top of the crease] early on, and now we see him be a little more assertive in his positioning and challenging the shooter.”

After dreaming of making Team Canada for over six years, Garrett finally got the phone call that he would be making his international debut at the 2023 Para Hockey Cup in Quispamsis, New Brunswick.

“That’s one of the best parts of this job is delivering that type of news. We’re really excited to have him here with us,” Herrington says. “Our veterans do such a good job of celebrating opportunities like that because it wasn’t too long ago that they were donning the jersey for the first time.”

“From my family to my friends to my girlfriend, everybody has really played a part in this process,” Garrett says. “That was a really cool moment on the phone (telling my parents I made the team); you could just feel how proud [my dad] was through the phone.

“For my mom, after that first ice time with her being like ‘Is this right for you,’ and then being able to tell her that I made the team—it was a full-circle moment.”

In Quispamsis, Garrett is looking forward to putting on the Maple Leaf for the first time, playing on the international stage and hopefully inspiring more members of the paraplegic community to start playing para hockey.

“I have to hold back my tears every single time I think about it because [playing for Team Canada] is a goal that I’ve had since I was eight,” he says. “Most people consider other sports just because of my disability… I’m very excited to be changing that narrative.”

As Hockey Canada’s fall events return for the first time since 2019, the officials are ready to hit the ice.

Thirty-six officials – 17 referees and 19 linespersons – from across the country have been selected for the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, World Junior A Challenge and Para Hockey Cup.

“Our fall events are a great opportunity for individuals participating in our Officiating Program of Excellence,” said Dan Hanoomansingh, manager of officiating with Hockey Canada. “These officials have worked hard to sharpen their skills since their last opportunity at one of our camps. We have been tracking their progression and they have earned their opportunity to officiate these exciting events.”

The Officiating Program of Excellence (OPOE) is the pathway through which Canadian officials are selected for top national and international tournaments. The objectives of the OPOE are to provide a clear developmental pathway for aspiring elite officials, provide developmentally appropriate coaching for elite officials, prepare officials for national and international competitions, and assist Hockey Canada in making evidence-based decisions for assignments.

For more information about the Hockey Canada Officiating Program, visit HockeyCanada.ca/Officials.

World Under-17 Hockey Challenge (Langley & Delta, B.C.)

The officiating coaches for the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge are Dan Hanoomansingh (Vancouver, B.C.) and Kirk Wood (Stratford, Ont.).

World Junior A Challenge (Cornwall, Ont.)

The officiating coach for the World Junior A Challenge is Hanoomansingh.

Para Hockey Cup (Bridgewater, N.S.)

The officiating coach for the Para Hockey Cup is Paul Boese (Arnprior, Ont.)

PARADISE, N.L. – Canada’s National Para Hockey Team finished with the silver medal at the 2019 Canadian Tire Para Hockey Cup after a tight 2-1 loss to the United States on Saturday night at the Paradise Double Ice Complex.

It is the seventh silver medal for the Canadians (2009, 2012, January 2016, December 2016, 2017, 2018 2019) to go along with five gold (2007, 2008, April 2011, November 2011, 2013) and one bronze (2015).

“I thought it was an amazing game. The atmosphere was electric and [Paradise] put on a tremendous event,” said Canadian captain Tyler McGregor (Forest, Ont.). “It was a physical and fast game, exactly what we’d expect out of a match-up against the U.S.

“I thought we showed a lot of resilience and a lot of persistence in battling back. We had an unreal third period, so we’re going home proud of the effort we put forth. I think the product on the ice, not only tonight but all week, was outstanding and for our sport that’s exactly what we asked for.”

The Americans struck first midway through the second period and got another six minutes into the third before Billy Bridges (Summerside, P.E.I.) cut the lead to one just over a minute later with his 189th career goal. Despite several late chances, the Canadians couldn’t find the equalizer.

Dominic Larocque (Quebec City, Que.) was terrific in the Canadian goal, finishing with 19 saves in a crowd-pleasing performance.

“This has been an amazing tournament. I never thought I would get the opportunity to represent my country and province in front of my home crowd,” Said Liam Hickey (St. John’s, N.L.). “Knowing how much work my family and friends have put into this, and to see it go off so well, I am honored that Hockey Canada could come here and we could showcase Newfoundland to the whole world.”

Russia blanks Czechs to win bronze

Russia ensured it left the Canadian Tire Para Hockey Cup with a medal for the third time in four appearances, earning a 5-0 win over the Czech Republic for bronze. Nikolai Terentev led the way with two goals for the Russians, who also won bronze in 2013 and silver in January 2016. Ilia Volkov, Airat Khamzin and Aleksei Eremin also scored, while Evgenii Plotnikov made nine saves for the shutout 

The 2020 Canadian Tire Para Hockey Cup will be played in Bridgewater, N.S.

For more information on Hockey Canada, Canada’s National Para Hockey Team and the Canadian Tire Para Hockey Cup, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow through social media on Facebook, Twitter, Twitter.com/HC_Para and Twitter.com/HC_ParaCup.

PARADISE, N.L. – Paradise is set to open its doors to the world as four teams go for gold at the 2019 Canadian Tire Para Hockey Cup, Dec. 1-7.

The Paradise Double Ice Complex will welcome Canada, the Czech Republic, Russia and the United States. Canada has won the tournament, known as the World Sledge Hockey Challenge until 2017, five times, most recently in 2013, while the U.S. is looking for a sixth-consecutive gold medal.

"It is a very exciting time right now; the rink is rebranded, volunteers are ready and we can't wait to see these amazing athletes provide lasting memories for themselves and the fans,” said Don Dyke, chair of the host organizing committee. “This is an event we haven't seen before, and fans shouldn’t miss the opportunity to see the best of the best on the ice, including our own Liam Hickey playing for Team Canada."

In the past, the event has created more than $1 million in local economic impact, with the net proceeds of the event benefiting local minor and para hockey programs in Paradise and the surrounding area.

Full-event ticket packages are on sale for $69 at HockeyCanada.ca/Tickets. Packages include all six preliminary-round games, both semifinals and the bronze and gold medal games. All preliminary-round games, the semifinals and the bronze medal game will be streamed live at HockeyCanada.ca. The gold medal game will be shown live on TSN, Hockey Canada’s official broadcast partner, on Saturday, Dec. 7 at 6 p.m. AT/2 p.m. PT; check local listings for details.

For more information on Hockey Canada, Canada’s National Para Hockey Team and the Canadian Tire Para Hockey Cup, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow through social media on Facebook, Twitter, Twitter.com/HC_Para and Twitter.com/HC_ParaCup.