CALGARY – Team Canada’s General Manager Steve Tambellini announced on Wednesday that five Canadian players that spent the 2004-2005 season playing in Europe and represented Canada at various international events this year, will participate in Team Canada’s training camp beginning today in Calgary for Canada’s Men’s World Championship team.

The five national team players are: 

Astley and Heward were teammates in Langanau in Switzerland during the 2004-2005 season, both defencemen.  Astley represented Canada at the 2004 Spengler Cup this season, while Heward was Canada’s team captain at both the Loto Cup in December and the Spengler Cup.  Heward, an NHL 1st round draft pick in 1989, was a member of Canada’s back to back gold medal winning World Championship teams in 20, and won bronze at the 1995 World Championship.

Forwards Davidson and Schneider were teammates this season in Dusseldorf, and represented Canada this season at the Deutschland Cup (Davidson) and the Budapest Cup (Schneider).  Pollock played with Canada’s National Men’s team at three events in 2004-2005: Loto Cup, Spengler Cup and Budapest Cup.  He was a member of Kloten in the Swiss league.

Team Canada Head Coach Marc Habscheid led Canada to a 10-5-1 record in his first season as Head Coach of Canada’s National Men’s team. Canada was the only country during the 2004-2005 season to not use NHL players at the various international events in Europe.

Tambellini announced that Team Canada defenceman Sheldon Souray, along with forwards Rick Nash and Joe Thornton will not be attending Team Canada’s training camp in Calgary and will be joining the team next week.

The 2005 IIHF Men’s World Hockey Championship takes place April 30-May 15 in Innsbruck and Vienna, Austria. 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.

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.

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 atwww.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.