PyeongChang 2018: Canada name Para ice hockey team

“It was not an easy decision; our players have pushed each other all year to put us in the best possible position to win a gold medal. We’re excited to get to PyeongChang, put on the Team Canada jersey, and represent our country with pride.”

Hockey Canada and the Canadian Paralympic Committee (CPC) have announced 17 players nominated to represent Team Canada at the PyeongChang 2018 Paralympic Winter Games.

Canada’s roster includes two goalkeepers, six defencemen and nine forwards:

• Goalkeepers: Dominic Larocque and Corbin Watson

• Defencemen: Rob Armstrong, Steve Arsenault, Brad Bowden, Adam Dixon, James Gemmell and Tyrone Henry

• Forwards: Billy Bridges, Dominic Cozzolino, Ben Delaney, James Dunn, Liam Hickey, Tyler McGregor, Bryan Sholomicki, Corbyn Smith and Greg Westlake

Canada’s Paralympic Hockey Team also features 10 players (Arsenault, Bowden, Bridges, Delaney, Dixon, Gemmell, Larocque, McGregor, Watson and Westlake) who brought home the bronze medal from Sochi 2014; three players (Bowden, Bridges and Westlake) who captured Canada’s first Paralympic gold medal at Torino 2006; and 16 players (Armstrong, Arsenault, Bowden, Bridges, Cozzolino, Delaney, Dixon, Gemmell, Henry, Hickey, Larocque, McGregor, Sholomicki, Smith, Watson and Westlake) who won the gold medal at the 2017 World Para Hockey Championships A-Pool.

“It has been a long season of training, regional camps and international competition, but it has brought us to today where we can move on to the next stage with the 17 players we have chosen to represent Canada,” said head coach Ken Babey. “It was not an easy decision; our players have pushed each other all year to put us in the best possible position to win a gold medal. We’re excited to get to PyeongChang, put on the Team Canada jersey, and represent our country with pride.”

Canada’s Paralympic Hockey Team will be in search of its first gold medal at the Paralympic Winter Games since sitting atop the podium in 2006, beginning with the first puck-drop against Sweden on 10 March.

More on Canada’s Para ice hockey roster can be found on Hockey Canada’s website.

The Paralympic Winter Games take place in PyeongChang, South Korea from 9-18 March. Tickets can be purchased here.