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Smoke Eaters alum McCarthy named assistant coach for Team Canada

Brian Wiebe

Hockey Canada has announced that former Trail Smoke Eaters defender Steve McCarthy will be an assistant coach for Team Canada at the 2025 IIHF Men’s World Hockey Championship in Stockholm, Sweden, and Herning, Denmark.

McCarthy, a native of Trail, British Columbia, is no stranger to high-level international competition. A standout during his time with the Smoke Eaters in 1996-97, McCarthy had a successful professional playing career that included 302 National Hockey League games with the Chicago Blackhawks, Vancouver Canucks, and Atlanta Thrashers. He also played in Europe, suiting up for teams in Switzerland, Russia, and Finland before retiring in 2016.

Since hanging up his skates, McCarthy has made a smooth transition behind the bench. The season after his retirement, he joined the Cleveland Monsters of the AHL as an assistant coach and is currently in his fourth season as an assistant coach with the NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets. The 44-year-old has represented Canada four times as a player, including as captain during the 2001 World Junior Hockey Championship.

The 2025 IIHF World Championship runs May 9–25, with Canada aiming to claim a medal after finishing fourth last year. McCarthy joins a staff led by head coach Dean Evason, who is back with the national team after being an assistant for Canada in 2024.

Canada’s first game at this year’s Worlds is on May 10 against Slovakia at 3:20 a.m. PT.

Photo credit: Columbus Blue Jackets

Brian Wiebe

Brian's been involved in the BCHL in a variety of capacities for 17 years. From 2002 to 2012, he served in several roles around the Merritt Centennials organization, including as team president, board member, beat writer, colour commentator, webmaster, media and communications coordinator and marketing assistant. He's been writing about the BCHL since 2008 and served as colour commentator on the TSN 1040 broadcasts in 2012-13. BCHLNetwork is one of Brian's many passion projects that he balances around his full-time job as an instructor in the Radio Arts and Entertainment Program at BCIT in Burnaby.