Canada’s National Women’s Development Team roster named for 2016 Nations Cup

22 players have earned spots with Canada’s National Women’s Development Team.

CALGARY, Alta. – Canada’s National Women’s Development Team will look to defend its gold medal at the 2016 Nations Cup, taking place Jan. 4-7, in Füssen, Germany.

The 22 players named to Canada’s roster include two goaltenders, seven defencemen and 13 forwards and features seven returning gold-medallists from its 2015 Nations Cup roster.

The Nations Cup, formerly known as the Air Canada Cup, MLP Cup and Meco Cup, brings together Canada’s National Women’s Development Team and national teams from Finland, Germany, Russia, Sweden and Switzerland for a four-day international tournament.

Canada’s roster was chosen by Melody Davidson, Hockey Canada’s general manager of national women’s team programs, and Hockey Canada’s team of regional scouts, along with head coach Dwayne Gylywoychuk (Winnipeg, Man./Hockey Manitoba) assistant coaches Delaney Collins (Pilot Mound, Man./Mercyhurst University, CHA) and Darren Turcotte (North Bay, Ont./Nipissing University, OUA) and goaltending coach Amanda Mazzotta (London, Ont./Quinnipiac University, ECAC).

“We’re looking forward to getting our team together on the ice overseas as we aim to defend our gold medal,” said Gylywoychuk. “These players have been working incredibly hard to prepare for this event and we believe we’ve selected a tremendous group to represent Canada.”

Players were selected based on their performances to-date with their club teams, as well as their performance at Canada’s National Women’s Team Fall Festival in September, and at Canada’s National Women’s Development Team selection camp and three-game series against the United States in August.

Additionally, 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) were used in the selection process.

Canada’s National Women’s Development Team roster for the 2016 Nations Cup includes:

• Seven players who won a gold medal with Canada’s National Women’s Development Team at the 2015 Nations Cup (Bach, Dubois, Kohler, MacAulay, Poudrier, Stacey, Terry);

• 14 players who competed for Canada in a three-game series against the United States in August in Lake Placid, N.Y. (Ambrose, Bach, Bilic, Bunton, Channell, Dubois, Hart, Heffernan, Kohler, Leslie, Leveille, MacAulay, Mercer, Stacey);

• Two players who will make their debut with Canada’s National Women’s Development Team at the 2016 Nations Cup (Chuli, Gosling);

• One player who won a silver medal with Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team at the 2015 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 Women’s World Championship in Buffalo, N.Y. (Hart);

• One player who won a silver medal with Canada’s National Women’s Team at the 2015 4 Nations Cup in Sundsvall, Sweden (Lacquette)

Prior to its opening game on Jan. 4 against Sweden in Füssen, Canada’s National Women’s Development Team will play three pre-tournament games in St. Pölten, Austria, facing Austria (Dec. 30), Hungary (Dec. 31) and the Czech Republic (Jan. 2). A complete tournament schedule can be found here.

Canada is a 10-time gold-medallist at the Nations Cup, winning gold in 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2013 and 2015. Canada finished with the bronze medal at the 2012 Meco Cup.

For more information on Hockey Canada and Canada’s National Women’s Development Team, please visit www.hockeycanada.ca, or follow along through social media at www.facebook.com/hockeycanada, www.twitter.com/hockeycanada and www.twitter.com/hc_women.