CALGARY, AB – Canada’s National Women’s Team roster has been named for the 2009 IIHF World Women’s Championship, which will be held April 4-12 in Hämeenlinna, Finland. Hockey Canada has also named the additional four players who will be centralized in Calgary, AB beginning in August. All of the centralized players have the chance to represent Canada at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver, BC.

Canada’s world championship roster includes three goaltenders, six defencemen and 12 forwards, along with one alternate (forward Jennifer Wakefield). Sixteen players on the roster competed at the 2008 IIHF World Women’s Championship in Harbin, China, helping Canada win a silver medal. Canada will attempt to win its 10th gold medal all-time at the IIHF World Women’s Championship since the event began in 1990. Canada has won nine of 11 world championships all-time.

Players and staff will depart Canada on March 24 for Helsinki, Finland, site of Canada’s pre-tournament camp. In addition to daily practices, Canada will play three pre-tournament games, facing local Midget AAA teams on March 28 and 29 and Finland’s National Women’s Team on March 31.

Canada opens the 2009 IIHF World Women’s Championship on April 4 versus China, and will also take on Sweden on April 6 in preliminary round action. The 2009 IIHF World Women’s Championship includes three pools of three teams each, with the first-place team in each pool moving on to the medal round, which starts on April 8.

TSN and RDS, Hockey Canada’s official broadcasters, will televise games from Hämeenlinna on April 8, 10 and 12, including the gold medal game.

The second part of today’s announcement has to do with Canada’s Olympic centralization roster. In August, 26 players will be in Calgary full-time in preparation for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games. The group of players will face off against Midget AAA teams throughout Alberta, along with taking part in a number of international competitions, including the 2009 Hockey Canada Cup in Vancouver, BC in early September and the 2009 4 Nations Cup in Finland in early November.

BREAKDOWN OF 26-PLAYER CENTRALIZED ROSTER

• 16 players competed for Canada at the 2008 IIHF World Women’s Championship
• 8 players from the Western Women’s Hockey League
• 7 players from the Canadian Women’s Hockey League
• 6 players from U.S. College
• 2 players from CIS
• 1 player from Canadian College
• 1 player from CEGEP
• 1 player from Swedish men’s league
• 6 players from Canada’s 2009 National Women’s Under-22 Team
• 2 players from Canada’s 2009 National Women’s Under-18 Team

Canada will need to trim its roster to 21 players in time for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games. The women’s hockey tournament opens in Vancouver on .

Hockey Canada will announce further details on the National Women’s Team’s schedule for the 2009-10 season in the coming months, including dates and locations for games against Alberta-based Midget AAA boys teams.