CALGARY, AB - Assistant Executive Director Lanny McDonald and Head Coach Wayne Fleming announced that three defencemen, Eric Brewer (Edmonton), Jason Smith (Edmonton) and Brad Stuart (San Jose), and two forwards, Patrick Marleau (San Jose) and Ryan Smyth (Edmonton) have been added to Canada's Men's World Championship roster.

We're excited about adding such quality players and individuals at this time," said Lanny McDonald. "With these five players, we are adding skill, grit and size throughout the lineup."

Brewer, 22, will be taking part in his 1st World Hockey Championship, although the native of Vernon, BC, was an assistant captain with Canada's National Junior Team at the World Junior Hockey Championship in 1998.

Smith, at 27 years old, will be the veteran of the Canadian blueline. The native of Calgary, AB, won a gold medal with Canada at the 1993 World Junior Hockey Championship.

Stuart, 21, will also be participating in his 1st World Hockey Championship, although the native of Rocky Mountain House, AB, captured a silver medal with Canada at the 1999 World Junior Hockey Championship in Winnipeg, MB.

Marleau, although only 21 years old, is two years removed from representing Canada for the first time at the 1999 World Hockey Championship. The native of Aneroid, SK, has just completed a breakthrough season, in which he scored a career-high 25 goals. Smyth, 26, will be taking part in his 3rd consecutive World Championship. The native of Edmonton, AB, won gold with Canada at the 1995 World Junior Hockey Championship.

The addition of these five players brings Canada's roster to twenty-one players (3 goaltenders, 7 defenseman and 11 forwards).

Executive Director Wayne Gretzky, along with McDonald and Head Coach Fleming will continue to monitor the NHL playoff situation, and plan to name additional players to the roster as the first round of the NHL playoffs come to an end. Canada has been training in Finland since April, and will play two exhibition games in the coming week: versus Finland on April 23, and versus Sweden in Stockholm on April 24th.

The 2001 Men's World Hockey Championship runs April 28- in Hannover, Cologne and Nurnberg, Germany. Canada will be based in Hannover, and will open the Championship on April 28 versus Norway.

Canada won two gold medals in the 1990's at the World Hockey Championship - 1994 and again in 1997. Canada finished fourth last year at Men's World Hockey Championship in St.Petersburg, Russia, and fourth in 1999 in Norway.