27 Top Canadian Women's Hockey Players Will Centralize in Calgary, AB in Preparation for 2006 Olympic Winter Games in Turin, Italy

NR.064.05
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May 9, 2005
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Team will train in PEI for three weeks starting May 23

CALGARY, AB – Hockey Canada announced on Monday that 27 elite Canadian women hockey players will centralize in Calgary on a full time basis beginning , in preparation for the 2006 Winter Olympic Games in Turin, Italy.  Canada’s Women’s Olympic hockey team also centralized in Calgary prior to the 19 Winter Olympic Games.

Twenty of the 27 players will be selected to represent Canada in women’s hockey at the 2006 Winter Olympic Games in Turin, Italy from February 10 to 26.  Canada must name a roster of 20 players (18 skaters, 2 goalies) in January, 2006, just prior to the 2006 Olympic Winter Games.

Canada will play numerous pre-Olympic games from August, 2005 – January, 2006 in Canada, as well as in the USA and Europe. Canada's 2005-2006 schedule includes six games versus USA in Canada and USA, as well as additional games versus other countries in Canada and in Europe. 

A breakdown of pre-Olympic international games Canada's women's team will play in 2005-2006 is:
- 7 international games in Canada
- 3 international games in USA
- 11 international games in Europe

Game locations and details for Team Canada's 2005-2006 schedule will be announced later this summer.  Canada's National Women's team will also be playing games versus Midget boys AAA teams within Alberta during the 2005-2006 season as part of the team's training and preparation schedule.

The Centralization roster of 27 players is comprised of:
- 3 goaltenders
- 8 defence
- 16 forwards

Team Canada’s 2006 centralization roster includes 15 players that won a gold medal at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City and includes all 24 members of Canada’s silver medal winning team at the 2005 Women’s World Hockey Championship last month in Linkoping, Sweden.

Team Canada’s Women’s Olympic Team coaching staff, comprised of Head Coach Melody Davidson, and assistant coaches Tim Bothwell and Margot Page will work with the players on a full time basis starting in August.

"Our coaching staff and team benefited from the World Championship last month and we have been building towards our centralization for the past 16 months," said Melody Davidson. "We are very confident that we have assembled a terrific group of athletes who are committed to representing Canada at the 2006 Winter Olympics, to the highest level possible.”

The team will gather in Calgary, AB at Hockey Canada’s head office at the Father David Bauer Arena, for one week in May (May 15 to 22) before traveling to PEI on May 22 where the team will hold a three week on and off ice camp. Canada’s coaching staff will utilize the camp in PEI for orientation and off-ice training, before centralizing in early August.

The sport of women’s hockey, which made its debut at the 1998 Olympic Winter Games in Nagano, Japan, has seen a growth in Hockey Canada registration numbers in Canada of over 400% over the past 10 years.

For more information on the National Women’s Team and camp details, please visit the official web site of Hockey Canada atwww.hockeycanada.ca

Player S/C Ht. Wt. Birthdate Hometown 2004-05 Team
Joueuse T/C T. P.  Naissance Ville d’origine Équipe 2004-2005
Goaltenders/Gardiennes de but
32 Labonté, Charline L/G 5'9 169 10/15/82 Boisbriand, QC Axion de Montreal (NWHL)
1 Small, Sami Jo L/G 5’8 179 3/25/76 Winnipeg, MB Toronto Aeros (NWHL)
33 St-Pierre, Kim L/G 5’9 157 12/14/78 Châteauguay, QC Quebec Avalanche (NWHL)
Defence/Défense
25 Bonhomme, Tessa L/G 5'7 140 07/23/85 Sudbury, ON Ohio State Univ (WCHA)
20 Bredin, Correne L/G 5’11 181 02/11/80 Warburg, AB Calgary Oval X-Treme (WWHL)
34 Collins, Delaney L/G 5’4 135 05/2/77 Pilot Mound, MB U. of Alberta (CIS)
9 Ferrari, Gillian R/D 5’8 162 06/23/80 Thornhill, ON Brampton Thunder (NWHL)
4 Kellar, Becky L/G 5’7 156 01/01/75 Hagersville, ON Oakville Ice (NWHL)
3 MacLeod, Carla R/D 5’4 138 06/16/82 Calgary, AB U of Wisconsin (WCHA)
11 Pounder, Cheryl R/D 5’5 145 06/21/76 Mississauga, ON Toronto Aeros (NWHL)
5 Sostorics, Colleen R/D 5'4 175 12/17/79 Kennedy, SK Calgary Oval X-Treme (WWHL)
Forwards/Avants
2 Agosta, Meghan R/D 5'7 145 02/12/87 Ruthven, ON Windsor, ON Jr.AA
23 Antal, Dana R/D 5’7 135 40/19/77 Esterhazy, SK Calgary Oval X-Treme (WWHL)
10 Apps, Gillian L/G 6'0 176 11/02/83 Unionville, ON Dartmouth College (ECAC)
24 Béchard, Kelly R/D 5’9 145 01/22/78 Sedley, SK Calgary Oval X-Treme (WWHL)
17 Botterill, Jennifer L/G 5’9 157 05/1/79 Winnipeg, MB Toronto Aeros (NWHL)
77 Campbell, Cassie L/G 5’7 145 11/22/73 Brampton, ON Calgary Oval X-Treme (WWHL)
15 Goyette, Danielle L/G 5’6 154 01/30/66 St-Nazaire, QC Calgary Oval X-Treme (WWHL)
16 Hefford, Jayna L/G 5’4 143 05/14/77 Kingston, ON Brampton Thunder (NWHL)
27 Kingsbury, Gina L/G 5’7 141 11/26/81 Rouyn-Noranda, QC Axion de Montreal (NWHL)
13 Ouellette, Caroline L/G 5’11 171 05/25/79 Montréal, QC U of Minn Duluth (WCHA)
7 Piper, Cherie R/D 5’5 173 06/29/81 Scarborough, ON Dartmouth College (ECAC)
28 Riggs, Ashley L/G 5'3 125 03/25/85 Pickering, ON Niagara University (CHA)
61 Sunohara, Vicky L/G 5’7 165 05/18/70 Scarborough, ON Brampton Thunder (NWHL)
26 Vaillancourt, Sarah R/D 5'6 143 05/08/85 Sherbrooke, QC Harvard University (ECAC)
8 Weatherston, Katie R/D 5'4 145 04/06/83 Thunder Bay, ON Dartmouth College (ECAC)
22 Wickenheiser, Hayley R/D 5’10 170 08/12/78 Shaunavon, SK Calgary Oval X-Treme (WWHL)

For more information:

Esther Madziya
Manager, Communications
Hockey Canada

(403) 284-6484 

[email protected] 

Spencer Sharkey
Manager, Communications
Hockey Canada

(403) 777-4567

[email protected]

Jeremy Knight
Manager, Corporate Communications
Hockey Canada

(647) 251-9738

[email protected]

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