When Meghan Agosta stepped away from hockey after the 2014 Olympic Winter Games to chase down her dream of becoming a police officer, she knew she was sacrificing more than just her love for the game.

In a sport where the talent pool seems to get deeper and deeper every season, Agosta’s decision meant that her roster spot on Canada’s National Women’s Team would be left vacant, and there would be no guarantee that should she decide to return to Team Canada it simply be handed back to her.

But the Ruthven, Ont. native didn’t look like she missed a beat when she came back to the program in the fall, and when the puck dropped on the 2015 4 Nations Cup in Sundsvall, Sweden, there was Agosta in the Team Canada line-up with an ‘A’ on her sweater, helping her team to a silver medal.

Upon her return to Vancouver, Agosta mentioned in a newspaper article that she wanted to get back into the game, but it was a challenge for her to find ice time and high-level competition.

Justin Leung, a colleague of hers with the Vancouver Police Department, read the article and immediately reached out to his brother Jessie, head coach of the Valley West Hawks of the B.C. Major Midget League.

Could Jessie’s team help out a three-time Olympic gold medallist? He said yes in a heartbeat.

For Agosta, the opportunity was an important one because it meant she’d get to skate alongside some highly-skilled players as she got ready ahead of the 2016 IIHF Women’s World Championship in Kamloops, B.C.

“I’m so fortunate that the guys accepted me and allowed me to practice with them, they’re great,” she says. “They are the ones that I can honestly say prepared me for this championship.”

For the Hawks, who won the BCMML championship and are on the road this weekend in Lloydminster, Alta., for the Pacific Regional qualifier for the TELUS Cup, it was an opportunity to see a world-class athlete’s training regimen first-hand, and to pick her brain on different aspects and strategies of the game.

“We went through that first practice and as soon as she started taking part in some of our drills you saw some of the boys’ reactions,” remembers Leung. “They went ‘Holy smokes, she’s good!’”

Aside from being a female, a decorated Olympian and a police officer, Agosta is also over a dozen years older than some of the Hawks. That made her transition from shooting at targets with a rifle to shooting pucks at midget-aged goaltenders a little strange at first.

“I was kind of shy to jump on the ice at first because it’s their team” she says.

“I would line up at the back of the line before drills and eventually guys were telling me to go to the front. They started asking me questions about the drill and as time went by they felt more comfortable with me.”

Agosta barely missed a practice for the rest of the season, and the more and more she came out, the more players started to realize just how important Agosta’s presence meant to them.

“I remember a drill where she was taking some reps with [Luka Burzan, a member of Team Canada at the 2016 Winter Youth Olympic Games] and as I kept watching, I noticed he kept pairing up with her,” Leung says. “I finally went over and asked him how that happened and he looked at me and chuckled ‘Well, she’s the best one here.’ Next thing you know, they’re running the drill and every pass was right on his stick.”

Although at a disadvantage in terms of physical strength and size compared to some of the boys, Agosta made the best of the high-tempo practices and stayed in shape ahead of the women’s worlds.

“They’re a lot faster, stronger and have long reaches, so being out there on the ice with them really pushed me to be better. They challenged me to push and battle harder,” Agosta says. “I’ve definitely seen a change in my game. Hats off to them for that.”

Valley West was the class of the BCMML all season, going 33-6-1 in the regular season and winning six of seven in the playoffs, and Leung says Agosta played just as big a role as his players in that success.

“Her hockey IQ is out of this world,” says Leung. “She’d take some reps with our penalty kill unit and she was killing our power play; she was just destroying it, picking off passes everywhere.

“I remember turning to her on the bench once and pointing to the player next to her and saying ‘Meghan, I need you to make him as efficient a penalty killer as you.’”

Leung and his assistants also turned to Agosta to get her point of view on some of the systems they were using, and she’d chat with the boys about anything and everything hockey – what to do on a two-on-one, what she does on a forecheck, what to look for during the opponent’s breakouts, etc.

“Playing on the best teams, and having the best coaches, that experience allowed me to try and give them a few ideas here and there and they’ve taken and applied a few of them,” Agosta says. “But it’s all about getting better. I want to see them succeed because they helped me do just that as well.”

So what could make an already great season better, for both Agosta and the Hawks? Gold, and lots of it.

Agosta wants to add a third world title to her collection, and Valley West wants to be the first B.C. team since the Burnaby Winter Club in 1982 to win Canada’s National Midget Championship.

