Team Canada has officially begun its quest for gold with the announcement of its player roster.

The 23 players selected to Canada’s roster include three goaltenders, seven defencemen and 13 forwards. It features 17 returning players from Canada’s 2015 Women’s World Championship squad that won silver in Malmo, Sweden, along with 16 returnees from Canada’s 2015 4 Nations Cup team, and two players that will make their first appearance on the world championship stage.

Canada’s roster was selected by head coach Laura Schuler, assistant coaches Howie Draper and Dwayne Gylywoychuk, and goaltending consultant Brad Kirkwood, alongside Melody Davidson, Hockey Canada’s general manager of national women’s team programs. It was chosen following a year-long evaluation process that included all national team, development team and under-18 team camps, along with international events, and club team performance.

“We’re thrilled with the group selected to represent Canada on the international stage in Kamloops,” said Laura Schuler, head coach of Canada’s National Women’s Team. “After a long evaluation process, we’re confident in the 23 players we’ve chosen to wear the Canadian jersey and we’re looking forward to coming together as a team as we aim to reclaim gold on Canadian ice.”

Canada’s National Women’s Team roster for the 2016 IIHF Women’s World Championship includes:

• 17 players who won a silver medal with Canada National Women’s Team at the 2015 IIHF Women’s World Championship (Bram, Clark, Davis, Fortino, Jenner, Johnston, Krzyzaniak, Lacquette, Larocque, Maschmeyer, Poulin, Rattray, Rougeau, Saulnier, Spooner, Wakefield, Watchorn);
• 15 players who won a silver medal with Canada’s National Women’s Team at the 2015 4 Nations Cup in Sundsvall, Sweden (Agosta, Bram, Clark, Davis, Fortino, Howe, Krzyzaniak, Lacquette, Maschmeyer, Poulin, Rougeau, Saulnier, Spooner, Turnbull, Wakefield);
• 16 players who won a gold medal with Canada’s National Women’s Team at the 2014 4 Nations Cup in Kamloops, B.C. (Bram, Clark, Fortino, Howe, Jenner, Johnston, Krzyzaniak, Larocque, Maschmeyer, Rattray, Rougeau, Saulnier, Spooner, Turnbull, Wakefield, Watchorn);
• 13 players who won a gold medal with Canada’s National Women’s Team at the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia (Agosta, Jenner, Johnston, Fortino, Labonte, Larocque, Mikkelson, Poulin, Rougeau, Spooner, Wakefield, Watchorn, Wickenheiser);
• Two players who will make their world championship debut at the 2016 IIHF Women’s World Championship (Howe, Turnbull).

 
Canada opens the 2016 IIHF Women’s World Championship against the United States on March 28, and also faces Russia (March 29) and Finland (March 31) in preliminary action. Both the bronze- and gold-medal games will be played on April 4th.

Canada will also face-off against Team Sweden in an exhibition game on March 26 and will host its pre-tournament camp in Penticton, B.C., from March 19-24. A complete tournament schedule can be found here.

All of Canada’s games at the 2016 IIHF Women’s World Championship will be shown by TSN and RDS, the official broadcasters of Hockey Canada. Check local listings for broadcast times.

Also Finnish head coach Pasi Mustonen named three goaltenders, seven defencemen and 13 forwards for the Women’s Worlds including 16 players who won the bronze medals at last year’s Women’s World Championship.

The games of Finland, which opens the Women’s Worlds in a rematch of the bronze medal game against Russia, will be broadcast in Finland by Yle.

Single game tickets now on sale

Single-game tickets for the 2016 IIHF Women’s World Championship are now on sale online to the general public. They can be purchased starting at $17 each for games held at McArthur Island and $30 for games at the Sandman Centre.

Hockey fans can also purchase the Team Canada ticket package which includes all three Team Canada preliminary-round games, two semi-finals, as well as the bronze- and gold-medal games, and can be purchased for as low as $265; full-tournament packages and Sandman Centre packages (12 games for $325) are all still available for purchase online while quantities last.

Click here to purchase tickets.

Roster Canada

Goaltenders:
Emerance Maschmeyer, Harvard University (ECAC)
Charline Labonte, Montreal (CWHL)
Erica Howe, Brampton (CWHL)

Defencemen:
Jocelyne Larocque, Brampton (CWHL)
Brigette Lacquette, Calgary (CWHL)
Lauriane Rougeau, Montreal (CWHL)
Laura Fortino, Brampton (CWHL)
Meaghan Mikkelson, Calgary (CWHL)
Tara Watchorn, Boston (CWHL)
Halli Krzyzaniak, University of North Dakota (WCHA)

Forwards:
Meghan Agosta, Hockey Canada
Rebecca Johnston, Calgary (CWHL)
Jamie Lee Rattray, Brampton (CWHL)
Jennifer Wakefield, Linkopings HC (SWE)
Jillian Saulnier, Calgary (CWHL)
Bailey Bram, Calgary (CWHL)
Brianne Jenner, Calgary (CWHL)
Hayley Wickenheiser, Calgary (CWHL)
Natalie Spooner, Toronto (CWHL)
Marie-Philip Poulin, Montreal (CWHL)
Sarah Davis, Calgary (CWHL)
Emily Clark, University of Wisconsin (WCHA)
Blayre Turnbull, Calgary (CWHL)

Head Coach:
Laura Schuler

Roster Finland

Goaltenders:
Anni Keisala, Team Kuortane
Tiina Ranne, JYP Jyvaskyla
Meeri Raisanen, JYP Jyvaskyla

Defencemen:
Jenni Hiirikoski, JYP Jyvaskyla
Mira Jalosuo, Lulea HF (SWE)
Anna Kilponen, University of North Dakota (USA)
Rosa Lindstedt, JYP Jyvaskyla
Eve Savander, Team Kuortane
Ronja Savolainen, Espoo Blues
Minnamari Tuominen, Espoo Blues

Forwards:
Venla Hovi, University of Manitoba (CAN)
Michelle Karvinen, Lulea HF (SWE)
Sari Karna, JYP Jyvaskyla
Petra Nieminen, Team Kuortane
Tanja Niskanen, JYP Jyvaskyla
Emma Nuutinen, Espoo Blues
Suvi Ollikainen, St. Cloud State University (USA)
Sara Sakkinen, Team Kuortane
Vilma Tanskanen, University of North Dakota (USA)
Susanna Tapani, HPK Hameenlinna
Noora Tulus, Lulea HF (SWE)
Saana Valkama, University of Vermont (USA)
Riikka Valila, JYP Jyvaskyla

Head Coach:
Pasi Mustonen