CALGARY, Alta. – A mix of veterans and youth will represent Canada at the upcoming 2015 4 Nations Cup, taking place Nov. 4-8 at the Sundsvall Energi Arena in Sundsvall, Sweden.

The 22 players selected to Canada’s roster include two goaltenders, seven defencemen and 13 forwards and was chosen following Canada’s National Women’s Team Fall Festival from Sept. 13-20 in Calgary.

Canada’s roster will feature 13 returning gold medallists from its thrilling 3-2 victory over the United States at the 2014 4 Nations Cup in Kamloops B.C., along with five new faces to Canada’s National Women’s Team.

For the 20^th time, the 4 Nations Cup will bring together four top women’s hockey countries in the world – Canada, Finland, Sweden and the United States. Canada plays an exhibition game against Sweden on Nov. 1 and opens the tournament against Finland on Nov. 4, and also faces the United States (Nov. 5) and Sweden (Nov. 7) in preliminary action. Both the bronze and gold-medal games will be played on Nov. 8. A complete tournament schedule can be found here. 

“We’re excited about the group chosen to represent Canada, and we’re looking forward to getting on the ice in Sweden for the first time together as a team this season,” said Laura Schuler, head coach of Canada’s National Women’s Team. “Our players have been working extremely hard, and this event is a fantastic opportunity for them to unite on the international stage as they aim to defend Canada’s gold medal.”

Canada’s National Women’s Team roster for the 2015 4 Nations Cup includes:

• Seven players who won a gold medal with Canada’s National Women’s Team at the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia (Agosta, Fortino, Johnston, Poulin, Rougeau, Spooner, Wakefield);

• 15 players who won silver with Canada’s National Women’s Team at the 2015 IIHF Ice Hockey Women’s World Championship in Malmö, Sweden (Birchard, Bram, Campbell, Clark, Davis, Fortino, Johnston, Krzyzaniak, Lacquette, Maschmeyer, Rougeau, Poulin, Saulnier, Spooner, Wakefield);

• 13 players who won a gold medal with Canada’s National Women’s Team at the 2014 4 Nations Cup in Kamloops, B.C. (Bram, Birchard, Campbell, Clark, Fortino, Howe, Johnston, Krzyzaniak, Maschmeyer, Rougeau, Saulnier, Spooner, Wakefield);

• Seven players who were a part of Canada’s National Women’s Development Team for a three-game series against the United States in August in Lake Placid, N.Y. (Clark, Fast, Krzyzaniak, Lefort, Maschmeyer, Nurse, Potomak);

• Five players who will make their debut with Canada’s National Women’s Team at the 2015 4 Nations Cup (Edney, Fast, Lefort, Nurse, Potomak)

In addition, the 2015 4 Nations Cup will serve as an evaluation opportunity for Canada’s National Women’s Team coaching staff and Hockey Canada scouts, led by Melody Davidson, general manager of national women’s team programs, for the 2016 IIHF Ice Hockey Women’s World Championship in Kamloops, B.C., and in the long term for the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in PyeongChang, South Korea. Players will continue to be evaluated with their club teams during the 2015-16 season, leading up to the world championship next April.

Since the debut of the 4 Nations Cup in 1996, Canada’s National Women’s Team has won the gold medal a total of 14 times (1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2014), and earned silver on five occasions (1997, 2003, 2008, 2011, 2012).

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