VILNIUS – The coaches for the U20 and U18 national teams of Lithuania have been named.

Former Latvian national player Aigars Cipruss will continue to coach the U20 national team for the third year. He will be assisted by rookie coach Mindaugas Kieras and goalie coach Arunas Aleinikovas. Kieras was the captain of the Lithuanian national team last season and is now working in kids hockey in Vilnius at the Hockey Punks Academy.

American-Irish coach James Tibbets, who led the French national team at the 1998 Olympic Winter Games, will coach the Lithuanian U18 national team. Tibbets, who was also the head coach of the Irish national team for many years, will be assisted by long-time NCAA coach Damian DiGiulian whose grandfather was Lithuanian.