December 16, 2003
NR.116

FINAL ROSTER FOR CANADA'S NATIONAL JUNIOR TEAM NAMED FOR 2004 IIHF WORLD JUNIOR HOCKEY CHAMPIONSHIP

KITCHENER, ON –Canada's National Junior Team roster of twenty-two (22) players was named by Head Coach Mario Durocher on Tuesday, for the 2004 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship from December 26, 2003 to January 6, 2004 in Helsinki and Hameenlinna, Finland.

Canada’s roster breaks down as follows:
• Seven (7) players from the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), including one player (Brent Burns) currently on loan from the NHL’s Minnesota Wild;
• Ten (10) players from the Western Hockey League (WHL);
• Four (4) players from the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL), including one player (Marc-André Fleury) currently on loan from the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins;
• One (1) player from US College

Two players (Marc-André Fleury, Daniel Paillé) are returning players to Team Canada’s roster, having captured a silver medal at the 2003 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship. Nineteen (19) of the twenty-two players have had international experience with Canada’s National Under-18 Program (Summer/World Championship). Nineteen (19) players have also played in the Program of Excellence as members of one of Canada’s five regional Under-17 teams.

Head coach Mario Durocher also announced that Daniel Paillé (Welland, ON/Guelph, OHL), will be the team’s captain. Assistant captains will be Tim Brent (Cambridge, ON/ Toronto St. Michael’s, OHL) and Maxime Talbot (St-Bruno, QC/ Gatineau, QMJHL).

Direct all media requests to André Brin, Team Canada’s Manager Media Relations.

Canada's National Junior Team will continue it’s preparation in Kitchener for two days, departing for Finland on December 18th. The team will be holding its pre-competition camp in Kisakallion, Finland from December 18-24. Canada will play two international exhibition games: on December 21st vs. Sweden (3:30 pm Local – 8:30 am Eastern) in Marsta, Sweden and on December 23rd vs. Austria (6:30 pm Local – 12:30 pm Eastern) in Riihimaki, Finland. For complete pre-competition camp schedules for Kitchener and Finland, visit www.hockeycanada.ca

Check out www.hockeycanada.ca for the latest information on Canada’s team at the 2004 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship.