CALGARY, Alta. - Hockey Canada, in partnership with its 13 member branches, announced Thursday that a special and personalized 2011 Hockey Canada season planner has been mailed to over 235,000 minor hockey players across Canada that are members of Hockey Canada, as well as being made available online at www.HockeyCanada.ca.

The mailout of the season planner also coincides with the launch of a new interactive website at www.MyHockeyCanada.ca and a re-launch of Hockey Canada’s kids website at www.hockeycanada.ca/kids.

This is the fourth-straight year that Hockey Canada and its 13 member branches are connecting with their grassroots membership by mailing out personalized packages to hundreds of thousands of children who are taking to the ice across the country. This year, more than 235,000 children, all Hockey Canada members, will receive a personalized and bilingual 2011 Hockey Canada season planner, along with collectable items.

The general public will be able to download this bilingual version of the season planner at www.HockeyCanada.ca, and will be able to download the planner in additional versions in 12 other languages early next week (Arabic, Cantonese, Cree, German, Inuktitut, Italian, Mandarin, Ojibwe, Portuguese, Punjabi, Tagalog, Spanish). This new initiative is part of Hockey Canada’s overall priority of recruitment and retention to help grow the game of hockey in Canada.

“We are very excited to be partnering with the 13 regional hockey branches in Canada to send this very special package to minor hockey players in Canada under 10 years old,” said Hockey Canada president and CEO Bob Nicholson. “We are especially pleased this year to be offering the season planner in languages besides English and French, as we continue to introduce hockey to all Canadians.”

“Everyone who gets this package is a member of a bigger team, Hockey Canada,” said Ken Corbett, chair of the Hockey Canada Board of Directors. “When these young players watch other players represent Canada at the international level, they should remember that they are part of the same team as them - the Hockey Canada team.”

In total, there are more than 550,000 children who are registered in hockey through Hockey Canada’s 13 member branches and its member minor hockey associations. These young players benefit in many ways by participating in the sport, from having fun and building friendships to learning lessons about confidence, fair play, good sportsmanship and teamwork.

Hockey Canada has developed this special mail-out for children with the help of all 13 regional branches to communicate with the base of its membership and remind minor hockey players that they are an important part of Hockey Canada.

The Hockey Canada package for minor hockey players includes:

• a personalized Hockey Canada season planner featuring fun hockey-related activities and comic strips featuring Hockey Canada’s official mascot, Puckster
• a collectable Puckster pin
• Team Canada and Canadian NHL team stickers

Hockey Canada, in partnership with its 13 member branches, has also launched an interactive website where anyone can play a virtual game with Team Canada. The website, www.MyHockeyCanada.ca, allows users to register and watch as they go from playing minor hockey right through an opportunity to play for Team Canada.

Hockey Canada has also re-launched its popular kids website, featuring new games and interactive activities. The website features everything from videos, games and quizzes to an interactive hockey card builder, hockey tips and information about Team Canada. Check it out at www.hockeycanada.ca/kids.

Minor hockey players between the ages of four and 10 who are registered with Hockey Canada but do not receive a mail-out package by January 30 can have their parents email [email protected] or their member branch to request the free gift or to get packages for friends that may want to register for minor hockey in the future. Please provide the player’s name, his or her club team, the name of the minor hockey association and a mailing address.