CALGARY – Team Canada’s General Manager Steve Tambellini announced on Monday the twenty-two player roster that will represent Canada at the 2005 IIHF Men’s World Hockey Championship, taking place April 30-May 15 in Innsbruck and Vienna, Austria.

Canada’s 2005 World Championship team comes with plenty of international experience, with 19 of the 22 players have represented Canada at previous international events.  15 of the players named to Team Canada today were members of Canada’s Championship Team at the 2004 World Cup of Hockey, and five players named today won gold with Canada at the 2004 World Championship in Prague.  

Canada has won gold at the past two Men’s World Championships – 2004 in Czech Republic and 2003 in Finland, and will be going for ‘three in a row’ in Austria. Overall, Canada has won 23 gold medals at the World Championship since 1920.

“We are very pleased to name this group of Canadian players today, and know that each of them is honoured and want to represent Canada with the passion to go for our third straight gold medal and to give back to our game across the country”, said Tambellini.

Canada’s roster named today includes three goaltenders, seven defensemen and 12 forwards.

Canada’s coaching staff of Marc Habscheid, Head Coach, and Tom Renney and Craig MacTavish, assistant coaches, will conduct a training camp in Calgary, AB beginning Wednesday, April 13th at 4:00pm MT (media availability prior to practice at 2:00pm MT on April 13th).  The camp in Calgary is at Father David Bauer Olympic Arena, and will run until Sunday, April 17th, and all practices are open to the public. Note: not all of Canada’s players named today will attend all of the camp in Calgary, due to travel schedules, personal situations or if they have been playing this season in Europe.

Team Canada will take on Team USA in two ‘pre-World Championship games’ in Halifax on April 20 at the Halifax Metro Centre and in Quebec City on April 22 at Le Colisée Pepsi.  Tickets are on-sale now.  These are the only two international games being played in North America prior to the 2005 IIHF World Championship, and they will be a tune up for both teams as they prepare for the Worlds in Austria taking place April 30-May 15th. 

TICKET INFORMATION:

• HALIFAX – CANADA VS. USA
• Wednesday, April 20, 7:00 pm AT
• Halifax Metro Centre, Halifax, Nova Scotia

Tickets can be purchased by phone (902) 451-1221.  Tickets can also be purchased in person at the Halifax Metro Centre Box Office and all participating Sobeys outlets (cash only).  Ticket prices are $45, $55 and $65 (taxes included).

• QUEBEC CITY – CANADA VS. USA,
• Friday, April 22, 7:30 pm ET
• Le Colisee Pepsi, Quebec City, QC

Tickets can be purchased by calling (418) 691-7211 or by calling toll free at 1(800) 900-7469 or purchase tickets online at www.billetech.com. Ticket prices range from $25 to $65 (taxes included).

Halifax and Quebec City will play host to the 2008 IIHF Men’s World Championship, the first time Canada has hosted this prestigious international event.  The 2008 Men’s Worlds will mark the 100 year anniversary of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF).

Canada will play two additional games in Europe prior to the start of the World Championship: Riga, Latvia vs. Latvia on April 25 and versus Czech Republic on April 28 in Prague.  Canada will travel to Europe on April 23rd.

Canada can name one additional player prior to its first game of the 2005 World Championship on Saturday, April 30th versus Latvia in Innsbruck, Austria.  TSN/RDS, the official broadcaster of Hockey Canada, and the FAN radio network, will be broadcasting all Team Canada’s games LIVE from Austria (check local listings), beginning April 30th.