CALGARY, Alta. – Jim Nill, general manager of Canada’s National Men’s Team, announced Tuesday, in collaboration with Hockey Canada, a first group of 19 players for the 2015 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship, scheduled for May 1-17, 2015 in Prague and Ostrava, Czech Republic.
Nill is working with a management group comprised of George McPhee (Guelph, Ont.), Sean Burke (Windsor, Ont./Arizona, NHL), Pat Verbeek (Sarnia, Ont./Tampa Bay, NHL), Claude Loiselle (Ottawa, Ont.) and Scott Salmond (Creston, B.C.), Hockey Canada’s vice-president of hockey operations and national teams. The management group has been monitoring the final weeks of the NHL regular season, and scouting players that are available to represent Canada at the world championship.
“We could not be more pleased with this first group of players who have committed to representing their country,” said Nill. “This group includes a fantastic mix of youth and experience, and these 19 players are ready to get over to Europe and wear the red and white of Team Canada.”
17 of the 19 players named by Hockey Canada have previous international experience, with nine players (Burns, Duchene, Eberle, Giroux, Hall, MacKinnon, Nugent-Hopkins, O’Reilly, Smith) having played at the IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship. Only Jake Muzzin and David Savard will represent Canada for the first time.
Over the past week, Nill has confirmed the following 19 players:
| GOALTENDERS (2) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Martin Jones | North Vancouver, B.C. | Los Angeles Kings (NHL) |
| Mike Smith | Kingston, Ont. | Arizona Coyotes (NHL) |
| DEFENCE (5) | ||
| Tyson Barrie | Victoria, B.C. | Colorado Avalanche (NHL) |
| Brent Burns | Barrie, Ont. | San Jose Sharks (NHL) |
| Aaron Ekblad | Windsor, Ont. | Florida Panthers (NHL) |
| Jake Muzzin | Woodstock, Ont. | Los Angeles Kings (NHL) |
| David Savard | St. Hyacinthe, Que. | Columbus Blue Jackets (NHL) |
| FORWARDS (12) | ||
| Matt Duchene | Haliburton, Ont. | Colorado Avalanche (NHL) |
| Cody Eakin | Winnipeg, Man. | Dallas Stars (NHL) |
| Jordan Eberle | Regina, Sask. | Edmonton Oilers (NHL) |
| Tyler Ennis | Edmonton, Alta. | Buffalo Sabres (NHL) |
| Claude Giroux | Hearst, Ont. | Philadelphia Flyers (NHL) |
| Taylor Hall | Calgary, Alta. | Edmonton Oilers (NHL) |
| Nathan MacKinnon | Cole Harbour, N.S. | Colorado Avalanche (NHL) |
| Ryan Nugent-Hopkins | Burnaby, B.C. | Edmonton Oilers (NHL) |
| Ryan O'Rielly | Clinton, Ont. | Colorado Avalanche (NHL) |
| Tyler Seguin | Brampton, Ont. | Dallas Stars (NHL) |
| Jason Spezza | Toronto, Ont. | Dallas Stars (NHL) |
| Tyler Toffoli | Scarborough, Ont. | Los Angeles Kings (NHL) |
Canada’s roster is comprised of players not involved in the NHL playoffs. Canada can also add players eliminated during the Stanley Cup playoffs, and can register up to 25 players, including three goaltenders, on its official roster.
Canada opens the 2015 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship against Latvia on May 1. It will also face Austria, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Sweden and Switzerland in preliminary round play.
For more information on Canada’s National Men’s Team and the 2015 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship, 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_men.