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August 15, 2009
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CALGARY, Alta. – Hockey Canada announced on Saturday Canada’s National Women’s Under-22 Team roster that
will take part in a three-game series against Canada’s National Women’s Team from August 17-20 at Father
David Bauer Olympic Arena in Calgary.
The 23 players – three goaltenders, eight defencemen and 12 forwards – were selected by head coach Margot
Page (Stevensville, Ont./Appleby College, Can. HS) and assistant coaches Jim Fetter (Waterloo, Ont./Wayne
State University, CHA) and Stephanie White (Toronto, Ont./Ryerson University, GBWHL).
Canada’s roster was selected following a seven-day camp from August 6-14 in Calgary, attended by 41 of the
top under-22 female hockey players in Canada – five goaltenders, 14 defensemen and 22 forwards. The camp
included games between two Canadian teams – Red and White – and Sweden’s national women’s team.
The roster includes 12 players (Bendus, Bettez, Birchard, Blais, Bram, Deluce, Fridfinnson, Kessler, Knox,
Rougeau, Smith, Spooner) who played for Canada’s National Women’s Under-22 Team during the 2008-09 season,
and three players (Fortino, McKeough, Wong) who won a silver medal with Canada’s National Women’s Under-18
Team at the 2009 IIHF World Women’s Under-18 Championship in Fussen, Germany.
Four players selected to the team (Bettez, Blais, Guay, Hosier) had previously used up their under-22
eligibility. These players were eligible for Canada’s National Women’s Team, but were not selected for
centralization ahead of the 2010 Olympic Winter Games. As Hockey Canada does not operate a program for
identified senior players that have not been centralized, these four players will train with the under-22
program for the 2009-10 season. All four players previously played for Canada’s National Women’s Under-22
Team.
“The selection camp held in Calgary was incredibly competitive, which made selecting a team extremely
difficult,” said National Women’s Under-22 Team head coach Margot Page. “We are confident the 23 players we
have chosen will represent themselves and the under-22 program well and we are looking forward to three
exciting games against Canada’s National Women’s Team.”
The 2009-10 season for Canada’s National Women’s Under-22 Team will include the three-game series against
Canada’s National Women’s Team in Calgary from August 17-20, as well as the 2010 MLP Cup in Germany in early
January. The roster announced Saturday will not be Canada’s team for the 2010 MLP Cup. Player evaluations
will continue during the early months of the 2009-10 season, and a final roster will be named in
December.
The National Women’s Under-22 Team is a key component of Hockey Canada’s Program of Excellence, which, along
with the under-18 program, helps identify, evaluate and develop female hockey players for Canada’s National
Women’s Team. |
