COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – USA Hockey announced today that Todd Richards (Crystal, Minn.) has been named head coach of the U.S. Men’s National Team that will participate in the 2015 International Ice Hockey Federation Men’s World Championship May 1-17 in Ostrava and Prague, Czech Republic. Richards will be joined behind the U.S. bench by assistant coaches Dan Byslma (Grand Haven, Mich.) and Greg Carvel (Canton, N.Y.).
Richards, who is representing the United States in international competition for the third time, will be making his debut as head coach of the U.S. Men’s National Team. Previously, he served as an assistant coach for the 2014 U.S. Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Team in Sochi, Russia, and also the 2010 U.S. Men’s National Team during the IIHF World Championship in Germany.
Currently, Richards serves as head coach of the National Hockey League’s Columbus Blue Jackets. His team was plagued by injuries for much of the 2014-15 season, however, finished the regular season with wins in 16 of its last 17 games. Prior to being named head coach on May 14, 2012, Richards was the interim head coach for 41 games during the 2011-12 season after holding the position of assistant coach for the first half of that year. He began his NHL head-coaching career in 2009-10 with the Minnesota Wild where he spent two seasons. Prior to joining the Wild, he was an assistant coach for the San Jose Sharks in 2008-09 and helped lead the club to the NHL’s best regular-season record.
Richards coached in the American Hockey League from 2002-06, including as an assistant coach with the Milwaukee Admirals during the team’s 2004 Calder Cup championship. He returned to the Calder Cup Final in 2008 as head coach of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.
As a player, Richards enjoyed a 13-season professional career, including eight games in the NHL with the Hartford Whalers. As a collegian, Richards played four seasons (1985-89) at the University of Minnesota where he appeared in 167 games and contributed 30 goals and 158 points to become Minnesota’s all-time leading scorer among defensemen. In addition, his 128-career assists put him fifth all-time among all players in program history.
Bylsma, Carvel Named Assistant Coaches; Support Staff Named
Dan Bylsma is serving as an assistant coach for the U.S. Men’s National Team for the first time. A year ago, he was head coach of the 2014 U.S. Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Team in Sochi, Russia. A Stanley Cup champion in his first season as head coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins, Bylsma was most recently an NHL head coach with the Pittsburgh Penguins, where he compiled a 252-117-32 record. His 252 wins are the most among Pittsburgh bench bosses all time.
Greg Carvel is serving as an assistant coach for the U.S. Men’s National Team for the first time. Carvel is currently in his third season as head coach for St. Lawrence University’s men’s ice hockey program in Canton, New York. The 2014-15 recipient of the Tim Taylor Award as ECAC Men’s Hockey Coach of the Year, Carvel joined St. Lawrence after a 15-year professional hockey coaching career that included assistant coaching stints with the Ottawa Senators and Anaheim Ducks of the NHL, where he helped both teams reach the Stanley Cup finals.
USA Hockey also announced today that Bob Webster will serve as team leader, Dan Singleton (Columbus Blue Jackets) as video coordinator, and Jamie Healy (Columbus Blue Jackets) and Scott Aldrich (USA Hockey) as equipment managers. Additionally, Mike Vogt (Columbus Blue Jackets) and Stan Wong will serve as athletic trainers; Dr. Michael K. Shindle will be the team physician; Peewee Willmann will serve as massage therapist; and Dave Fischer (USA Hockey) will handle communications.
The staff and players of the 2015 U.S. Men’s National Team are selected by the U.S. Men’s National Team Advisory Group, led by Jim Johannson, assistant executive director of hockey operations for USA Hockey. Other members include Stan Bowman (Chicago Blackhawks), Dean Lombardi (Los Angeles Kings), David Poile (Nashville Predators), Ray Shero (USA Hockey), Dale Tallon (Florida Panthers), and Don Waddell (Carolina Hurricanes). In addition, Bill Zito (Columbus Blue Jackets) is serving in a management role for the 2015 U.S. Men’s National Team.
NOTES: For more information about the 2015 U.S. Men’s National Team, click here … Sixteen teams will compete at the 2015 IIHF Men’s World Championship, split into two groups of eight. Teams will play a round-robin format in the preliminary round with the top four teams from each group advancing to the quarterfinals. The U.S. will play its seven preliminary round games in Ostrava at CEZ Arena … NBC Sports Network is scheduled to televise and stream all Team USA games in the 2015 IIHF Men’s World Championship. A final broadcast schedule will be available in the near future.
Team USA 2015 IIHF Men’s World Championship Schedule
May 1-17 • Ostrava/Prague, Czech Republic
Date Opponent Venue
Time (Local/EDT)
Tues., April 28 Austria (ex.) Eissportzentrum Kagran 8:30 p.m./2:30 p.m.
Fri., May 1 Finland CEZ Arena 4:15 p.m./10:15 a.m.
Sat., May 2 Norway CEZ Arena 8:15 p.m./2:15 p.m.
Mon., May 4 Russia CEZ Arena 4:15 p.m./10:15 a.m.
Thurs., May 7 Belarus CEZ Arena 4:15 p.m./10:15 a.m.
Fri., May 8 Denmark CEZ Arena 8:15 p.m./2:15 p.m.
Sun., May 10 Slovenia CEZ Arena 4:15 p.m./10:15 a.m.
Tues., May 12 Slovakia CEZ Arena 4:15 p.m./10:15 a.m.
Thurs., May 14 Quarterfinals TBD TBD
Sat., May 16 Semifinals O2 Arena TBD
Sun., May 17 Bronze/Gold Games O2 Arena TBD
