CALGARY,
Alta. – Hockey Canada, in
partnership with the
Canadian Junior Hockey
League, announced Tuesday
that Greg Walters, head
coach and general manager
of the OJHL’s Georgetown
Raiders, will be the
head coach of Canada East
for the 2012 World Junior A
Challenge, scheduled for
November 5-11 in Yarmouth,
N.S.
Walters
will be joined by assistant
coaches Sheldon Keefe (head
coach and general manager,
Pembroke Lumber Kings, CCHL)
and
Jason Nobili
(head coach, Markham Waxers,
OJHL) for the tournament.
Greg Walters,
41, will return to the
Canada East coaching staff
for a second consecutive
year after winning a silver
medal last year. Walters
just completed his first
season with the Raiders
after serving as an
assistant coach with the
OHL’s Sarnia Sting for the
previous eight seasons,
helping Georgetown to the
OJHL’s best regular season
record. As a player, Walters
played 12 seasons of
professional hockey,
including parts of six
seasons in the AHL with
Rochester and St. John’s.
Sheldon Keefe,
31, will make his first
appearance with Canada East
at the 2012 World Junior A
Challenge. He has been head
coach, general manager and
owner of the Lumber Kings
for the past six seasons.
Keefe has twice led the
Lumber Kings to the RBC Cup,
Canada’s National Junior A
Championship, reaching the
semifinals in 2007 before
winning the national title
in 2011. Keefe played eight
seasons of professional
hockey, including 125 NHL
games with the Tampa Bay
Lightning
Jason Nobili,
38, will be an assistant
coach for the second time
with Canada East. Along with
Walters, Nobili was also an
assistant coach on last
year’s silver medal-winning
team. Nobili is entering his
first season as head coach
of the Waxers. Prior to
joining Markham, Nobili
spent two seasons as head
coach of the Toronto Jr.
Canadiens and one season at
the helm of the Oakville
Blades. Nobili has also
spent time coaching in the
ECHL, as a head coach with
the Reading Royals during
the 2008-09 season and as an
assistant with the Florida
Everblades for four seasons.
Prior to his time in the
ECHL, Nobili was an
assistant coach with the
Owen Sound Attack of the OHL.
Hockey Canada
will announce details for
Canada East’s camp prior to
the World Junior A Challenge
in the near future.