CALGARY, Alta. – Melody Davidson, Hockey Canada’s general manager of National Women’s Team programs, and Kevin Dineen, head coach of Canada’s National Women’s Team, announced Monday that three players have been released from Canada’s National Women’s Team’s centralization roster.

Defenceman Courtney Birchard (Mississauga, Ont./Brampton, CWHL), along with forwards Vicki Bendus (Wasaga Beach, Ont./Brampton, CWHL) and Bailey Bram (Ste. Anne, Man./Brampton, CWHL), have been released from the team.

Twenty-one players have been nominated to represent Canada’s National Women’s Team at the 2014 Olympic Winter Games, which take place Feb. 7-23 in Sochi, Russia. The final roster includes three goaltenders, six defencemen and 12 forwards. 

For more information on Canada’s National Women’s Team, please visit www.hockeycanada.ca/nwt, or follow along through social media at www.facebook.com/hockeycanada, www.twitter.com/hockeycanada, and www.twitter.com/hc_women.