CALGARY, Alta. – Hockey Canada announced Thursday the 22 players that have been named to Canada’s National Women’s Under-22/Development Team for the 2013 Meco Cup, taking place Jan. 2-6, 2013, in Buchloe, Füssen and Ravensburg, Germany.

The Meco Cup, formerly known as the MLP Cup and Air Canada Cup, brings together Canada’s National Women’s Under-22/Development Team and senior women’s national teams from Germany, Finland, Russia, Sweden and Switzerland for  a five-day international tournament every year.

Canada’s roster includes two goaltenders, seven defencemen and 13 forwards. Roster selection is based on evaluations by Hockey Canada scouts, led by Hockey Canada’s head scout of women’s national teams Melody Davidson, and Canada’s National Women’s Under-22/Development Team coaching staff, which includes head coach Pierre Alain (Saint-Colomban, Que./Hockey Canada), assistant coaches Tim Bothwell (Calgary, Alta./Alberta, CWHL) and Cassandra Turner (Campbellford, Ont./Quinnipiac University, ECAC), and goaltending coach Perry Wilson (Windsor, Ont./University of Windsor, CIS).

“We have put together a very skilled, strong team that will represent Canada with pride and passion at this year’s Meco Cup,” Canada’s National Women’s Under-22/Development Team head coach Pierre Alain said. “We look forward to seeing our young players take to the ice in Germany to compete against some of the top senior women’s teams from around the world.”

Player evaluations have been based on performances at the 2012 National Women’s Under-22/Development Team selection camp and three-game series against the United States, both held in Calgary, Alta., in August, other past performances within Canada’s National Women’s Program, with their provincial and regional programs, as well as with their respective club teams in leagues such as Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).

Canada’s National Women’s Under-22/Development Team roster for the 2013 Meco Cup includes:

• seventeen players who attended Canada’s National Women’s Under-22/Development Team selection camp in Calgary in August 2012;
• sixteen players who played for Canada’s National Women’s Under-22/Development Team in a three-game series against the United States in Calgary in August 2012;
• twenty players who attended Canada’s National Women’s Team September Camp/Fall Festival in Calgary in September 2012;
• five players who won a gold medal with Canada’s National Women’s Team at the 2012 IIHF Ice Hockey Women’s World Championship in Burlington, Vt. (Fortino, Jenner, Lacasse, Poulin, Rougeau);
• three players who won a gold medal with Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team at the 2012 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 Women’s World Championship in Prerov and Zlin, Czech Republic (Ambrose, Lefort, Stacey);
• one player who won a gold medal at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver, B.C. (Poulin).

Canada is an eight-time gold medallist at the Meco Cup, winning gold in 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 20. Canada finished with the bronze medal at the 2012 Meco Cup.

For more information on the Meco Cup and the 2012 National Women’s Under-22/Development Team, please visit www.HockeyCanada.ca/NWT, and follow along via social media at www.Facebook.com/HockeyCanada, www.Twitter.com/HockeyCanada and www.Twitter.com/HC_TeamCanada.