Canada reveal World Sledge Hockey Challenge team

“We are very excited about these 17 players, I know they are excited to wear the red and white of Team Canada, and we are looking forward to getting to Leduc and getting into game action.”

Hockey Canada have announce the 17 players who will be a part of Canada’s National Sledge Team at the 2015 World Sledge Hockey Challenge, scheduled for 1-7 February in Leduc, Canada.

The two goaltenders, six defencemen and nine forwards were selected by head coach Ken Babey, assistant coaches Ron Choules and Herve Lord, general manager Andy Van Neutegem and Hockey Canada’s high performance department following a week-long training camp from 11-17 January in Calgary.

The roster includes 13 players who helped Canada win a bronze medal at the 2014 Paralympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia (Arsenault, Bowden, Delaney, Dixon, Dorion, Gale, Gemmell, Larocque, McGregor, Rempel, Watson, Westlake, Whitson).

Three players – defenceman Kevin Sorley and forwards Chris Cederstrand and Bryan Sholomicki – will make their debuts with Canada’s National Sledge Team at the 2015 World Sledge Hockey Challenge.

“As a new coaching staff, we could not be more impressed with the passion and drive the players showed at selection camp in Toronto in November, and last week at training camp in Calgary,” said Babey. “We are very excited about these 17 players, I know they are excited to wear the red and white of Team Canada, and we are looking forward to getting to Leduc and getting into game action.”

Canada is the defending champion at the World Sledge Hockey Challenge, having beat the United States 3-1 in the gold medal game in Toronto in December 2013. It opens the 2015 tournament on February against Korea.

Full-tournament ticket packages for the 2015 World Sledge Hockey Challenge, including six preliminary round games, both semifinals, the bronze medal game and gold medal game, are now on sale for just CAD 50 each.

The gold medal game will air on TSN/RDS, the official broadcasters of Hockey Canada, on Saturday, 7 February. Check local listings for broadcast times in your area. All preliminary round games, as well as the semifinals and bronze medal game, will be available through FASTHockey webcasts.

For more information on Canada’s National Sledge Team and the 2015 World Sledge Hockey Challenge, please visit the Hockey Canada website.