CALGARY, Alta. – Hockey Canada, in partnership with Hockey Newfoundland and Labrador, announced Wednesday that a special offer for tickets to this summer’s National Junior Team development camp, the 2010 4 Nations Cup, featuring the top women’s hockey teams in the world, and the 2011 TELUS Cup, Canada’s National Midget Championship, all coming to St. John’s, N.L. during the 2010-11 season, will go on sale this Thursday, July 8, at noon NT.

Available for a limited time only, the package is available for just $99 (plus applicable fees) and includes tickets to two Red-White games at the National Junior Team development camp in August, six games at the 4 Nations Cup in November, including the gold medal game, and all 19 games at the TELUS Cup next April. The package is valued at more than $175 and includes seat selection and an official event program from both the 4 Nations Cup and the TELUS Cup.

This special ticket package will only be available prior to the National Junior Team development camp and can be purchased at the Mile One Centre box office, by calling 709-576-7657 or 1-800-361-4595, or by going to www.admission.com. Tickets are currently only available through this special offer, with announcements for specific events to be made at later dates.

All three events will be based out of the Mile One Centre in St. John’s and will not only help recognize the 75th anniversary of Hockey Newfoundland and Labrador, one of Hockey Canada’s 13 branches, but will also bring some of the best hockey from across the country and around the world to the provincial capital. The National Junior Team development camp is scheduled for Aug. 4-8, the 2010 4 Nations Cup is from Nov. 9-13 and the 2011 TELUS Cup runs from April 18-24.

Forty-five of the country’s best young players will attend the National Junior Team development camp, including 11 players who were selected in the first round of the recent NHL Entry Draft. Practice sessions during the upcoming camp will be open to the public for free.

Hockey Canada, in conjunction with Hockey Newfoundland and Labrador and its Atlantic Regional Centre, will host hockey development programs during the National Junior Team development camp, including a skills camp and a coaching clinic. Details on these development activities, which will support the growth of the sport across the province, will be announced during the week of July 12.

The 4 Nations Cup will bring together the world’s best female players for the first time since the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver, B.C., where Canada won its third-consecutive gold medal. The roster for the Canadian team that will compete at the 2010 4 Nations Cup will be picked during a selection camp that will take place in Newfoundland just before the event begins.

The St. John’s Fog Devils, who won bronze at the 2010 TELUS Cup in Levis, Que., will serve as the host team for the 2011 tournament. Newfoundland and Labrador has not hosted Canada’s National Midget Championship since 1989.

CALGARY, Alta. – Hockey Canada, in conjunction with Hockey Newfoundland and Labrador, announced Tuesday that St. John’s, N.L. will host this summer’s National Junior Team development camp, the 2010 4 Nations Cup, featuring the top women’s hockey teams in the world, and the 2011 TELUS Cup, Canada’s National Midget Championship.

These three national and international events are being held in St. John’s to recognize the 75th anniversary of Hockey Newfoundland and Labrador, one of 13 Hockey Canada branches. The National Junior Team development camp is scheduled for Aug. 4-8, the 2010 4 Nations Cup is from Nov. 9-13 and the 2011 TELUS Cup runs from April 18-24.

All three events will be based out of the Mile One Centre in the heart of St. John’s. They will not only help Hockey Newfoundland and Labrador celebrate its 75th birthday, but will also provide a unique opportunity for the province to both see and showcase some of the best hockey from across the country and around the world.

Special ticket packages featuring all three events, for admittance to 27 games total, go on sale Thursday, July 8 at noon NT for $99 each (plus applicable fees). The package includes tickets to two National Junior Team development camp Red-White games, six games at the 2010 4 Nations Cup, including the gold medal game, and all 19 games at the 2011 TELUS Cup. They can be purchased at the Mile One Centre box office, by calling (709) 576-7657 or 1-800-361-4595, or by going to www.admission.com.

“We are thrilled to have St. John’s host these three exciting events during the 2010-11 season,” said Scott Smith, chief operating officer of Hockey Canada. “Bringing a range of outstanding hockey to the province’s capital city is a fantastic way for Hockey Newfoundland and Labrador to mark its 75th anniversary.”

“We could not have asked for anything better from Hockey Canada to help celebrate our organization’s 75th anniversary,” said Gerry Evans, president of Hockey Newfoundland and Labrador. “Having the top junior age players in the country training here, welcoming the best women’s hockey in the world and hosting the National Midget Championship will undoubtedly raise the profile of hockey in our province.”

