Chicago Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman will serve on the United States’ National Team Advisory Group for the 2017 World Championships.
The National Team Advisory Group — led by USA Hockey’s Jim Johannson — was announced Monday, and includes eight NHL executives: NHL general managers Dean Lombardi (Los Angeles Kings), David Poile (Nashville Predators), Ray Shero (New Jersey Devils) and Dale Tallon (Florida Panthers), along with Carolina Hurricanes President Don Waddell. Assistant GMs Chris Drury (New York Rangers) and Bill Geurin (Pittsburgh Penguins) are also involved.
Last fall, Bowman and Edmonton Oilers GM Peter Chiarelli selected the roster and coaches for Team North America for the World Cup of Hockey. The under-23 team finished third in Group B play with a 2-1 record.
Bowman has guided the Hawks to three Stanley Cup championships since 2010. He joined the Hawks in 2000 as a special assistant to the general manager role before he was promoted to director of hockey operations. The 43-year-old is the youngest GM in NHL history to win a Stanley Cup.
The World Championships will be played from May 5 to 21 in Cologne, Germany and Paris, France. Group A games will be played in Cologne at Lanxess Arena (18,500 capacity) while Group B will be at AccorHotels Arena (15,000 capacity).
Canada will go for a three-peat this year after defeating Russia and Finland the last two years, respectively. The Canadians are in Group B with Finland, who took silver at last year’s Worlds, along with Czech Republic, Switzerland, Belarus, Norway, France and Slovenia.
The Americans have been sorted into Group A along with Russia, Sweden, Slovakia, Germany, Latvia, Denmark and Italy. The U.S., who has won bronze twice since 2013, opens the tournament against host Germany on May 5. Team USA hasn’t reached the gold-medal game since 1960 when it defeated Canada for its second world championship.