CALGARY, Alta. – Team Canada has officially begun its quest for gold at the 2016 IIHF Women’s World Championship, taking place March 28 – April 4 in Kamloops, B.C., with the announcement of its player roster.

The 23 players selected to Canada’s roster include three goaltenders, seven defencemen and 13 forwards. It features 17 returning players from Canada’s 2015 World Championship squad that won silver in Malmö, Sweden, along with 16 returnees from Canada’s 2015 4 Nations Cup team, and two players that will make their first appearance on the world championship stage.

Canada’s roster was selected by head coach Laura Schuler, assistant coaches Howie Draper and Dwayne Gylywoychuk, and goaltending consultant Brad Kirkwood, alongside Melody Davidson, Hockey Canada’s general manager of national women’s team programs. It was chosen following a year-long evaluation process that included all national team, development team and under-18 team camps, along with international events, and club team performance.

“We’re thrilled with the group selected to represent Canada on the international stage in Kamloops,” said Laura Schuler, head coach of Canada’s National Women’s Team. “After a long evaluation process, we’re confident in the 23 players we’ve chosen to wear the Canadian jersey and we’re looking forward to coming together as a team as we aim to reclaim gold on Canadian ice.”

Canada’s National Women’s Team roster for the 2016 IIHF Women’s World Championship includes:

• 17 players who won a silver medal with Canada National Women’s Team at the 2015 IIHF Women’s World Championship (Bram, Clark, Davis, Fortino, Jenner, Johnston, Krzyzaniak, Lacquette, Larocque, Maschmeyer, Poulin, Rattray, Rougeau, Saulnier, Spooner, Wakefield, Watchorn);

• 15 players who won a silver medal with Canada’s National Women’s Team at the 2015 4 Nations Cup in Sundsvall, Sweden (Agosta, Bram, Clark, Davis, Fortino, Howe, Krzyzaniak, Lacquette, Maschmeyer, Poulin, Rougeau, Saulnier, Spooner, Turnbull, Wakefield);

• 16 players who won a gold medal with Canada’s National Women’s Team at the 2014 4 Nations Cup in Kamloops, B.C. (Bram, Clark, Fortino, Howe, Jenner, Johnston, Krzyzaniak, Larocque, Maschmeyer, Rattray, Rougeau, Saulnier, Spooner, Turnbull, Wakefield, Watchorn);

• 13 players who won a gold medal with Canada’s National Women’s Team at the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia (Agosta, Jenner, Johnston, Fortino, Labonté, Larocque, Mikkelson, Poulin, Rougeau, Spooner, Wakefield, Watchorn, Wickenheiser);

• Two players who will make their world championship debut at the 2016 IIHF Women’s World Championship (Howe, Turnbull).

  Canada opens the 2016 IIHF Women’s World Championship against the United States on March 28, and also faces Russia (March 29) and Finland (March 31) in preliminary action. Both the bronze- and gold-medal games will be played on April 4th.

  Canada will also face-off against Team Sweden in an exhibition game on March 26 and will host its pre-tournament camp in Penticton, B.C., from March 19-24. A complete tournament schedule can be found here.

  All of Canada’s games at the 2016 IIHF Women’s World Championship will be shown by TSN and RDS, the official broadcasters of Hockey Canada. Check local listings for broadcast times.

  The 2016 IIHF Women’s World Championship is the 17th since the tournament’s 1990 inception. Canada’s National Women’s Team has appeared in every world championship gold-medal game, winning 10 gold medals (1990, 1992, 1994, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2004, 2007 and 2012) and six silver (2005, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2013 and 2015).

  Single game tickets now on sale nation-wide

  Single-game tickets for the 2016 IIHF Women’s World Championship are now on sale online to the general public. They can be purchased starting at $17 each for games held at McArthur Island and $30 for games at the Sandman Centre.

  Hockey fans can also purchase the Team Canada ticket package which includes all three Team Canada preliminary-round games, two semifinals, as well as the bronze- and gold-medal games, and can be purchased for as low as $265; full-tournament packages and Sandman Centre packages (12 games for $325) are all still available for purchase online while quantities last.

For more information on Hockey Canada and Canada’s National Women’s Team, please visitHockeyCanada.ca, or follow through social media atFacebook.com/HockeyCanada, Twitter.com/HockeyCanada and Twitter.com/HC_Women.