As part of the celebration, plans for several province-wide hockey development programs are now underway. Details on these opportunities, which will benefit players, coaches and officials alike, will be announced in the coming weeks. More ticket announcements for these three events will also be made at later dates.  

Newfoundland and Labrador has not hosted the TELUS Cup, Canada’s National Midget Championship, since 1989, when the Calgary Buffaloes won their first national title. The St. John’s Fog Devils, who won bronze at the 2010 TELUS Cup in Levis, Que., will serve as the host team for the 2011 tournament.

The 4 Nations Cup will bring together the world’s best female players for the first time since the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver, B.C., where Canada won its third-consecutive gold medal. The roster for the Canadian team that will compete at the 2010 4 Nations Cup, the first international tournament leading to the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia, will be picked during a selection camp that will be held in Newfoundland just before this November’s event starts.

Forty-one skaters and four goaltenders will attend the National Junior Team development camp, including 11 players who were selected in the first round of the recent NHL Entry Draft and the top four picks overall (Taylor Hall, Kingston, Ont./Edmonton Oilers; Tyler Seguin, Brampton, Ont./Boston Bruins; Erik Gudbranson, Orleans, Ont./Florida Panthers and Ryan Johansen, Port Moody, B.C./Columbus Blue Jackets). Practice sessions during the National Junior Team development camp will be open to the public for free.

Hockey Canada’s official broadcaster TSN/RDS will air both the Canada-United States game on Tuesday, Nov. 9 and the gold medal game on Saturday, Nov. 13 during the 2010 4 Nations Cup, as well as the gold medal game from the 2011 TELUS Cup next April. All other games for these two events, as well as the Red-White games Friday, Aug. 6 and Saturday, Aug. 7 during the NJT development camp, will be available via FASTHockey webcast at hockeycanada.fasthockey.ca.

CALGARY, Alta. – After a 2020-21 season that saw limited on-ice opportunities and virtual summer camps, Hockey Canada has announced its men’s and women’s national teams will return to the ice in July for their annual summer camps.

From July 25-Aug. 10, Hockey Canada’s national team program, including the men’s under-18 and under-20 teams, and women’s under-18, NextGen (born in 2003), development and senior national teams, will gather in Calgary for a series of on- and off-ice activities for the first time since 2019.

“After a unique and difficult season, Hockey Canada is thrilled to provide our national team athletes and staff the opportunity to return to the ice for our annual summer camps in Calgary,” said Scott Salmond (Creston, B.C.), senior vice-president of national teams. “We look forward to hosting the top athletes and staff from across the country in July, and are excited to kick off our preparations for a new season and a number of international competitions.”

The Program of Excellence (POE) camps, which includes the men’s under-18 and under-20 programs, will take place at the Seven Chiefs Sportsplex on the Tsuut'ina Nation, while the BFL National Women’s Program Summer Showcase, presented by Sobeys, will take place at WinSport’s Canada Olympic Park. Canada’s National Para Hockey Team will also gather for a five-day off-ice boot camp in preparation for the 2021-22 season and 2022 Paralympic Winter Games.

“This year’s summer camps mark the first time that all levels of the National Women’s Program will participate in camp at the same time, helping us provide consistency with all our athletes and staff throughout the program,” said Gina Kingsbury (Rouyn-Noranda, Que.), director of women’s national teams. “Despite a difficult season, our athletes have done an excellent job of staying connected and working hard with limited resources, and we are excited to get back on the ice this summer as we work towards the upcoming season.”

The following national team camps and programs will be hosted in Calgary this summer:

• National Para Hockey Team boot camp (July 21-25)
• National Women’s Team pre-worlds camp (July 25-Aug. 10)
• National Men’s Under-18 Team summer development camp (July 26-Aug. 3)
• BFL National Women’s Under-18 Team summer camp, presented by Sobeys (July 29-Aug. 5) – including NextGen athletes
• BFL National Women’s Development Team summer camp, presented by Sobeys (July 29-Aug. 9)
• National Junior Team summer development camp (July 29-Aug. 3)

In the coming weeks, Hockey Canada will announce the rosters and staffs for each national team program.

For more information on Hockey Canada, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along via social media on Facebook and Twitter.

