CALGARY, Alta. – Hockey Canada and Canlan Ice Sports Corp. announced today they have entered into a five-year agreement that will see the two become partners in adult recreational hockey.

As part of the agreement, all adult recreational players currently registered with Hockey Canada will become members of Canlan’s Adult Safe Hockey Network (ASHN), and all adult recreational hockey players currently registered with Canlan will become members of Hockey Canada. In total, more than 60,000 adult recreational players will be members of Hockey Canada-ASHN.

The agreement means that all adult recreational players in Canada will now be eligible for Hockey Canada’s insurance programs. Hockey Canada-ASHN will offer players comprehensive service, opportunities to play and access to the best that Hockey Canada and the ASHN have to offer.

In spring 2012, members of Hockey Canada-ASHN will begin to experience the exceptional benefits of this partnership with new opportunities for teams and players to play in the top adult recreational hockey tournaments and leagues across the country.

“Canadians’ passion for playing hockey comes at all levels, including in adult recreational hockey, where thousands continue to play the game they discovered as children,” said Bob Nicholson, president and CEO of Hockey Canada. “From the time a player starts in minor hockey until they step off the ice for the final time, we want that player to remain part of the Hockey Canada family. By entering into an adult recreation partnership with Canlan, Hockey Canada will be able to reach a number of our corporate goals while aligning ourselves with a great partner in adult recreational hockey.”

Canlan Ice Sports is the North American leader in the development, operations and ownership of multi-purpose recreation and entertainment facilities. Canlan is a unique organization with over 15 years of innovation developing premier brands such as the Adult Safe-Hockey League (ASHL), the largest recreational hockey leagues in the world.

“We are very excited to be working with Hockey Canada to bring the combined benefits of Hockey Canada and Canlan’s ASHN to all adult recreational hockey players, leagues and tournament operators across the country,” stated Joey St-Aubin, President and CEO of Canlan Ice Sports Corp.  “In our view, we have always been a strategic partner to Hockey Canada, given that another core area of our business has been the development of new and young skaters; essentially ‘feeding’ minor hockey associations with skilled and developed players across Canada.  We are extremely proud that Hockey Canada has identified our ASHL as the premier provider of safe, recreational hockey leagues and tournaments to adults across the country.  We look forward to providing our ASHN benefits (www.adultrechockey.ca/membership_benefits) to their Adult Membership while bringing Hockey Canada benefits to our ASHL and ASHN Members.”

For more information on adult recreational hockey and how to register, please visit HockeyCanada.ca/adultrec or www.AdultRecHockey.ca.

CALGARY – Hockey Canada announced on Friday that the first-ever World Adult Recreation Challenge will take place in conjunction with the 2008 IIHF World Championship in May 2008, in Quebec City, QC and Halifax, NS.

The 2008 World Adult Recreation Challenge is the first of a series of special events that Hockey Canada will operate during the 2008 IIHF World Championship in May 2008 to celebrate the game of hockey.

To that end, the inaugural World Adult Recreation Challenge will give recreational hockey players from around the world the chance to play in an international hockey tournament in Quebec City and Halifax during the IIHF World Championship. Teams interesting in taking part in the World Adult Recreation Challenge can register at www.hockeycanada.ca.

The World Adult Recreation Challenge will include two tournaments, one in Quebec City and one in Halifax. Teams can enter in one of four age categories: 19-35, 36-45, 46-55 and 56-plus. The entry fee, per team, is $1,200. That fee includes a minimum of four games (maximum of six), one ticket per player to a game at the IIHF World Championship, an opening dinner and social, a team gift package and transportation throughout the event.

2008 IIHF World Championship - May 1-18, 2008 - Halifax, NS/ Quebec City, QC

The 2008 IIHF World Championship will mark the first time that Canada acts as host for this event. The game’s brightest stars from the top 16 hockey countries in the world will be in Quebec City, QC and Halifax, NS for the tournament, which runs from May 1st-18th, 2008. Canada will be both host and returning champion in 2008, after capturing the 2007 IIHF World Championship on May 13th in Moscow, Russia.

The 2008 IIHF World Championship will mark the 100th anniversary of the IIHF and 400th anniversary of Quebec City. Hockey Canada is proud that the event is coming to Canada and wants all hockey players to contribute to making the championship a success. Ticket packages are already on sale for both venues.