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| - St. Louis Blues general manager Doug Armstrong, who helped assemble the 2019 Stanley Cup championship team, was named general manager for Canada's 2022 Beijing Olympic men's hockey team on Wednesday. The 56-year-old Canadian who masterminded the Blues' NHL title run two years ago also won an NHL crown as an assistant general manager with the Dallas Stars in 1999. Armstrong was also part of the Hockey Canada management group for gold medal efforts at the 2010 and 2014 Winter Olympics and the 2007 and 2016 world championships. "Under Doug's leadership, as well as that of our entire management group, we're thrilled to task them to lead us into 2022, with the opportunity to oversee our staff and players as they compete for an Olympic gold medal," Hockey Canada chief executive officer Tom Renney said. Others on the Canadian staff include Edmonton Oilers general manager Ken Holland as associate general manager plus assistant general managers Ron Francis (GM of the NHL expansion Seattle Kraken), Don Sweeney (GM of the Boston Bruins) and Roberto Luongo, a long-time NHL goaltender. Canada settled for a bronze medal at the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics, when NHL players did not participate in the tournament, won by the Olympic Athletes from Russia. NHL players are expected to make a return at the 2022 Beijing Olympics, with club owners granting approval as part of a four-year collective bargaining extension signed with the players union last July. Final approval awaits an agreement between the NHL, its players union the International Olympic Committee and the International Ice Hockey Federation. js/rcw
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