The 2020-21 season rolls on this week with the start of a pair of training camps on the ice in Calgary – the BFL National Women’s Team Training Camp, presented by Sobeys, and Canada’s National Para Hockey Team Training Camp, presented by Canadian Tire.

It is the first opportunity for both programs to have their players together; thanks to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, players have been skating in smaller groups in hub cities across the country dating back to last spring.

But with the pandemic still dominating everyday life from coast to coast to coast, the first priority of the camps is the health and safety of the players, staff and the community.

How exactly is this being done? Let’s take a look at a few questions that hockey fans might have.

Are both camps being held in a bubble environment?
Yes. The 14 players attending Canada’s National Para Hockey Team Training Camp, presented by Canadian Tire, are in one group, while there are separate Red and White groups for the BFL National Women’s Team Training Camp, presented by Sobeys. The only cross-over for women’s camp will be the three Red-White intrasquad games. There is no access for fans or media during camps, and a number of national team staff are working remotely to reduce the number of people inside the bubbles.

What COVID-19 protocols are in place for camps?
Hockey Canada has been working closely with Alberta Health Services to ensure all provincial guidelines are adhered to and that all protocols provide the utmost safety to participants and the general public. In an effort to reduce the risk of COVID-19, camp protocols go above and beyond what is required based on current provincial guidelines. Protocols and key preventative measures are in place for all Hockey Canada staff and athletes.

What are ‘key preventative measures’?
These include what have become the basics of COVID-19 prevention – social distancing, avoiding touching the face, frequent handwashing, no large gatherings, no spitting or handshakes, etc. Players received their own marked water bottles and towels, which are washed after each practice and game.

Were players asked to quarantine before coming to camp?
All 49 players attending both camps were asked to quarantine after getting their pre-camp test done, and all players were quarantined for three days upon arrival in Calgary. Two negative tests are required to begin small group practices (see below), and three negative tests are required to begin full-team practices.

How often are players and staff being tested?
Six tests for para camp attendees, and seven tests for women’s camp attendees. This includes a test prior to departure to ensure players and staff are safe to travel home.

What happens in the case of a positive test?
If someone falls ill or returns a positive test, they will immediately go into isolation and in-depth processes that have been developed will help guide the medical and management teams to take swift and decisive actions based on the scenario.

When are masks worn?
Players are required to wear protective masks while indoors and in public spaces, except while eating and during physical activity, including all on-ice sessions. Coaches and team staff must wear masks at all times, except while eating.

What do practices look like for Canada’s National Women’s Team?
For the first two days of practices (Jan. 19-20), players skated in groups of three, with two skates daily lasting 30 minutes each. Full-team practices will begin on Jan. 21, with teams remaining in their Red and White cohorts.

What do practices look like for Canada’s National Para Hockey Team?
For the first two days of practices (Jan. 18-19), players skated in groups of three, with on-ice testing on Jan. 18 and a pair of 45-minute practices on Jan. 19. Full-team practices begin today, Jan. 20.

Will there be Red-White games during camp?
There will be three Red-White games during the BFL National Women’s Team Training Camp, presented by Sobeys – Jan. 24, Jan. 27 and Jan. 29. These will be the only times players from the two cohorts will share the ice. There will be two Red-White games during Canada’s National Para Hockey Team Training Camp, presented by Canadian Tire – Jan. 22-23. There will also be a 3-on-3 tournament on Jan. 25.

More than a week later, there’s one singular sentence that sticks with Sarah Nurse.

“Diversity is who’s on the team, but inclusion is who gets to play.”

The National Women’s Team forward was one of close to 500 athletes and staff involved with Canada’s national teams – men’s, women’s and para hockey – who took part in mandatory diversity and inclusion training last week.

Hockey Canada remains committed to continuing to listen and learn, and being open to change in an effort to take action around diversity. The seminars are an early step in that commitment.

Discussions on diversity and inclusion had actually been going on for more than a year, championed by Denise Pattyn, Hockey Canada’s director of human resources. As the world changed in the last few months, the conversations picked up.

“We had an opportunity in early June to just continue to have that discussion and talk about what the next steps in her plan were,” says Scott Salmond, senior vice-president of national teams with Hockey Canada. “And then it came to light that with some other things that were happening in our game and around our game and in the world, that we were really short-sighted in not providing an opportunity and taking advantage, quite honestly, of the time that we have right now with our athletes virtually to have an impact.”

