CALGARY, Alberta – Hockey Canada has announced the three Canadian Hockey League (CHL) general managers that will comprise the Program of Excellence (POE) management group for the 2026-27 season, under the leadership of POE general manager Alan Millar (Tottenham, ON).
Mike Johnston (Dartmouth, NS/Portland, WHL) returns for his second-consecutive stint with the POE, guiding the under-17 program through the 2026 U17 World Challenge in Oakville, Ontario, while Yanick Lemay (Drummondville, QC/Drummondville, QMJHL) returns for the third-straight year to support the under-18 program through the 2026 Hlinka Gretzky Cup in Edmonton, Alberta. Dave Brown (Niagara on the Lake, ON/Erie, OHL) returns to the POE management group, working with Canada’s National Junior Team for the 2027 IIHF World Junior Championship in Alberta.
The management group was selected by Millar, Scott Salmond (Creston, BC), senior vice-president of high performance and hockey operations, and Benoit Roy (Sudbury, ON), director of hockey operations. “We are very pleased to have Dave, Yanick, and Mike return to the POE Management Group,” said Millar. “All three individuals bring great leadership, CHL management, and international experience to our National Teams. Dave, Yanick, and Mike, will play a significant role in player evaluations, team build, and establishing the standard for culture and expectations across all our programs.”
Johnston returns to the POE management group after helping guide Canada Red and Canada White to gold and silver, respectively, at the 2025 U17 World Challenge. He also served as an assistant coach for Canada’s National Junior Team at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship and has been senior vice-president and general manager of the Portland Winterhawks of the Western Hockey League (WHL) for 14 seasons (2009-12, 2013-14, 2016-26). He recently stepped down as head coach after 12 seasons (2009-12, 2013-14, 2016-24), winning executive of the year and coach of the year honours in the U.S. Division in 2023-24. He has also served as an assistant (1999-2003) and associate coach (2003-04) with the Vancouver Canucks, an associate coach with the Los Angeles Kings (2005-08) and head coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins (2014-16). Johnston coached Canada’s National Men’s Team from 1994-99, winning two gold medals (1997, 2007), two silver (1996, 2008) and one bronze (1995) at the IIHF World Championship. He also won gold at three IIHF World Junior Championships (1994, 1995, 1996) as an assistant coach, was an assistant at the 1998 Olympic Winter Games and head coach at the 2009 IIHF World U18 Championship, and won the Spengler Cup in 1993.
Lemay returns to the POE management group for the third-straight season after helping guide Canada White and Canada Red to gold and silver, respectively, at the 2024 U17 World Challenge and leading Canada to a bronze medal at the 2025 Hlinka Gretzky Cup. He is entering his third season as general manager of the Drummondville Voltigeurs of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). Prior to joining Drummondville, he served as an amateur scout with the Winnipeg Jets for 12 seasons (2011-23), was head scout of the QMJHL’s Junior de Montréal for three seasons (2008-11) and spent 10 seasons with the QMJHL’s Cape Breton Screaming Eagles as a scout (1998-2002) and head scout (2002-08). Brown returns to the POE management group after helping lead Canada to a gold medal at the 2024 IIHF U18 Men’s World Championship in Finland and gold at the 2024 Hlinka Gretzky Cup. He also helped Canada White to gold at the 2023 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge. Brown is currently in his 11th season (2015-26) as general manager of the Erie Otters of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) after serving four seasons (2011-15) as director of hockey operations. He helped lead Erie to an OHL championship in 2017 and contributed to a CHL record of four-consecutive 50-win seasons (2011-15). Prior to joining the Otters, Brown spent seven seasons with the Mississauga/Niagara IceDogs, serving as assistant general manager (2003-05) and general manager (2005-10).
The management group will work alongside Salmond, Millar, Roy and POE head scout Byron Bonora (Brooks, AB), as well as the organization’s hockey operations staff. Day-to-day operations for the POE management group include assisting in coach and player selections, supporting the coaching staffs and providing input during camps and tournaments throughout the season.
The Program of Excellence is overseen by Katherine Henderson (Thunder Bay, ON), Hockey Canada’s president and chief executive officer; Misha Donskov (London, ON), vice-president of hockey operations and men’s national teams coach; Salmond; Millar; Roy; Dan MacKenzie (Guelph, ON), CHL president; Bryan Crawford (Hamilton, ON), OHL commissioner; Mario Cecchini (Saint-Lambert, QC), QMJHL commissioner; and Dan Near (Markham, ON), WHL commissioner. For more information on Hockey Canada and the Program of Excellence, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along via social media on Facebook , X, Instagram and TikTok.