CALGARY, Alta. – Jim Nill, general manager of Canada’s National Men’s Team, announced Tuesday, in collaboration with Hockey Canada, a first group of 19 players for the 2015 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship, scheduled for May 1-17, 2015 in Prague and Ostrava, Czech Republic.

Nill is working with a management group comprised of George McPhee (Guelph, Ont.), Sean Burke (Windsor, Ont./Arizona, NHL), Pat Verbeek (Sarnia, Ont./Tampa Bay, NHL), Claude Loiselle (Ottawa, Ont.) and Scott Salmond (Creston, B.C.), Hockey Canada’s vice-president of hockey operations and national teams. The management group has been monitoring the final weeks of the NHL regular season, and scouting players that are available to represent Canada at the world championship.

“We could not be more pleased with this first group of players who have committed to representing their country,” said Nill. “This group includes a fantastic mix of youth and experience, and these 19 players are ready to get over to Europe and wear the red and white of Team Canada.”

17 of the 19 players named by Hockey Canada have previous international experience, with nine players (Burns, Duchene, Eberle, Giroux, Hall, MacKinnon, Nugent-Hopkins, O’Reilly, Smith) having played at the IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship. Only Jake Muzzin and David Savard will represent Canada for the first time.

Over the past week, Nill has confirmed the following 19 players:

 

GOALTENDERS (2)

Martin Jones                              North Vancouver, B.C.                Los Angeles Kings (NHL)

Mike Smith                                 Kingston, Ont.                            Arizona Coyotes (NHL)

 

DEFENCE (5)

Tyson Barrie                              Victoria, B.C.                             Colorado Avalanche (NHL)

Brent Burns                                Barrie, Ont.                               San Jose Sharks (NHL)

Aaron Ekblad                             Windsor, Ont.                            Florida Panthers (NHL)

Jake Muzzin                               Woodstock, Ont.                        Los Angeles Kings (NHL)

David Savard                              St. Hyacinthe, Que.                    Columbus Blue Jackets (NHL)

 

FORWARDS (12)

Matt Duchene                             Haliburton, Ont.                         Colorado Avalanche (NHL)

Cody Eakin                                Winnipeg, Man.                          Dallas Stars (NHL)

Jordan Eberle                            Regina, Sask.                             Edmonton Oilers (NHL)

Tyler Ennis                                Edmonton, Alta.                         Buffalo Sabres (NHL)

Claude Giroux                            Hearst, Ont.                              Philadelphia Flyers (NHL)

Taylor Hall                                Calgary, Alta.                            Edmonton Oilers (NHL)

Nathan MacKinnon                      Cole Harbour, N.S.                     Colorado Avalanche (NHL)

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins                  Burnaby, B.C.                            Edmonton Oilers (NHL)

Ryan O’Reilly                            Clinton, Ont.                              Colorado Avalanche (NHL)

Tyler Seguin                              Brampton, Ont.                          Dallas Stars (NHL)

Jason Spezza                             Toronto, Ont.                            Dallas Stars (NHL)

Tyler Toffoli                              Scarborough, Ont.                      Los Angeles Kings (NHL)

 

Canada’s roster is comprised of players not involved in the NHL playoffs. Canada can also add players eliminated during the Stanley Cup playoffs, and can register up to 25 players, including three goaltenders, on its official roster.  

Canada opens the 2015 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship against Latvia on May 1. It will also face Austria, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Sweden and Switzerland in preliminary round play.

CLICK HERE FOR THE 2015 IIHF ICE HOCKEY WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE

For more information on Canada’s National Men’s Team and the 2015 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship, please visit www.hockeycanada.ca, or follow along through social media at www.facebook.com/hockeycanada, www.twitter.com/hockeycanada and www.twitter.com/hc_men.