Canada tabs Armstrong as Olympic GM

St. Louis Blues executive Doug Armstrong was officially named general manager of the 2026 Canadian Olympic men's hockey team on Friday.

Anaheim Ducks icon and 17-year NHL veteran Ryan Getzlaf will aid Armstrong in preparing for the Olympics as a player relations advisor.

Armstrong has also been tasked with choosing the GM for Canada at the 2024 World Championship and the 2025 NHL 4 Nations Face-Off.

The 59-year-old Sarnia, Ontario, native has served as Blues GM since 2010. The club won the Stanley Cup in 2019 and has only missed the playoffs four times under his reign.

Armstrong has been involved with Hockey Canada on several occasions, most notably serving as assistant GM for the 2010 and 2014 Olympic teams and GM for the 2016 World Cup of Hockey and 2023 World Championship. Armstrong was also set to serve as GM of Canada's 2022 Olympic team before the NHL bowed out due to COVID-19 issues.

The NHL 4 Nations Face-Off is a new event set for February 2025 featuring teams from Canada, the United States, Sweden, and Finland.

The 2026 Winter Olympics will take place in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy. The 2024 Worlds will be in Czechia in May.

Canada has been victorious at the last three best-on-best international hockey tournaments: the 2010 and 2014 Olympics and the 2016 World Cup of Hockey. Canada also won gold at the 2023 Worlds.