WINNIPEG, Manitoba – Hockey Canada has formed a committee of stakeholders, chaired by current board member and National Women’s Team alumna Gillian Apps, to oversee a discussion paper that will lead to formal recommendations to guide the organization’s next women’s and girls’ hockey strategic plan.

The committee was formally launched at a press conference in Winnipeg today, where Hockey Canada’s Spring Congress is taking place alongside a women’s and girls’ hockey symposium with provincial and territorial representation from all of Hockey Canada’s 13 Members, facilitated by Canadian Women & Sport.

“Internationally, Canada has always been a leader in women’s hockey. Now is the time to ensure we are on the leading edge of identifying and addressing gaps in the current system to provide women and girls with even more opportunities to thrive in the future,” said Apps. “This committee’s efforts will be critical to furthering the game at all levels, and we are grateful this group has agreed to volunteer and be part of this important work.”

The committee features 15 stakeholders, including six National Women’s Team (NWT) alumnae:

• Gillian Apps, Hockey Canada Board of Directors and NWT alumna
• Pierre Arsenault, chief executive officer of U SPORTS
• Thérèse Brisson, president and chief executive officer of Alpine Canada, and NWT alumna
• Cassie Campbell-Pascall, broadcaster, special advisor to the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) and NWT alumna
• Debra Gassewitz, president and chief executive officer of the Sport Information Resource Centre
• Jayna Hefford, senior vice-president of hockey operations for the PWHL and NWT alumna
• Katherine Henderson, president and chief executive officer of Hockey Canada
• Marian Jacko, Hockey Canada Board of Directors
• Angela James, Hockey Canada Foundation Board of Directors and NWT alumna
• Rob Knesaurek, senior vice-president of youth development and industry growth with the National Hockey League
• Anne Merklinger, chief executive officer of Own the Podium
• Mary-Kay Messier, vice-president of marketing for Bauer Hockey
• Brad Morris, Hockey Canada Foundation Board of Directors
• Allison Sandmeyer-Graves, chief executive officer of Canadian Women & Sport
• Kim St-Pierre, regional manager at Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities and NWT alumna

“Supporting the growth of women’s and girls’ hockey in Canada is a priority for our board, and forming this committee is a tremendous next step to further understand and address the challenges that exist in the game,” said Jonathan Goldbloom, chair of the Hockey Canada Board of Directors. “We thank Gillian for taking on a leadership role with this project and are confident the committee’s efforts will benefit our organization, Members, stakeholders and Canadians for generations to come.”

After consulting with Hockey Canada’s Members, the committee’s women’s and girls’ hockey discussion paper is expected to be published in early summer 2024. Additional interviews will take place at that time with stakeholders inside and outside of the game, including opportunities for the Canadian public to be part of the research.

“Our women’s and girls’ hockey department, led by Marin Hickox, has made significant strides in the past few years to grow the game at all levels, including by mobilizing the leads from each of our Members,” said Henderson. “We are thrilled this new committee will work collectively with Marin and her leads to review existing research and establish a roadmap for where we all envision women’s and girls’ hockey in the future, as there remains a tremendous amount of potential to remove existing barriers to the sport.”

To learn more about Hockey Canada, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along through social media on Facebook, X and Instagram.

PRAGUE, Czechia – Canada’s National Men’s Team has finished fourth at the 2024 IIHF World Championship after falling 4-2 to Sweden in the bronze medal game at O2 Arena on Sunday.

“Playing for Canada is so special, and regardless of the circumstances, any time you get the call to represent your country and compete for a gold medal is an amazing opportunity,” said captain John Tavares (Oakville, ON/Toronto, NHL). “To wear the [captain’s] ‘C’ and play with this group of guys is something I will be forever grateful for, but obviously it is a disappointing result for us.”

After falling behind 1-0 in the first period on a Carl Grundström goal, Jamie Oleksiak (Toronto, ON/Seattle, NHL) found Dylan Cozens (Whitehorse, YT/Buffalo, NHL), who buried his tournament-leading ninth goal from the slot to even the score.

