CALGARY, Alta. – Forty of the nation’s top players have been selected to wear the red-and-white with a pair of national women’s teams at the upcoming December Series and Nations Cup.

The two teams – Canada’s National Women’s Team and Canada’s National Women’s Development Team – were selected by Melody Davidson, Hockey Canada’s general manager of national women’s team programs, with support from Gina Kingsbury, Hockey Canada’s director of national women’s team programs, Hockey Canada regional scouts and the coaching staffs.

“These events mark critical steps in our evaluation process leading into the IIHF Women’s World Championship and in deciding Canada’s centralization team as we look towards the 2018 Olympic Winter Games,” said Davidson. “As we move towards selecting those rosters we will use the December Series and Nations Cup as opportunities to evaluate our players on the international stage.”

Canada’s National Women’s Team to face rivals in Sarnia, Ont.

From Dec. 13-20, 22 players (two goaltenders, seven defenceman and 13 forwards) will compete against the United States in the two-game December Series in Sarnia, Ont., and Plymouth, Mich.

Canada’s National Women’s Team roster for the inaugural December Series includes:

• 14 players who won a silver medal with Canada’s National Women’s Team at the 2016 IIHF Women’s World Championship (Agosta, Clark, Fortino, Jenner, Johnston, Krzyzaniak, Larocque, Mikkelson, Poulin, Rougeau, Saulnier, Spooner, Turnbull, Wakefield);

• 12 players who won a gold medal with Canada’s National Women’s Team at the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia (Agosta, Fortino, Irwin, Jenner, Johnston, Larocque, Mikkelson, Poulin, Rougeau, Spooner, Szabados, Wakefield);

• 10 players who won a silver medal with Canada’s National Women’s Team at the 2016 4 Nations Cup in Vierumäki, Finland (Agosta, Ambrose, Fortino, Irwin, Jenner, Johnston, Larocque, Poulin, Spooner, Wakefield);

• Three players who will make their debut with Canada’s National Women’s Team at the 2016 December Series (Hart, A. Potomak, Shirley).

The two-game series opens in Plymouth on Dec. 17 at 4:30 p.m. ET/1:30 p.m. PT at the USA Hockey Arena. The finale will be hosted on Dec. 19 at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT at the Progressive Auto Sales Arena in Sarnia. A complete series schedule can be found here.

Canada’s National Women’s Development Team to defend gold medal at Nations Cup

From Jan. 4-7, 23 players (two goaltenders, seven defenceman and 14 forwards) will look to retain gold at the 2017 Nations Cup in Füssen, Germany and Telfs, Austria.

The Nations Cup, formerly known as the Air Canada Cup, MLP Cup and Meco Cup, brings together Canada’s National Women’s Development Team and national teams from Austria, the Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, Russia, Sweden and Switzerland for a four-day international tournament.

Canada’s National Women’s Development Team roster for the 2017 Nations Cup includes:

• 11 players who competed for Canada’s National Women’s Development Team in a three-game series against the United States in August in Calgary (Agnew, Bach, Downie-Landry, Gosling, Hart, Howe, Krzyzaniak, Leslie, Nurse, O’Neill, Potomak);

• Seven players who won a gold medal with Canada’s National Women’s Development Team at the 2016 Nations Cup (Ambrose, Bach, Gosling, Hart, Lacquette, Leslie, L. Stacey);

• Seven players who won a silver medal with Canada’s National Women’s Team at the 2016 IIHF Women’s World Championship (Clark, Davis, Krzyzaniak, Howe, Lacquette, Maschmeyer, Saulnier);

• Three players who will make their debut with Canada’s National Women’s Development Team at the Nations Cup (Bourbonnais, Giguère, B. Stacey).

Prior to its opening game on Jan. 4 against the Czech Republic in Füssen, Canada’s National Women’s Development Team will play a pre-tournament game against Germany on Jan. 2. A complete tournament schedule can be found here.

Following the December Series and 2017 Nations Cup, Hockey Canada scouts, along with the coaching staff, will continue to evaluate players with their club teams during the 2016-17 leading up to the world championship next April in Plymouth.

For more information on Hockey Canada and Canada’s National Women’s Team Program, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow through social media on Facebook, Twitter, and Twitter.com/HC_Women.