OTTAWA - Canadian Hockey announced today the Canadian roster selected by the management staff, led by Team Canada general manager Glen Sather of the Edmonton Oilers, for the inaugural World Cup of Hockey, scheduled from August 29 to .

Sather, who led Canada to the Canada Cup championship in 1984 and who was general manager for the gold medal winning team at the 1994 World Championship, named three goalkeepers, eight defencemen and 15 forwards.

Glen Sather was assisted in the selection by the management group he has brought together for the 1996 World Cup of Hockey. He is joined by Pat Quinn of the Vancouver Canucks, Bob Gainey of the Dallas Stars, Neil Smith of the New York Rangers and Scott Bowman of the Detroit Red Wings. Sather also announced today that Bowman would act as head coach for Team Canada.

"It was very difficult task to select 29 players to represent Canada in this event," said Sather. "It is always difficult to leave players off this roster, because there are so many fine Canadian hockey players available at the NHL level."

"We are confident that the players selected by Glen Sather and his management group will be excellent representatives for Canada in this tournament," said Murray Costello, president of Canadian Hockey. "We look forward to witnessing the talents of Canada's greatest players in the first World Cup of Hockey."

As expected, Team Canada boasts a squad experienced at both the Canada Cup and World Championships, with four-time Canada Cup veterans Wayne Gretzky and Paul Coffey leading the way.

Only centreman Keith Primeau of the Detroit Red Wings, and goalkeepers Martin Brodeur of the New Jersey Devils and the Edmonton Oilers' Curtis Joseph have not stepped on the ice in a Team Canada jersey.

The Team Canada training camp will take place in Whistler, B.C., from August 14-20. The Canadian squad will play four exhibition games between August 20 and 26 with locations yet to be determined.

Here is Canada's roster for the 1996 World Cup of Hockey - player (1995-96 NHL team):

Goalkeepers (3) - Martin Brodeur (New Jersey), Curtis Joseph (Edmonton), Bill Ranford (Boston)

Defencemen (8) - Raymond Bourque (Boston), Paul Coffey (Detroit), Eric Desjardins (Philadelphia), Al MacInnis (St. Louis), Scott Niedermayer (New Jersey), Lyle Odelein (Montreal), Scott Stevens (New Jersey), Rob Blake (Los Angeles)

Forwards (15) - Rod Brind'Amour (Philadelphia), Theoren Fleury (Calgary), Ron Francis (Pittsburgh), Wayne Gretzky (St. Louis), Paul Kariya (Anaheim), Claude Lemieux (Colorado), Mario Lemieux (Pittsburgh), Trevor Linden (Vancouver), Eric Lindros (Phildelphia), Mark Messier (NY Rangers), Keith Primeau (Detroit), Joe Sakic (Colorado), Brendan Shanahan (Hartford), Pat Verbeek (NY Rangers), Steve Yzerman (Detroit)

Alternates - (D) Ed Jovanovski (Florida), (F) Jason Arnott (Edmonton), Eric Daze (Chicago)