CALGARY, ALBERTA - CHA president Bob Nicholson announced on Tuesday that Canada's National Women's Team Head Coach and General Manager Danièle Sauvageau has finalized and named Canada's roster for the 2002 Winter Olympic Games.
Canada's roster includes 12 players that won a silver medal at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan. Combined, the 21 players have won 71 World Championship gold medals.
The 2002 Winter Olympics will mark the 2nd time that women's hockey is featured at the Olympics. In women's hockey's Olympic debut, Canada captured a silver medal at the 1998 Winter Olympic Games in Nagano, Japan. Canada has won all seven Women's World Hockey Championships (1990, 1992, 1994, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001).
"Today represents a new beginning for our team as we now prepare for the 2002 Winter Olympics Games after naming our team that will represent Canada," said Sauvageau. "It has been a very competitive environment for the past four months of centralization in Calgary, with 30 players challenging for 21 spots. As a team we will now make our preparation and focus our top priorities as we aim to reach our peak in Salt Lake City."
Canada's National Women's Team will continue to train in Calgary, AB and will be playing a number of games over the next few months, leading to the 2002 Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City in February. Tuesday's player announcement leaves the team with the final roster of 21 players that will attend the 2002 Olympic Winter Games (18 skaters, 3 goaltenders).
Canada's National Women's Team's next series of games, the TSN Challenge, are next week in Quebec and Ontario. Canada faces Team USA in three games, in Ottawa (November 27), Montreal (November 28) and Hamilton (November 30). Ticket information for all three games is posted on the CHA's official website, and the home of Canada's National Hockey Teams: www.canadianhockey.ca.
Tickets are also available through all Ticketmaster outlets and the arena box office.
Earlier on Tuesday, Sauvageau officially announced the release of three players:
Correne Bredin: Defenceman - Warburg, AB
Delaney Collins: Defenceman - Pilot Mound, MB
Cherie Piper: Forward - Scarborough, ON