Canada broke the deadlock just over four minutes into the third period when Pierre-Luc Dubois (Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts, QC/Los Angeles, NHL) fired home a one-timer off a Brandon Hagel (Morinville, AB/Tampa Bay, NHL) cross-ice pass. Tavares also registered an assist on the play, moving him into a tie for the tournament lead in assists with nine.

Erik Karlsson and Grundström would give Sweden a 3-2 lead after scoring twice in 4:07 in the third period before Marcus Johansson scored into an empty net.

“The really tough loss was last night because we wanted to be playing for a gold medal today, but we also wanted to win our last game and bring home a bronze medal. Today stings but the semifinal stings a lot too,” Dubois said. “Every time you come [to the world championship], you meet unbelievable people. Some are new and some are players that you have met before, and I had an unbelievable time with this group. After a month together, it is tough to be so close to playing in the gold medal game but losing in a shootout.”

Jordan Binnington (Richmond Hill, ON/St. Louis, NHL) made 29 saves in the loss. A full game summary can be found at HockeyCanada.ca.

“It was a little tough to get our game going today, but I thought we were rock solid in the second period. We could have handled our lead a little better and I feel like we backed off [Sweden] too much, and unfortunately we were not as good as we needed to be,” said head coach André Tourigny (Nicolet, QC/Utah, NHL). “Our players worked hard all tournament, and they were very committed to winning and fought for each other. I have so much respect for all the guys in our room for the sacrifice they made to play in this tournament, and I am really proud of our team.”

Following the semifinals, Cozens, Brandon Tanev (Toronto, ON/Seattle, NHL) and Colton Parayko (St. Albert, AB/St. Louis, NHL) were named Team Canada’s three best players of the tournament.

Canada finished the preliminary round in first place in Group A after wins over Great Britain, Denmark, Austria, Norway, Finland, Switzerland and Czechia. It booked a spot in the semifinals after a 6-3 win over Slovakia before falling to Switzerland 3-2 in a shootout.

Since 1931, Canada has collected 28 gold medals at the IIHF World Championship, to go along with 16 silver and seven bronze.

For more information on Hockey Canada and Canada’s National Men’s Team, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along via social media on Facebook, X and Instagram.

CALGARY, Alberta – Hockey Canada has announced SportsPay as its Preferred Payment Partner, through a national partnership which is effective immediately.

A leading payment provider for amateur sports organizations in Canada, SportsPay is proudly Canadian and has been a long-time supporter of amateur hockey in Canada.

Through its partnership with Hockey Canada, SportsPay will support the processing of online transactions, including through the Hockey Canada Registry.

“SportsPay prides itself on providing user-friendly experiences to Canadian sport organizations, and we are excited to officially welcome them as Hockey Canada’s Preferred Payment Partner to deliver those experiences to local hockey associations across the country,” said Dean McIntosh, Hockey Canada’s senior vice-president of revenue, fan experience and community impact. “The Hockey Canada Registry is used to process hundreds of thousands of registrations each season, and through our partnership with SportsPay, we’re pleased that the platform will continue to meet the needs of our participants and associations.”

"I am very excited to enhance our 20-year relationship with Hockey Canada and to support minor hockey across Canada," said Will Gravlev, president of POSconnect Inc. and creator of SportsPay. "Everyone at SportsPay is continuously committed to providing simple and effective payments for amateur sports and keeping leagues focused on what matters."

To learn more about Hockey Canada, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along through social media on Facebook, X and Instagram.

CALGARY, Alberta – Canada’s National Para Hockey Team has won gold at the World Para Hockey Championship for the first time since 2017, defeating the United States 2-1 in Sunday’s gold medal game at WinSport Arena.

Adam Kingsmill (Smithers, BC) turned in a sensational performance in the Canadian goal, making 24 saves and earning Player of the Game honours.

The Canadians wasted no time in opening the scoring; Dominic Cozzolino (Mississauga, ON) tucked in his seventh goal of the tournament off a rebound from a Rob Armstrong (Erin, ON) shot just 35 seconds into the game, the lone goal of the first period.

“Scoring that early felt amazing. It was our plan to come out and get an early start, but it could have been any one of the guys in our locker room that scored, I was just in the right place at the right time,” Cozzolino said. “We put a lot of pride in selling out to play good defence, and that win is a testament to every guy in on our team. This is an amazing feeling; it is what you dream of as a kid. This feels so good right now.”

Anton Jacobs-Webb (Gatineau, QC) doubled the Canadian lead off a behind-the-net feed from captain Tyler McGregor (Forest, ON) with 5:54 remaining in the second period for the eventual game-winning goal.

“I had the same mindset for every game. Our head coach Russ Herrington has brought us through with a strong mindset, so I think everyone on our team was able to play freely today,” Kingsmill said. “I did not see the puck very often because my teammates kept blocking shots. They made the game easy for me. I feel great, my whole family is here. I cannot help but smile. I do not have words to sum it all up right now, I think it will take a little while before I can do that.”

For a full game summary and recap, please visit HockeyCanada.ca.

“We needed to be ready for the day that things aligned for us – that is our responsibility. I have to credit our guys for showing patience and allowing the weight of the game to not become an impact on their performance,” said head coach Russ Herrington (Unionville, ON). “Props to the Calgary community for coming out tonight and spending Mother’s Day evening here cheering on Team Canada. I really felt like that energy helped us for sure, and you could certainly feel the pride from the crowd oozing into our bench and carried on the ice.”

Following the game, Cozzolino was named the Top Forward of the tournament.

Canada finished first in Group B with a perfect 3-0 record in the preliminary round with wins over Japan (19-0), Italy (10-0) and Czechia (5-1). Canada then booked its spot in the gold medal game with a 2-1 semifinal victory over China.

In 13 appearances, Canada has captured five gold medals at the World Para Hockey Championship (2000, 2008, 2013, 2017, 2024), in addition to four silver (2015, 2019, 2021, 2023) and three bronze (1996, 2009, 2012).

For more information on Hockey Canada and Canada’s National Para Hockey Team, please visit HockeyCanada.ca or follow through social media on Facebook, X and Instagram.

PRAGUE, Czechia – Hockey Canada has announced that John Tavares (Oakville, ON/Toronto, NHL) will wear the ‘C’ for Canada’s National Men’s Team at the 2024 IIHF World Championship in Prague and Ostrava, Czechia.

Andrew Mangiapane (Bolton, ON/Calgary, NHL), Colton Parayko (St. Albert, AB/St. Louis, NHL) and Damon Severson (Melville, SK/Columbus, NHL) will serve alongside Tavares as alternate captains.

“It is a true honour to be named captain of Team Canada for the world championship on a team with so many great leaders, and I am excited to help this team defend its gold medal in Czechia,” Tavares said. “Andrew, Colton and Damon are great players that are deserving of this honour, and I look forward to serving on the leadership group with them and wearing the Maple Leaf with pride.”

Canada will open the tournament against Great Britain on May 11 at 6:20 a.m. ET/3:20 a.m. PT. It will also take on Denmark, Austria, Norway, Finland, Switzerland and Czechia in the preliminary round before the tournament concludes with the medal games on May 26.

TSN and RDS, Hockey Canada’s official broadcast partners, will broadcast 64 and 23 games, respectively; please check local listings for details.

For more information on Hockey Canada and Canada’s National Men’s Team, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along through social media on Facebook, X and Instagram.

PRAGUE, Czechia – Hockey Canada has announced the addition of John Tavares (Oakville, ON/Toronto, NHL) to Canada’s National Men’s Team for the 2024 IIHF World Championship, May 10-26 in Prague and Ostrava, Czechia.

Tavares has represented Canada on numerous occasions, winning gold medals at the 2008 and 2009 IIHF World Junior Championships, and the 2014 Olympic Winter Games. He also won the 2016 World Cup of Hockey, and has suited up at the IIHF World Championship three times (2010, 2011, 2012).

