CALGARY, Alta. – Hockey Canada announced Tuesday the 22 players who will form Canada’s National Women’s Under-22 Team, which will represent Canada at the 2012 Meco Cup in Füssen, Germany, taking place January 3-8, 2012.

The Meco Cup, formerly known as the MLP Nations Cup and Air Canada Cup, brings together Canada’s National Under-22/Development Team and national teams from Germany, Finland, Russia, Sweden and Switzerland.

Canada’s roster includes two goaltenders, seven defencemen and 13 forwards. Roster selection is based on evaluations by Hockey Canada scouts, including head scout of women’s national teams Melody Davidson and under-22 coaching staff. Evaluations have been completed based on the performances of players at the 2011 National Women’s Under-22/Development Team training camp held in Rockland, Ont., in August, other past performances within Canada’s National Women’s Program, their provincial programs and with their respective club teams in leagues such as the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).

Canada’s under-22 roster for the 2012 Meco Cup includes:

19 players who attended Canada’s National Women’s Under-22/Development Team training camp in Rockland, Ont. ,in August, 2011 (forward Chelsea Karpenko was invited to the camp but unable to attend);
12 players who won gold at the 2011 MLP Cup in Kreuzlingen, Switzerland, last January.
One player, forward Marie-Philip Poulin, who won a gold medal at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games.

Canada’s coaching staff for the 2012 Meco Cup includes head coach Laura Schuler (Scarborough, Ont./ Minnesota-Duluth, WCHA) and assistant coaches Rachel Flanagan (Guelph, Ont./Hockey Canada) and Rebecca Russell (Lethbridge, N.L./Okanagan Hockey Academy).

Canada is an eight-time gold medallist at the Meco Cup, winning gold in 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 20.