Salmond and Pattyn did their research and found Tina Varughese, who has worked extensively with the Province of Alberta’s immigration office and is the president of t Works Inc., which that specializes in cross-cultural communication and work-life balance seminars, and provides customized cultural diversity training.

“She understands the game and she had a really great way of communicating her message to the athletes,” Salmond says.

Varughese focused her seminars on the idea of unconscious bias – underlying attitudes and stereotypes that people attribute to another person or group of people that affect how they understand and engage with others.

“I think the majority of us, if not everyone, feels like they don't have bias towards people. They don't discriminate,” Salmond says. “But when you start to understand what an unconscious bias is and the language that you maybe use in the conversations that you have with other people, you realize that in some ways, without even meaning it, maybe you've created that bias or maybe you have that bias.”

For her part, Varughese was thrilled with the response she received from the athletes and staff.

“They were very keen to be an agent of change … this was incredibly inspiring for me because they are all athletes and in positions of influence,” she said in an interview last week with the Toronto Star.

“I felt they were much more transparent and honest about not only recognizing that they either had unconscious bias or didn’t even know what it was, but they were also very transparent in understanding what other people might go through.”

So what comes next? How does Hockey Canada ensure this is a conversation that continues internally, and also reaches outside the organization to the greater hockey community?

“We've done the virtual part, [so] next time that we have players together, we workshop,” Salmond says. “Talk about what we want the environment to look like, what the athletes want it to look like. I think it's one thing to have a policy or an expectation and to present that or write that somewhere. It's more powerful if the athletes are behind it and they have an opportunity to create it.

“It's really a responsibility that we have as a national sport organization and an opportunity that we have with our athletes and our staff to have an impact at the national level. And hopefully that impact finds its way to club teams and into communities across Canada.”

TORONTO, ON, August 2, 2016 - Hockey Canada, in partnership with Nike and players representing Canada’s national women’s, men’s, and sledge teams, unveiled the new Team Canada jersey in Toronto on Tuesday.

Designed by Nike to celebrate Canada’s 150^th anniversary of Confederation, the jersey will make its competitive debut this week when 41 of the nation’s best under-20 players face off against teams from Finland,Sweden, and the United States in Plymouth, Mich., in their quest to represent Canada on home ice when the 2017 IIHF World Junior Championship returns to Toronto and Montreal this December.

Tailor-made for the nation’s athletes, the Team Canada jerseys give a nod to Canada’s rich history while also incorporating performance innovation by Nike.

“This jersey is designed to match performance with patriotism,” said Tom Renney, president and chief executive officer, Hockey Canada. “I have been lucky to be able to turn my passion for the game into a career; and what I realized very early on is that hockey goes well beyond what’s learned on the ice. Hockey is part of the fabric of our nation, and teaches all of the life lessons that build great citizens. We wanted to ensure that every aspect of this jersey had a deep meaning to Canadians, while still pushing the envelope with innovation. From the bottom white stripe to the embedded maple leaves, the jersey is emblematic of that intrinsic link between the game and the 35 million Canadians who carry the Maple Leaf in their hearts.”

Engineered using Nike AeroSwift Technology and woven with Ripstop Fabric, the jersey is made to endure the athletes’ fast and physical performance on the ice. Meshed zones under both arms support thermoregulation through optimal ventilation allowing players to stay cool during the game.

The jersey prominently features the Canada 150 logo on both sleeves, composed of a series of diamonds that represent the four original Confederation provinces, forming the shape of the iconic Maple Leaf. On the upper section of the jersey, rows of maple leaves fill the jersey’s shoulder caps, forming one of the most patriotic features ever seen on a national jersey. The icon of the Maple Leaf represents one voice and the repeat of the icon represents the nation rallying around hockey. The unique and classic double-stripe on the jersey’s sleeves returns, but has been accentuated with a black and red accent making the exclusive design pop like never before.

“In 2017, as we celebrate the milestone 150^th anniversary of Confederation, we naturally reflect on the integral role that hockey plays in uniting Canadians,” says Raj Grewal, MP for Brampton East. “This year’s jersey reflects the pride this great game brings to our country and its importance in our culture.”

In addition to the upcoming National Junior Team development camp games, Team Canada fans will see the new jersey in action at the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cupwhen the men’s summer under-18 team look to defend their golden streak this month, as well as during a three-game series hosted in Calgary featuring Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team and Canada’s National Women’s Development Team going head-to-head against their U.S. rivals.

