DOAN, DRAPER, JOVANOVSKI AND THORNTON NAMED ALTERNATE CAPTAINS

HALIFAX – Team Canada announced on Wednesday morning that Ryan Smyth will be captain for Canada’s 2005 Men’s World Championship team, and that Shane Doan, Kris Draper, Ed Jovanovski and Joe Thornton will be Canada’s alternate captains for Canada at the 2005 IIHF Men’s World Hockey Championship in Austria, April 30-May 15.

The 2005 Men’s World Championship marks the fifth straight year that Ryan Smyth (Banff, AB) has worn the ‘C’ as team captain for Canada’s World Championship Team.  Smyth is playing at his seventh straight World Hockey Championship and has played more games (50) with Canada at the Championship than any other player. Smyth has represented Canada ten times on the international stage, including winning back to back men’s world’s titles (20) as Canada’s captain, and was a member of Canada’s championship teams at the 2004 World Cup of Hockey and 2002 Winter Olympic Games and won gold at the 1995 World Junior Hockey Championship.

Smyth will be joined by four other leaders that will wear an “A” for Team Canada. The alternate captains for Team Canada are Shane Doan (Halkirk, AB), Ed Jovanovski (Windsor, ON), Kris Draper (Toronto, ON), and Joe Thornton (St.Thomas, ON). Head Coach Marc Habscheid, and assistant coaches Tom Renney and Craig MacTavish, will rotate pairs of alternate captains on a game by game basis.

Doan and Thornton are captains of their respective NHL teams (Phoenix and Boston) and Jovanovski is an alternate captain of the Vancouver Canucks.  All four alternate captains named today have extensive international experience representing Canada.

Joe Thornton joined the team in Halifax, NS on Tuesday after finishing up his season in Europe with Davos in the Swiss league, but will not play tonight in Halifax against the USA.

Canadian goaltender Martin Brodeur (Montreal, QC) will get the start in net for Canada as they play their first of four pre-championship games.  Canada plays tonight at the Halifax (NS) Metro Centre against the USA, and then the two teams will square off on Friday in Quebec City.  Canada will also play on Monday in Riga, Latvia and on April 28 in Prague, prior to arriving into Austria.

Tickets are still available for the CAN vs. USA games tonight in Halifax and Friday in Quebec City. Tickets for Halifax can be purchased by phone (902) 451-1221 or 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).

Canada will open the 2005 World Championship on April 30th versus Latvia, and will be broadcast LIVE on TSN and RDS, the official broadcaster of Hockey Canada, and on the radio via the FAN radio network (check local listings).