Hockey Canada logoThe Canadian Press
Hockey Canada has decided to make some personnel changes within its Program of Excellence in an attempt to shake its recent downturn in form.
At it's annual general meeting in Charlottetown on Friday, Hockey Canada boss Bob Nicholson confirmed head scout Kevin Prendergast and goaltending coach Ron Tugnutt have parted ways with the national governing body.
Prendergast, a former assistant general manager with the Edmonton Oilers, joined Hockey Canada as its head scout in September 2010, replacing Al Murray, who left to become director of amateur scouting with the Tampa Bay Lightning. He was responsible for all player evaluation and recruitment for Canada's National Junior and Under-18 development and selection camps, as well as for evaluations with the Under-17 program.
Since Prendergast's arrival, Canada has failed to win gold at the World Junior Hockey Championship, chalking up a pair of second place results, a third place finish and a fourth place result this past year in Russia - it's worst showing at the Under-20 championship since an eighth place finish in 1998.
Tugnutt had been the full-time goaltender coach and scout for Canada's national men's teams since 2011.
Hockey Canada says it is also considering structural and organizational changes to some of its other youth programs.