SAN JOSE, CA - The National Hockey League Players' Association (NHLPA) and the National Hockey League announced today that San Jose Sharks Head Coach Peter DeBoer has been named as an assistant coach for Team North America's squad for the 2016 World Cup of Hockey.

Along with DeBoer, Jon Cooper (Tampa Bay Lightning), Dave Tippett (Arizona Coyotes) and Jay Woodcroft (Edmonton Oilers) will work with Head Coach Todd McLellan (Edmonton Oilers).

The four assistant coaches will report to Team North America General Manager Peter Chiarelli (Edmonton Oilers) and Associate General Manager Stan Bowman (Chicago Blackhawks)

"We are pleased to announce these great additions to the Team North America staff for the World Cup of Hockey 2016," said Chiarelli. "Jon, Peter, Dave and Jay will serve important roles in helping our efforts to make next year's tournament a successful one for our team."

DeBoer is in his first season as Head Coach of the San Jose Sharks and spent the last three and a half seasons behind the bench of the New Jersey Devils. DeBoer led the Devils to the 2012 Stanley Cup Final and the second-winningest coach in Devils history. Prior to coaching the Devils, he spent three seasons as head coach of the Florida Panthers and 13 seasons coaching in the Ontario Hockey League with Detroit, Plymouth and Kitchener, where he earned a Memorial Cup Championship in 2003 and the OHL Championship in 2003 and 2008. Internationally, DeBoer has served as an assistant coach for Team Canada at the 2015, 2014 and 2010 World Championships. In addition, he was a member of the coaching staff for Canada's World Junior Championship team in 2005 and 1998. DeBoer was selected by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 12th round of the 1988 NHL Entry Draft.

The World Cup of Hockey returns in September 2016 in Toronto, where eight teams, comprised of the world's best hockey players, will compete for a best-on-best international hockey championship. In addition to Team Europe, the teams participating will include Canada, the Czech Republic, Finland, Team North America, Russia, Sweden and the United States. The World Cup of Hockey is a joint effort of the NHLPA and the NHL, in cooperation with the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF). It is expected that more than 150 of the best players in the NHL will participate in this tournament.

The eight teams are split into two Groups, Group A and Group B, for the Preliminary Round (Sept. 17-22), when each team will play its three Group opponents in a round-robin format. Placed in Group A are Team Canada, Team Czech Republic, Team Europe and Team USA. The four teams in Group B are Team Finland, Team North America, Team Russia and Team Sweden.

The top two finishers in Group A and Group B will advance to the Semifinals (Sept. 24-25), where the first-place team from each Group will face an elimination game against the second-place team from the other Group. The two Semifinal winners will meet in the Final, a best-of-three series on Sept. 27, Sept. 29 and, if necessary, Oct. 1.

For more information on the World Cup of Hockey 2016, including team management updates, visit www.wch2016.com.