The new Team Canada jersey is available on August 2 at Nike stores and online at Nike.com and HockeyCanada.ca/Shop, at Hockey Canada’s official retail partner SportChek, and other Canadian retailers from coast to coast.

About Hockey Canada

Hockey Canada is the governing body for hockey in Canada and a member of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), with a membership through its 13 provincial member associations of over 700,000 players, coaches and officials. Hockey Canada is a not-for-profit organization that creates leading-edge hockey development programs for its members to deliver in communities across Canada; provides consistent rules and regulations and various other membership services from coast to coast to coast; manages numerous regional, national, and international hockey championships and events; and leads the operation of all teams that represent Canada in international hockey competition. Hockey Canada’s mission is to “lead, develop and promote positive hockey experiences.”For more information on Hockey Canada, please visit HockeyCanada.ca or join our social media communities onFacebook, Instagram, SnapChat (@hockey_canada), and Twitter.

About NIKE Inc.

NIKE, Inc., based near Beaverton, Ore., is the world’s leading designer, marketer and distributor of authentic athletic footwear, apparel, equipment and accessories for a wide variety of sports and fitness activities. Wholly-owned NIKE, Inc. subsidiaries include Converse Inc., which designs, markets and distributes athletic lifestyle footwear, apparel and accessories; and Hurley International LLC, which designs, markets and distributes surf and youth lifestyle footwear, apparel and accessories. For more information, visit www.nikeinc.com and follow @Nike.

CALGARY, Alta. – Hockey Canada announced Sunday that Caroline Ouellette (Montreal, Que./Montreal, CWHL) and Sidney Crosby (Cole Harbour, N.S./Pittsburgh, NHL) will serve as captain of Canada’s National Women’s Team and Canada’s National Men’s Team, respectively, at the 2014 Olympic Winter Games, while Greg Westlake (Oakville, Ont.) will captain Canada’s National Sledge Team at the 2014 Paralympic Winter Games.

It is the first time any of the three have captained Canada at an Olympic Winter Games or Paralympic Winter Games.

Caroline Ouellette is a three-time Olympic gold medallist, winning gold with Canada’s National Women’s Team in 2002, 2006 and 2010. She has also helped Canada to gold medals at the IIHF Ice Hockey Women’s World Championship in 1999, 2000, 2001, 2004, 2007 and 2012, scoring the overtime winner in the 2012 gold medal game, and silver medals in 2005, 2008, 2009, 2011 and 2013. A member of Canada’s National Women’s Team since 1999, Ouellette is the third-leading scorer in national team history, recording 238 points (85 goals, 153 assists) in 210 games.

Hayley Wickenheiser (Shaunavon, Sask./University of Calgary, CIS) will serve as a permanent alternate captain for Canada’s National Women’s Team, while Jayna Hefford (Kingston, Ont./Brampton, CWHL) and Catherine Ward (Montreal, Que./Montreal, CWHL) will wear an ‘A’ on a rotating basis. All three won gold with Canada at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games, and Wickenheiser and Hefford will be appearing in their fifth Olympics.

“There is a tremendous amount of experience in our dressing room, and there is no shortage of qualified candidates to wear a letter,” said Kevin Dineen, head coach of Canada’s National Women’s Team. “The players we have selected as captain and alternates in Sochi have shown their dedication and commitment to the team and its end goal throughout a long season, and we feel they are the ideal choices to lead our team through the Olympic experience.”

Sidney Crosby won a gold medal with Canada’s Men’s Olympic Team at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games, scoring the game-winning goal in overtime of the gold medal game. He also represented Canada at 2006 IIHF World Championship, leading the tournament in scoring and earning Top Forward honours, and won a pair of medals with Canada’s National Junior Team at the IIHF World Junior Championship, silver at the 2004 tournament and gold in 2005. Crosby made his international debut with Canada’s National Men’s Summer Under-18 Team at the 2003 Junior World Cup, winning a gold medal and leading the team in scoring as an under-age player.

Jonathan Toews (Winnipeg, Man./Chicago, NHL) and Shea Weber (Sicamous, B.C./Nashville, NHL) will serve as alternate captains for Canada’s Men’s Olympic Team. Both won gold at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games, and both won gold medals with Canada’s National Junior Team at the IIHF World Junior Championship; Toews in 2006 and 2007, Weber in 2005.

