CALGARY -- Canada's Men's Olympic Hockey Team roster will be announced on Saturday, Nov. 29 and broadcast live on national TV from the Corel Centre west of Ottawa, Canadian Hockey announced Wednesday.

General manager Bob Clarke, of Flin Flon, MB, will reveal the 23 players -- 20 skaters and three goaltenders -- who will represent Canada at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan in February. With the NHL suspending its regular season from Feb. 7-25 to enable players from all competing countries to participate, Canada will be able to send its best players to the Winter Games for the first time in the history of the Olympics.

Both CBC and its sister network, Radio-Canada, as well as TSN and its Québec affiliate, RDS, will carry the announcement and the post-announcement news conference live, beginning at 6:30 p.m. EST.

Clarke, along with assistant GMs Pierre Gauthier of Montreal and Bob Gainey of Peterborough, ON, will be on hand for the announcement, as will Bob Nicholson, Senior vice-president, Hockey Operations for the Canadian Hockey Association.

"The Olympic Games is going to be an extra special event in the history of our national game, so the announcement of the men's hockey team that will compete for Canada in Nagano has to be a special event, also," said Nicholson. "Canada hasn't won an Olympic gold medal in men's hockey since the Edmonton Mercurys did it in 1952 and we know how important the make-up of this team is to all Canadians.

"We're counting on all of Canada to support this team in its efforts bring back a gold medal and want the people of Canada to share in the Olympic experience as much as possible, beginning with the naming of our team."

The final and playoff rounds of the Men's Olympic Hockey Tournament run from Feb 13-22.