WHL Brandon Wheat Kings

Team Canada Unveiled

Published on December 22, 2005 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Brandon Wheat Kings News Release


--------------------------------------------- Vancouver, B.C. -- Hockey Canada has announced its men's and women's hockey teams that will compete in February's Winter Olympic Games in Italy and although not one Manitoban was chosen to the men's final roster, the Keystone province will be represented by two former members of the Western Hockey League's Brandon Wheat Kings.

All star defencemen Wade Redden and Bryan McCabe, teammates on Brandon's Eastern Conference winning team in 1995 that went on to be one of two teams representing the WHL at the '95 Memorial Cup in Kamloops, were among the 26 players named. Of those, three of them including McCabe were designated as "reserve" players and will only see action if there is an injury among Canada's seven starters that include Redden, Rob Blake of the Colorado Avalanche, Adam Foote of the Columbus Blue Jackets, Vancouver's Ed Jovanovski, Scott Niedermayer of the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, Edmonton's Chris Pronger and Robyn Regehr of the Calgary Flames.

"This is a very exciting day for our country and our coaching and management staff, we believe that this is a great team and these players will do an outstanding job of representing Canada in Turin," said Wayne Gretzky, Executive Director of Canada's Olympic Men's Hockey Team. "We will count on great leadership from this group of players along with a great deal of international experience, and, most of all, a very talented and proud group of Canadian players."

Leadership on this team will begin in goal and up front where Martin Brodeur of the New Jersey Devils and Joe Sakic of the Avalanche will be back to help Team Canada defend its gold medal.

Joining Brodeur between the pipes will be Roberto Luongo of Florida and Dallas Stars' goalkeeper Marty Turko.

Sakic is joined by fourteen forwards including three gold medal winners from 2002 - Philadelphia's Simon Gagne, Ryan Smyth of the Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames' captain Jarome Iginla. The others include Vancouver's Todd Bertuzzi, Shane Doan of Phoenix, Detroit's Kris Draper, Joe Thornton of the San Jose Sharks, Martin St. Louis, Vincent Lecavalier and Brad Richards of the defending Stanley Cup Champion Tampa Bay Lightning, Columbus' Rick Nash as well as Ottawa's Dany Heatley and Jason Spezza and Eric Staal of the Carolina Hurricanes. Like McCabe, Staal and Spezza will serve as members of Canada's so-called "taxi squad".

Interestingly, Redden and McCabe aren't the only two players that participated in the '95 Memorial Cup. Doan and Iginla were members of the Memorial Cup Champion Kamloops Blazers that year.

"The process of getting Canada's roster down to 26 players was very challenging, but in saying that, it pays tribute to the depth of talent that we have in Canada, particularly these players are the products and pride of the minor development hockey system that we have in Canada," said Hockey Canada President Bob Nicholson.

Team Canada's management and coaching staff also announced that Sakic will serve as the men's team captain. The former Swift Current Bronco scoring star has played for Canada at eight international events, playing 40 games and helping Canada win four World titles including the last Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City.

As for the women's team, 21 players were named to the defending gold medal winners including three Manitobans - goalkeeper Sami Jo Small of Winnipeg, forward Jennifer Botterill of Winnipeg and Pilot Mound's Delaney Collins.

For more information on Canada's Olympic men's team, visit Hockey Canada's official website located at www.hockeycanada.ca

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Western Hockey League Stories from December 22, 2005


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