CALGARY, AB - Canada's National Women's Olympic Centralized Team of 27 players is set to open its spring conditioning and orientation camp on Monday, May 23rd through to June 12th at the MacLauchlan Arena at the University of Prince Edward Island in Charlottetown, PE.

Twenty-seven of Canada’s top women’s hockey players will attend the three week camp in PEI, which is the first formal on ice work outs for the 2006 Olympic Centralized group of Canadian women’s hockey players. After the three week camp in PEI, the team will disburse to their respective homes before centralizing full-time in Calgary beginning .

"We are excited to get started in the process of building a successful team for the Olympics," said Melody Davidson, Head Coach of Canada’s Women’s 2006 Olympic Hockey Team. "PEI is a great place to enjoy the benefits of a truly beautiful province, but at the same time take advantage of some great facilities in order to train on and off ice at an appropriate level.”

Canada’s camp in PEI includes on-ice practices that are free and open to the public, with all ice sessions running from 10am to 12noon (schedule below).  Canada’s centralized women’s team will also be training off-ice each day during their stay in PEI.

Twenty of the 27 players will eventually be selected to represent Canada in women's hockey at the 2006 Winter Olympic Games in Turin, Italy from February 10 to 26.  Canada must name a roster of 20 players (18 skaters, 2 goalies) prior to the 2006 Olympic Winter Games in February 2006.

Canada’s 2005-2006 Women’s Olympic hockey team’s centralized group, based in Calgary in August, will play numerous pre-Olympic games from August, 2005 – January, 2006 in Canada, as well as in the USA and Europe. Canada's 2005-2006 schedule includes six games versus USA in Canada and USA, as well as additional games versus other countries in Canada and in Europe. 

Team Canada’s Women’s Olympic Team coaching staff includes Head Coach Melody Davidson, and assistant coaches Tim Bothwell and Margot Page.

+all practice times and dates are subject to change

* ALL ON ICE SESSIONS ARE FREE AND OPEN TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC

Hockey Canada previously released the centralization roster on .   The Centralization roster of 27 players is comprised of:

• 3 goaltenders
• 8 defence
• 16 forwards

Team Canada’s 2006 centralization roster includes 15 players that won a gold medal at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City and includes all 24 members of Canada’s silver medal winning team at the 2005 Women’s World Hockey Championship last month in Linkoping, Sweden.