PRAGUE, Czech Republic – Hockey Canada, in collaboration with National Men’s Team general manager David Nonis, announced the addition of five players to Canada’s roster for the 2011 IIHF World Championship, which will take place April 29-May 15 in Bratislava and Kosice, Slovakia.

Goaltender Jonathan Bernier (Laval, Que./Los Angeles Kings, NHL), defencemen Carlo Colaiacovo (Toronto, Ont./St. Louis Blues, NHL), Marc-André Gragnani (Île-Bizard, Que./Buffalo Sabres, NHL) and Mario Scalzo (Montreal, Que./Mannheim Eagles, DEL) and forward James Neal (Whitby, Ont./ Pittsburgh Penguins, NHL) have been added to Canada’s roster. This brings Canada’s official registered roster to 23 players, including three goaltenders, seven defencemen and 13 forwards. An additional forward and 24th player, Antoine Vermette, is with the team, with an injury that will keep him on the sidelines until the end of the preliminary round.  Vermette could be added to the roster after Canada’s third game, when the roster can be extended to 25 players.

With the addition of these players, Canada now has:

• Ten players with IIHF World Championship experience: Burns, Dubnyk, Duchene, Eberle, Nash, Phaneuf, Schenn, Spezza, Tavares and Zajac;
• One Olympic gold medalist (Nash);
• Ten IIHF World Junior Championship gold medalists (Bernier, Dubnyk, Eberle, Kane, Ladd, Neal, Phaneuf, Pietrangelo, Schenn, Tavares);
• Twenty players who have already represented Canada on the international stage;
• Four players will be representing Canada on the international stage for the very first time: goaltender James Reimer, defencemen Gragnani, Marc Methot and forward Chris Stewart; 
• Three players, Mario Scalzo, Jeff Skinner and Antoine Vermette will be playing in their first IIHF event. Skinner and Vermette have both played for Canada’s Summer Under-18 Team, while Scalzo has represented in two Deutschland Cups and two Spengler Cups.

Of the player additions, only Scalzo is expected to be in Canada’s lineup against Belarus on April 29, as the four other players will be arriving over the coming two days.

Nonis, in collaboration with assistant general managers Rob Blake (Simcoe, Ont.) and Bob Murray (Kingston, Ont./Anaheim, NHL) and Brad Pascall, Hockey Canada’s vice-president of hockey operations/national teams have been closely monitoring the NHL playoffs after naming an initial group of 19 players on April 13.

CANADA’S UDATED ROSTER FOR THE 2011 IIHF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP (as of )

P Name Hometown Club Team 
G Devan Dubnyk Calgary, Alta. Edmonton Oilers (NHL)
G Jonathan Bernier Laval, Que. Los Angeles Kings (NHL)
G James Reimer  Morweena, Man. Toronto Maple Leafs (NHL)

D Brent Burns Ajax, Ont. Minnesota Wild (NHL)
D Carlo Colaiacovo Toronto, Ont. St. Louis Blues (NHL)
D Marc-André Gragnani Île-Bizard, Que. Buffalo Sabres (NHL)
D Marc Methot Ottawa, Ont. Columbus Blue Jackets (NHL)
D Dion Phaneuf Edmonton, Alta. Toronto Maple Leafs (NHL)
D Alex Pietrangelo King City, Ont. St. Louis Blues (NHL)
D Mario Scalzo St-Hubert, Que. Mannheim Eagles (DEL)
D Luke Schenn Saskatoon, Sask. Toronto Maple Leafs (NHL)

F Cal Clutterbuck Welland, Ont. Minnesota Wild (NHL)
F Matt Duchene Haliburton, Ont. Colorado Avalanche (NHL)
F Jordan Eberle Regina, Sask. Edmonton Oilers (NHL)
F Evander Kane Vancouver, B.C. Atlanta Thrashers (NHL)
F Andrew Ladd Maple Ridge, B.C. Atlanta Thrashers (NHL)
F Rick Nash Brampton, Ont. Columbus Blue Jackets (NHL)
F James Neal Whitby, Ont. Pittsburgh Penguins (NHL)
F Jeff Skinner Markham, Ont. Carolina Hurricanes (NHL)
F Jason Spezza Mississauga, Ont. Ottawa Senators (NHL)
F Chris Stewart Scarborough, Ont. St. Louis Blues (NHL)
F John Tavares Oakville, Ont. New York Islanders (NHL)
F * Antoine Vermette St-Agapit, Que. Columbus Blue Jackets (NHL)
F Travis Zajac Winnipeg, Man. New Jersey Devils (NHL)

*Not on official registered roster due to injury