Thunder Bay's Letowski named assistant with Canada's under-18 hockey team

Thunder Bay’s Trevor Letowski has a new gig.

The former NHLer and current coach of the Sarnia Sting on Thursday was named an assistant coach with Canada’s men’s under-18 hockey team that’s heading to Finland for the upcoming world championship.

Letowski, who won world junior gold for Canada as a player in 1997, told Blackburn News he was excited and surprised to get the call.

“It is something I didn’t have to think too much about,” he told the news organization. “Obviously it’s a great opportunity for me to work with Hockey Canada and also to work with the guys they have in place, especially Kevin Dineen and Gord Murphy.”

Dineen, named the team’s head coach, most recently led Canada’s women to Olympic hockey gold in Sochi, Russia, a squad that included Thunder Bay’s Haley Irwin.

“I’m going to learn a lot,” he said.

The tournament, slated for Lappeenranta and Imatra, Finland, begins on April 17.