“John is a world-class player and a great leader, and being able to have him join our roster for the world championship allows us to add a highly-skilled player with a veteran presence,” said general manager Rick Nash (Brampton, ON/Columbus, NHL). “His experience in previous international competition and his success on the international stage will be an important factor in our team’s success, and we know he will greatly benefit our group as we look to defend gold.” 

The Toronto Maple Leafs captain recently completed his 15th NHL season, and has amassed 1,040 career points (456 goals, 584 assists) in 1,109 games with the New York Islanders (2009-18) and Maple Leafs (2018-24).

Canada will open the 2024 IIHF World Championship against Great Britain on May 11 at 6:20 a.m. ET/3:20 a.m. PT. It will also take on Denmark, Austria, Norway, Finland, Switzerland and Czechia in the preliminary round before the tournament concludes with the medal games on May 26.

TSN and RDS, Hockey Canada’s official broadcast partners, will broadcast 64 and 23 games, respectively; please check local listings for details.

For more information on Hockey Canada and Canada’s National Men’s Team, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along through social media on Facebook, X and Instagram.

BUDAPEST, Hungary – Hockey Canada has announced the addition of three players to Canada’s National Men’s Team for the 2024 IIHF World Championship, May 10-26 in Prague and Ostrava, Czechia.

Forwards Pierre-Luc Dubois (Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts, QC/Los Angeles, NHL), Brandon Hagel (Morinville, AB/Tampa Bay, NHL) and Nick Paul (Mississauga, ON/Tampa Bay, NHL) have been added to the roster for the tournament and will join the team in Budapest.

“We are excited to add Pierre-Luc, Brandon and Nick to our roster for the 2024 IIHF World Championship, as they will be valuable pieces of our team and provide leadership to our strong roster,” said general manager Rick Nash (Brampton, ON/Columbus, NHL). “All three bring previous world championship experience and over 700 games played in the NHL, and we look forward to them joining our team and helping us defend our gold medal.”

Hagel and Paul won a gold medal at the 2021 IIHF World Championship, with Paul netting the overtime winner in the gold medal game to secure Canada’s 27th gold medal. Dubois won silver at the 2022 IIHF World Championship and was named to the media all-star team.

In addition, Macklin Celebrini (Vancouver, BC/Boston University, HE) and Adam Fantilli (Nobleton, ON/Columbus, NHL) will not participate in the 2024 IIHF World Championship. Celebrini will return to North America to attend the NHL Draft Lottery and prepare for the NHL Combine, while Fantilli, who recently returned from injury, will also return home to focus on preparing for the 2024-25 season.

Canada will open the 2024 IIHF World Championship against Great Britain on May 11 at 6:20 a.m. ET/3:20 a.m. PT. It will also take on Denmark, Austria, Norway, Finland, Switzerland and Czechia in the preliminary round before the tournament concludes with the medal games on May 26. Prior to the start of the tournament, Canada’s National Men’s Team will play a pre-tournament game against Hungary at the MVM Dome in Budapest on May 7 at 7 p.m. local time. 

For more information on Hockey Canada and Canada’s National Men’s Team, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along through social media on Facebook, X and Instagram.

CALGARY, Alberta – Hockey Canada has announced the first 22 players who will wear the Maple Leaf with Canada’s National Men’s Team at the 2024 IIHF World Championship, May 10-26 in Prague and Ostrava, and Czechia.

The initial roster, which includes three goaltenders, seven defencemen and 12 forwards, was selected by general manager Rick Nash (Brampton, ON/Columbus, NHL), associate general manager Kyle Dubas (Sault Ste. Marie, ON/Pittsburgh, NHL) and assistant general manager Scott Salmond (Creston, BC). A selection committee of three NHL executives – Jim McKenzie (Gull Lake, SK/Vegas, NHL), Jamie Pushor (Lethbridge, AB/Tampa Bay, NHL) and Tim Taylor (Stratford, ON/St. Louis, NHL) – and the coaching staff also assisted with player selections.

Among the 22 players are 11 who have previously suited up for Canada at the IIHF World Championship (Bunting, Cozens, Fantilli, Hofer, Mangiapane, McBain, McCann, Mercer, Parayko, Power, Severson) and 14 who have IIHF World Junior Championship experience (Bedard, Binnington, Byram, Celebrini, Cozens, Daws, Fantilli, Greig, Guenther, Guhle, Hofer, Mercer, Oleksiak, Zellweger).