“Sidney, Jonathan and Shea have been leaders on the international stage in the past, as well as with their NHL teams,” said Mike Babcock, head coach of Canada’s National Men’s Team. “These three players will be at the forefront of our leadership group in Sochi, but we are confident that every one of the 25 players on our roster will lead in their own way and allow our team to be successful.”

Greg Westlake has been captain of Canada’s National Sledge Team since the start of the 2010-11 season, leading Canada to a gold medal at the 2013 IPC Sledge Hockey World Championship, and bronze at the world championship in 2011. The 2014 Paralympic Winter Games will be his third Paralympics; he won gold at the 2006 Games in Turin, Italy, and finished fourth in Vancouver. He also won a gold medal with Canada at the 2008 IPC Sledge Hockey World Championship. Westlake has been a member of Canada’s National Sledge Team since 2003, and sits second in all-time national team scoring, with 250 points (126 goals, 124 assists) in 147 games.

Brad Bowden (Orton, Ont.) and Adam Dixon (Midland, Ont.) will serve as alternate captains for Canada’s National Sledge Team. Bowden has played in two previous Paralympic Winter Games, winning gold in 2006, and is a three-time world champion, in 2000, 2008 and 2013. Dixon will be making his second Paralympic appearance and won gold with Canada at the IPC Sledge Hockey World Championship in 2008 and 2013.

“This is the leadership team we have had in place since 2011, and we have the utmost confidence in them leading our team into Sochi,” said Mike Mondin, head coach of Canada’s National Sledge Team. “Greg, Brad and Adam have worn the Team Canada jersey with pride every time they have put it on, and have earned the right to wear a letter on the game’s biggest stage.”

The 2014 Olympic Winter Games run from Feb. 7-23 in Sochi, Russia, with the women’s tournament running from Feb. 8-20, and the men’s event from Feb. 12-23.

The 2014 Paralympic Winter Games run from March 7-16 in Sochi, Russia, with the sledge hockey tournament taking place from March 8-15.

For more information on Hockey Canada, its national teams, the 2014 Olympic Winter Games and 2014 Paralympic Winter Games, visit www.hockeycanada.ca, or follow along through social media at www.facebook.com/hockeycanada and www.twitter.com/hockeycanada, www.twitter.com/hc_men, www.twitter.com/hc_women and www.twitter.com/hc_sledge.  

CALGARY, Alta. – Staying in touch with family and friends has become a lot easier for Canada’s national hockey players, thanks to a partnership with TELUS and Samsung.

Hockey Canada is pleased to announce the TELUS/Samsung Sweet Deals for Athletes program, which sees members of Canada’s National Women’s Team and National Sledge Team receiving Samsung Slyde mobile phones, along with exclusive TELUS mobility plans. A total of 75 phones will be issued to the women’s and sledge teams, allowing players and staff to stay connected during a busy 2009-10 season.

“Our team will be travelling non-stop from August until February, with little down time, so this is a great initiative by TELUS and Samsung that will allow us to stay in touch with family and friends,” says Tessa Bonhomme, a defenceman who is part of the 26-player National Women’s Team centralized roster. “This is one less thing to worry about as we focus on our goal of making the final roster of the National Women’s Team.”

Athletes and staff will receive Samsung Slyde phones, which allow users to easily transform the handset into a QWERTY keyboard. The Slyde also boasts a built-in MP3 player and 2.0 megapixel camera.

“Through our ongoing relationship with Hockey Canada, Samsung Canada is committed to connecting hockey players and fans across the country,” say Benjamin Lee, president, Samsung Electronics Canada. “The Samsung Slyde messaging handset, working on the TELUS national network, is the perfect mobile companion to allow the players and coaches to keep in touch with their friends and family as they compete, both in Canada and internationally.”

“TELUS is proud to support our National Women’s Team and National Sledge Team and we’re happy we can use our technology to help them stay connected with friends and family as they continue to represent our country at the highest level,” says Olympian Steve Podborski, TELUS director of community sports. “As a premier partner of Hockey Canada, the TELUS commitment to the support and development of Canadian athletes is steadfast and we’re delighted to give our athletes a boost in ways that are meaningful and unique.”

Samsung and TELUS are proud supporters of Hockey Canada’s national teams and national events, including the TELUS Cup national midget championship. Representatives from both companies were in Calgary this week in support of a training camp that included Canada’s three national hockey teams (men’s, women’s and sledge).