CALGARY, Alta. – Hockey Canada and Canlan Ice Sports Corp. announced today they have entered into a five-year agreement that will see the two become partners in adult recreational hockey.

As part of the agreement, all adult recreational players currently registered with Hockey Canada will become members of Canlan’s Adult Safe Hockey Network (ASHN), and all adult recreational hockey players currently registered with Canlan will become members of Hockey Canada. In total, more than 60,000 adult recreational players will be members of Hockey Canada-ASHN.

The agreement means that all adult recreational players in Canada will now be eligible for Hockey Canada’s insurance programs. Hockey Canada-ASHN will offer players comprehensive service, opportunities to play and access to the best that Hockey Canada and the ASHN have to offer.

In spring 2012, members of Hockey Canada-ASHN will begin to experience the exceptional benefits of this partnership with new opportunities for teams and players to play in the top adult recreational hockey tournaments and leagues across the country.

“Canadians’ passion for playing hockey comes at all levels, including in adult recreational hockey, where thousands continue to play the game they discovered as children,” said Bob Nicholson, president and CEO of Hockey Canada. “From the time a player starts in minor hockey until they step off the ice for the final time, we want that player to remain part of the Hockey Canada family. By entering into an adult recreation partnership with Canlan, Hockey Canada will be able to reach a number of our corporate goals while aligning ourselves with a great partner in adult recreational hockey.”

Canlan Ice Sports is the North American leader in the development, operations and ownership of multi-purpose recreation and entertainment facilities. Canlan is a unique organization with over 15 years of innovation developing premier brands such as the Adult Safe-Hockey League (ASHL), the largest recreational hockey leagues in the world.

“We are very excited to be working with Hockey Canada to bring the combined benefits of Hockey Canada and Canlan’s ASHN to all adult recreational hockey players, leagues and tournament operators across the country,” stated Joey St-Aubin, President and CEO of Canlan Ice Sports Corp.  “In our view, we have always been a strategic partner to Hockey Canada, given that another core area of our business has been the development of new and young skaters; essentially ‘feeding’ minor hockey associations with skilled and developed players across Canada.  We are extremely proud that Hockey Canada has identified our ASHL as the premier provider of safe, recreational hockey leagues and tournaments to adults across the country.  We look forward to providing our ASHN benefits (www.adultrechockey.ca/membership_benefits) to their Adult Membership while bringing Hockey Canada benefits to our ASHL and ASHN Members.”

For more information on adult recreational hockey and how to register, please visit HockeyCanada.ca/adultrec or www.AdultRecHockey.ca.