Hockey Canada has added Lightning general manager Julien BriseBois and Penguins GM Kyle Dubas to its management group for both the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off and 2026 Winter Olympics, they announced today. BriseBois will serve as an assistant GM, while Dubas will serve as director of player personnel.
For the 4 Nations Face-Off next February, BriseBois and Dubas round out a management group that already includes Bruins GM Don Sweeney and Stars GM Jim Nill, the latter of whom is serving as an associate under Sweeney. The following year, they’ll join Nill and Sweeney for the Olympics, who are serving as assistant GMs under Blues GM Doug Armstrong for the event.
BriseBois, 47, receives his first call to the Canadian national team in any capacity. The longtime Lightning exec has served as Tampa’s GM since 2018, meaning he was at the helm for both of their Stanley Cup wins in 2020 and 2021. Before taking over the top hockey ops position, he’d served as an assistant GM in Tampa while managing their AHL affiliate from 2010 to 2018. His first job in the NHL came with the Canadiens, where he served as their director of hockey operations and later VP of hockey operations from 2003 to 2010 under GM Bob Gainey.
Dubas, 38, is also inexperienced on the international stage, but he does have one tournament under his belt as an assistant GM. He was part of the Canadian front office at the 2024 World Championship, building a squad that reached the bronze medal game but lost to Sweden. It was Canada’s first time without a medal at the Worlds since 2018.
The Ontario native is coming off his first season as GM and president of hockey operations of the Penguins. Before that, he’d served in the Maple Leafs front office since 2014, first as an assistant GM before taking over the top job in 2018.
I’m not sure Kyle’s 200-foot game is up to snuff for Team Canada. Maybe he’ll surprise us.
Dubas? Why?!
Nice to see that JBB and Cooper will both have this opportunity. Well-deserved. And my guess is Stamkos gets selected as well if he stays healthy and produces like he did last year. Some may think that would be awkward but I’m not so sure. All three guys worked together for multiple cups and are professionals.
Cooper & Stamkos have a great relationship & I don’t doubt Stamkos will be on Team Canada if he stays healthy & produces at a solid rate. Also, Stamkos will play alongside his good buddy Brayden Point as well which is a historically danger successful tandem.
I don’t think BriseBois & Stamkos are on the best of terms but that won’t stop Stamkos getting on the team by any means as the team comes first.
Of all the GMs, I’m like many not understanding why Dubas is even being brought in. Seriously, what has he even accomplished as a GM?… Nothing as far I can tell.
BriseBois being added isn’t surprising by any means since Team Canada already has Jon Cooper as their head coach for both events & “the Ferrari on ice,” Brayden Point has already been selected on the 4 Nations team. The Tampa organization’s finger prints are all over Team Canada.
Hopefully Dubas get nowhere near a management position on the 2026 Olympic team. If he does, we will be more inclined to win gold in figure skating than in hockey.