This is Dennis MacDonald's fourth time serving as an athletic trainer at the IIHF Under-18 Men's World Championship, having previously worked with the silver-medal winning teams at the 2022 and 2018 events, as well as the team that captured bronze in 2016.

Most recently, MacDonald serving as an athletic trainer for the U.S. National Junior Team that won the gold medal at the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship.

MacDonald, who was on staff with the 2020 U.S. National Team, has been a staff member of USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program since the 2015-16 season. In that span, MacDonald has been on staff with Team USA at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge three times (2017, 2019, 2022) and 13 additional international events, helping the U.S. to 11 first-place finishes.

The Detroit, Michigan, native has worked with both the U.S Under-17 and Under-18 teams at the NTDP that compete in the United States Hockey League as well as against NCAA (Division I & III) and international opponents.

Prior to joining the NTDP, MacDonald served on the OHL Plymouth Whalers staff for 17 seasons. During that time, the Whalers captured one J. Ross Robertson Cup (2006-07) as league playoff champions along with three Hamilton Spectator trophies as the league’s regular-season champions (1999, 2000, 2002). His tenure in Plymouth included work as an athletic trainer and equipment manager, while also handling team logistics. 

MacDonald graduated in 1995 from Wayne State University with a degree in exercise science.