Canada Names First Group of Fifteen Players for 2008 IIHF World Championship in Halifax and Quebec City

NR.051.08
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April 8, 2008
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CALGARY, AB – Hockey Canada, along with Team Canada general manager Steve Yzerman, announced a first group of fifteen players that will represent Canada at the 2008 IIHF World Championship in Halifax and Quebec City.

Team Canada Roster, as of :

G Pascal Leclaire Repentigny, QC Columbus Blue Jackets
G Cam Ward* Sherwood Park, AB Carolina Hurricanes

D Jay Bouwmeester Edmonton, AB Florida Panthers
D Duncan Keith Winnipeg, MB Chicago Blackhawks
D Steve Staios Hamilton, ON Edmonton Oilers

F Jason Chimera* Edmonton, AB Columbus Blue Jackets
F Shane Doan* Halkirk, AB Phoenix Coyotes
F Jamal Mayers* Toronto, ON St. Louis Blues
F Rick Nash* Brampton, ON Columbus Blue Jackets
F Derek Roy Rockland, ON Buffalo Sabres
F Patrick Sharp Thunder Bay, ON Chicago Blackhawks
F Martin St. Louis Laval, QC Tampa Bay Lightning
F Eric Staal* Thunder Bay, ON Carolina Hurricanes
F Jonathan Toews* Winnipeg, MB Chicago Blackhawks
F Ray Whitney Fort Saskatchewan, AB Carolina Hurricanes

* - players who won the 2007 IIHF World Championship with Canada

Yzerman, along with assistant general managers Doug Armstrong and Luc Robitaille, will now monitor the NHL playoffs over the coming weeks and look to make additions to the roster once the first round of NHL playoffs are completed.

“We are very pleased with the leadership and wealth of international experience that the players named today possess,” said Yzerman. “We feel that we have a very strong core group of players named today, and we look to supplement our roster over the next few weeks as we monitor the NHL playoff situation.”

Canada’s head coach will be Ken Hitchcock (Sherwood Park, AB/ Columbus, NHL), who will be joined by assistant coaches Pat Burns (St-Henri, QC/ New Jersey, NHL), Mike Johnston (Dartmouth, NS/ Los Angeles, NHL) and Craig MacTavish (London, ON/ Edmonton, NHL).

Team Canada will gather in Quebec City on April 24th for a pre-competition camp consisting of practices and two exhibition games (26th vs. Finland and 28th vs. Russia). Both games will take place at Le Colisée and tickets are on sale now at HYPERLINK "http://www.billetech.com" www.billetech.com, Le Colisée Pepsi ticket office or by calling (418) 691-7211.

Experience:

Past World Championship experience (9): Ward (CAR), Bouwmeester (FLA), Chimera (CBJ), Mayers (STL), Nash (CBJ), Staal (CAR), Toews (CHI), Whitney (CAR), Staios (EDM)

Past international experience:

World Juniors (6): Leclaire (CBJ), Bouwmeester (FLA), Chimera (CBJ), Nash (CBJ), Roy (BUF), Toews (CHI)

World Cup of Hockey (4): Bouwmeester (FLA), Doan (PHX), Nash (CBJ), St. Louis (TB)

Olympics (5): Bouwmeester (FLA), Doan (PHX), Nash (CBJ), St. Louis (TB), Staal (CAR)

Canada will open up the 2008 IIHF World Championship on May 2nd against Slovenia. TSN/RDS will carry all of Canada’s games (check your local listings for times in your area) and The Fan Radio Network will also be providing radio coverage of Canada at the 2008 IIHF World Championship.

The 2008 IIHF World Championship marks the first time that Canada has hosted the IIHF’s marquee event. This year’s Championship has added significance, because the IIHF World Rankings at the conclusion of this year’s World Championship will determine seeding for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver. Canada heads into the 2008 IIHF World Championship ranked third, behind Sweden and Finland.

TICKET INFORMATION FOR 2008 IIHF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

Tickets are still available for the 2008 IIHF World Hockey Championship. For games in Halifax, go to www.ticketatlantic.com, the Ticket Atlantic Box Office at the Halifax Metro Centre or call (902) 451-1221. For games in Quebec City, including the medal round, go to www.billetech.com, the Colisée Pepsi ticket office or call (418) 691-7211.

Exhibition games at Le Colisée Pepsi in Quebec City – April 26th: Canada vs. Finland; April 28th: Canada vs. Russia. For tickets, go to www.billetech.com, Le Colisée Pepsi ticket office or call (418) 691-7211.

For more information:

Esther Madziya
Manager, Communications
Hockey Canada

(403) 284-6484 

[email protected] 

Spencer Sharkey
Manager, Communications
Hockey Canada

(403) 777-4567

[email protected]

Jeremy Knight
Manager, Corporate Communications
Hockey Canada

(647) 251-9738

[email protected]

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