Read the full story on SportsLook – New coach Jarrod Skalde has big plans for Japan's national ice hockey team
The Japan Ice Hockey Federation has appointed former National Hockey League player Jarrod Skalde as the new coach of the men's national team.
Skalde, 53, from Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada, replaces fellow Canadian Perry Pearn, whose contract expired on March 31 and was not rehired.
The senior national team had a record of 12 wins, three losses and one draw under the 72-year-old coach, but JIHF officials have decided to move in a different direction.
Scalde's first task will be to prepare the men's national team for the 2024 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship Division I Group A, which will be held in Bolzano, Italy, from April 28 to May 4.
Japan will play against Hungary, Italy, South Korea and Romania. The top two teams will be promoted to the top division for the 2025 World Championship.
The big goal beyond that is to qualify for the 2026 Olympics. The last time the Japanese men's national hockey team participated in the Olympics was in 1998 in Nagano. At this time, the country qualified as the host country.
At the 2026 Italian Winter Olympics, 12 teams will participate in the hockey tournament. There are still three spots available through the qualifying tournament.
“It's clear that we have big goals ahead of us, which are the world championships and Olympic qualification,” Skalde said at a press conference in Tokyo on April 10, when he was appointed as the new coach.
“We will be going to Tomakomai, Hokkaido for a training camp and our focus will be to prepare the players for the first match against Hungary (April 28).”
Japan impressed Skalde on first visit in 1998
Skalde first came to Japan as a member of the San Jose Sharks in the 1998 NHL season opener in Tokyo against the Calgary Flames.
After that visit, Skalde said he was so impressed with the country that he decided to return as a player, which he did. But little did he know that he would become the national team coach.
Skalde had a long career as a forward in the National Hockey League. He began his NHL play with the New Jersey Devils in his 1990-91 season and finished his playing with the Philadelphia Flyers in the 2001-02 season.
Skalde played in Japan with the Oji Eagles of the Asia League Ice Hockey from 2006 to 2007. He played in 34 games with 15 goals and 47 points, and had two points in four playoff games.
Skalde was also stationed in Switzerland and Slovakia during his active career.
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Author: Jim Armstrong
The author is a veteran journalist who has covered Japanese sports for over 25 years.you can find him Sports look articles.
