CALGARY, Alta. – Hockey Canada has announced the 18 players who will be part Canada’s National Para Hockey Team and, for the first time on home ice, compete for a gold medal at the 2023 World Para Hockey Championship, May 28-June 4 in Moose Jaw, Sask.

The roster – two goaltenders, five defenceman and 11 forwards - was selected by head coach Russ Herrington (Unionville, Ont.) and Marshall Starkman (Thornhill, Ont.), manager of hockey operations, with input from assistant coaches Mike Foligno (Sudbury, Ont.), Mike Fountain (Gravenhurst, Ont.) and Scott Walker (Cambridge, Ont.).

“We are very appreciative of the investment made by all of the athletes who have been part of the evaluation process since September. In the best of ways, they made it difficult on us as a staff to put together this roster,” said Herrington. “With the opportunity to compete for a world championship on home soil for the first time, we are excited about the composition of the roster and are confident this group will represent Canada and make all Canadians proud.”

The journey to the world championship began last September with selection camp in Calgary, where 25 players were named to the national team roster for the 2022-23 season. The competition schedule included the IPH Cup in Ostrava, Czechia, the Para Hockey Cup in Bridgewater, N.S., a three-game series against Korea in Calgary, Alta./Alb. and a three-game series against the United States in Elmira, Ont.   

The roster includes Raphaëlle Tousignant, who will make her international debut with Canada’s National Para Hockey Team and become the first woman to represent Canada in a major international competition.

It also features 15 players who won a silver medal at the IPH Cup (Armstrong, Auclair, Boily, Cozzolino, Crane, Dunn, Halbert, Henry, Huneault, Jacobs-Webb, Kovacevich, Lavin, LeBlanc, McGregor, Smith), and 17 who captured a silver medal at the Para Hockey Cup (Armstrong, Auclair, Boily, Cozzolino, Crane, Dixon, Dunn, Halbert, Henry, Huneault, Jacobs-Webb, Kovacevich, Larocque, Lavin, LeBlanc, McGregor, Smith).  

Canada will be joined by Czechia, Korea and the United States in Group A at the world championship, while Group B features China, Germany, Italy and Norway.

Canada opens its preliminary-round schedule on Monday, May 29 at 7 p.m. MT against Korea. It will face Czechia on May 30 before closing out prelim action against the United States on May 31.

Fans can guarantee their seat by purchasing a full-event ticket package for as low as $99 at HockeyCanada.ca/Tickets.

All 20 tournament games will be available via livestream at HockeyCanada.ca.

Canada has captured four gold medals at the World Para Hockey Championship (2000, 2008, 2013, 2017), in addition to three silver (2015, 2019, 2021) and three bronze (1996, 2009, 2012).

For more information on Hockey Canada and Canada’s National Para Hockey Team, please visit HockeyCanada.ca or follow through social media on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.