CALGARY, Alta. – Seventeen Canadians have been selected to represent our nation April 11-20 at the IPC World Para Hockey Championship in Gangneung, South Korea, site of the 2018 Paralympic Winter Games.

The selections were made by the team’s coaching staff and Hockey Canada’s management group led by Shawn Bullock, senior manager of hockey operations and national teams, following a full season of training camps and international competition, which included a golden performance at the 2017 International Para Hockey Tournament in Turin, Italy, and a silver-medal showing at the 2016 World Sledge Hockey Challenge in Charlottetown, P.E.I., in December.

“The naming of the final 17-player roster was not easy; however, we feel that the 17 players selected give us the best chance at winning a gold medal,” said head coach Ken Babey. “We have selected a team that is a mix of experience, skill, and youth. We understand that the competition will be strong, and to be successful, we will need to play the Canadian Way.”

The roster , which includes two goaltenders, five defencemen, and 10 forwards, features a relatively young squad that is teeming with international experience. This year’s roster includes:

• Five players making their world championship debut with Canada’s National Sledge Team (Armstrong, Cozzolini, Henry, Hickey, Smith)
• 15 players who struck gold at the 2017 International Para Hockey Tournament in February (Armstong, Arsenault, Cozzolino, Delaney, Dixon, Gemmell, Henry, Hickey, Larocque, McGregor, Sholomicki, Smith, Sorley, Watson, Westlake)
• 10 players who won bronze with Team Canada at the 2014 Paralympic Winter Games (Arsenault, Bowden, Bridges, Delaney, Dixon, Gemmell, Larocque, McGregor, Watson, Westlake)

Previously known as the IPC Sledge Hockey World Championship, Canada came away with silver from the 2015 tournament in Buffalo, New York. Since its introduction in 1996, the tournament has been held eight times (1996, 2000, 2004, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2013, 2015). Canada has medaled seven times, winning three gold medals (2000, 2008, 2013), one silver (2015), and three bronze (1996, 2009, 2012).

For more information on Hockey Canada and Canada’s National Sledge Team, please visit HockeyCanada.ca , or follow along via social media onFacebook, and Twitter.