CALGARY, AB – Team Canada General Manager, Jim Nill, along with Team Canada Assistant GM Don Maloney (NY Rangers) and Director, Player Personnel Lanny McDonald named three players that will represent Canada at the 2004 IIHF Men’s World Hockey Championship: forwards Jeff Friesen and Brenden Morrow and defenseman Scott Niedermayer.

The 2004 World Championship takes place in Prague, Czech Republic, April 24-. Canada is currently training in Budapest, Hungary, and will play a game versus Hungary on April 20 prior to arriving in Prague for the World Championship. The team will play another tune up game on April 22, in Prague, versus the Czech Republic.

Canada’s roster now stands at 20 players – three goaltenders, seven defensemen and ten forwards. Additional players will be announced this week.

Joel Quenneville will lead Canada behind the bench as Head Coach, while Mike Babcock (Mighty Ducks of Anaheim) and Tom Renney (New York Rangers) are the assistant coaches.

Scott Niedermayer, an Olympic gold medalist at the 2002 Winter Olympic Games and team captain of the New Jersey Devils, will join his brother Rob at the 2004 World Championship, the first time they have played together since minor hockey in Cranbrook, BC. Scott finished third in Devils scoring with 54 points in 81 games this season, which ranked him tied for 3rd overall in NHL defencemen scoring. Scott led the Devils in ice time this season with 25:53/game average.

Friesen will be making his fifth appearance at the Men’s World Championship for Team Canada, having won gold in 1997 and a silver medal in 1996. He also played for Canada at the 19 World Championships, and won two gold medals with Team Canada at the 19 World Junior Championships. Friesen finished 4th overall in scoring this season with the New Jersey Devils (37 points in 81 games).

The 2004 Men’s Worlds will mark the third time that Morrow has represented Canada at the Men’s Worlds (20). He also played for Team Canada at the 1999 World Junior Hockey Championship, winning a silver medal. Morrow set career highs this season with the Dallas Stars in goals (25), assists (24) and points (49) in 81 games. He was the Stars first round draft pick (25th overall) in the 1997NHL Entry Draft.

At this year’s Championship in Finland, Canada is in a preliminary round group with Austria, France and Switzerland. Canada's first game at the 2004 IIHF World Hockey Championship will take place in Prague on April 25 versus Austria.

The official broadcaster of the Hockey Canada, TSN/RDS, will have live TV coverage of the Men’s Worlds, beginning with Canada’s first game of the championship on April 25.