“We are excited to unveil the first 22 players who will wear the Maple Leaf at the 2024 IIHF World Championship. This is a group that includes several players who have been successful on the international stage, and we know fans will be thrilled to watch us compete against the top hockey nations,” Nash said. “We know our players will represent Canada with pride in Prague and Ostrava, and we are confident this group will give us a great chance to defend our gold medal this month.”

Roster additions will be announced in the coming weeks.

Canada will open the tournament against Great Britain on May 11 at 6:20 a.m. ET/3:20 a.m. PT. It will also take on Denmark, Austria, Norway, Finland, Switzerland and Czechia in the preliminary round before the tournament concludes with the medal games on May 26. Prior to the start of the tournament, Canada’s National Men’s Team will play pre-tournament games against Austria at Steffl Arena in Vienna on May 5 and Hungary at the MVM Dome in Budapest on May 7, with both games starting at 7 p.m. local time. 

Kevin Clark (Winnipeg, MB/Düsseldorfer EG, DEL), who has helped Canada win the Spengler Cup twice (2015, 2019), will join Canada’s National Men’s Team for its pre-tournament camp in Vienna and Budapest.

TSN and RDS, Hockey Canada’s official broadcast partners, will broadcast 64 and 23 games, respectively; please check local listings for details.

Since 1931, Canada has collected 28 gold medals at the world championship, to go along with 16 silver and seven bronze.

For more information on Hockey Canada and Canada’s National Men’s Team, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along through social media on Facebook, X and Instagram.

CALGARY, Alberta – Hockey Canada has announced the host locations for Canada’s 2025 U18 national club championships, with the Esso Cup set for Lloydminster, Alberta, and the TELUS Cup returning west to the Fraser Valley in British Columbia.

From April 20-26, the Lloydminster Steelers of the Alberta Female Hockey League (AFHL) will welcome five regional champions to compete for Canada’s Women’s U18 National Club Championship at the Centennial Civic Centre, marking the fifth time the Esso Cup has been hosted in Alberta and the first in the Border City.

The Fraser Valley Thunderbirds of the B.C. Elite Hockey League (BCEHL) will make their national championship debut at the TELUS Cup from April 21-27 at the Chilliwack Coliseum, with Canada’s Men’s U18 National Club Championship returning to British Columbia for the first time since 2017. 

“Hosting a national championship is a tremendous undertaking, and we are grateful for the local organizing committees, Hockey Alberta and BC Hockey, for collaborating with our staff to host first-class events in Lloydminster and Chilliwack next spring,” said Pat McLaughlin, Hockey Canada’s chief operating officer and executive vice-president of strategy. “Canada’s U18 national club championships have seen some of the top athletes in our country compete before they’ve gone on to wear the Maple Leaf internationally, and we know hockey fans in Alberta and British Columbia will enjoy watching teams play for gold next spring.”

Fans can sign up now to receive ticket information about the 2025 Esso Cup and 2025 TELUS Cup as it becomes available, or become a Hockey Canada Insider and receive advanced access to tickets and other promotions.

“These tournaments are often once-in-a-lifetime opportunities for the participants, families and fans, and thanks to the generous support of Esso and TELUS, we are excited to build on the legacy of both events in two outstanding hockey markets,” said Dean McIntosh, senior vice-president of revenue, fan experience and community impact for Hockey Canada. “We thank all communities that expressed interest in hosting one of these national championships next season and look forward to welcoming the best under-18 clubs in the country in the spring.”

At the 2024 Esso Cup, the Regina Rebels won their first national title in Vernon, B.C., while the Cantonniers de Magog became national champions for the second time at the 2024 TELUS Cup in Membertou, Nova Scotia. Both gold medal games were broadcast on TSN and RDS, the official broadcast partners of Hockey Canada.

To learn more about Hockey Canada, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along through social media on Facebook, X and Instagram.