– RICK NASH WILL NOT ATTEND DUE TO INJURY –

CALGARY, AB – Team Canada General Manager, Jim Nill, along with Team Canada Assistant GM Don Maloney (NY Rangers) and Director, Player Personnel Lanny McDonald named three players that will represent Canada at the 2004 IIHF Men’s World Hockey Championship: forwards Patrice Bergeron, Brendan Morrison and Glen Murray.

Nill also announced that previously named forward, Rick Nash will not attend the 2004 World Championship due to injury. Nash had not yet joined Canada’s players in Europe.

The 2004 World Championship takes place in Prague, Czech Republic, April 24-May 9, 2004. Canada will play a tune up game on Wednesday, April 22, in Prague, versus the Czech Republic, and will open the Championship on April 25 versus Austria.

Bergeron, an NHL rookie with the Boston Bruins, will be representing Canada for the first time by attending the 2004 World Championship. He becomes the second youngest player (18 years, 9 months, 1 day) all-time to play for Canada at the World Championship, Kariya was the youngest at 18 years, 6 months and 3 days.

Morrison, of the Vancouver Canucks, and Murray of the Bruins, both have previously represented Canada one time before (Morrison: 2000 World Championship; Murray: 1998 World Championship). Morrison, 28, had 22 goals and 38 assists and a plus-16 rating in 82 games this season and also added two goals and three assists in Vancouver’s seven-game loss to Calgary in the first round of the NHL playoffs. Murray, 31, had 32 goals and 28 assists and a plus-17 rating in 81 games this season. He added two goals and one assist in Boston’s seven-game loss to Montreal in the first round of the playoffs.

Canada’s roster now stands at 22 players – three goaltenders, seven defensemen and twelve forwards. Additional player(s) will be announced over the next few days.

Joel Quenneville will lead Canada behind the bench as Head Coach, while Mike Babcock (Mighty Ducks of Anaheim) and Tom Renney (New York Rangers) are the assistant coaches.

The official broadcaster of the Hockey Canada, TSN/RDS, will have live TV coverage of the Men’s Worlds, beginning with Canada’s first game of the championship on April 25.

Canada’s 2004 Men’s World Championship roster (as of April 19, 2004):

Name Position Hometown NHL Team (2003-2004)

Marc Denis Goaltender Montreal, QC Columbus Blue Jackets

Jean-Sebastien Giguere Goaltender Montreal, QC Mighty Ducks of Anaheim

* Roberto Luongo Goaltender Montreal QC Florida Panthers

* Eric Brewer Defence Kamloops, BC Edmonton Oilers

* Jay Bouwmeester Defence Edmonton, AB Florida Panthers

Willie Mitchell Defence Port McNeill, BC Minnesota Wild

Derek Morris Defence Edmonton, AB Phoenix Coyotes

+ Scott Niedermayer Defence Cranbrook, BC New Jersey Devils

Nick Schultz Defence Strasbourg, SK Minnesota Wild

* Steve Staios Defence Hamilton, ON Edmonton Oilers

Patrice Bergeron Forward Ancienne-Lorette, QC Boston Bruins

* Daniel Brière Forward Gatineau, QC Buffalo Sabres

Jean-Pierre Dumont Forward Montreal, QC Buffalo Sabres

* Dany Heatley Forward Calgary, AB Atlanta Thrashers

* Shawn Horcoff Forward Trail, BC Edmonton Oilers

Brendan Morrison Forward Pitt Meadows, BC Vancouver Canucks

Jeff Friesen Forward Meadow Lake, SK New Jersey Devils

Brenden Morrow Forward Carlyle, SK Dallas Stars

Glen Murray Forward Halifax, NS Boston Bruins

Rob Niedermayer Forward Cranbrook, BC Mighty Ducks of Anaheim

* Ryan Smyth Forward Banff, AB Edmonton Oilers

Justin Williams Forward Cobourg, ON Carolina Hurricanes

* Member of Canada’s 2003 gold medal Men’s World Hockey Championship team

+ 2002 Winter Olympic gold medalist – Men’s Hockey

For more information:

Brad Pascall

Director, Communications; 403-777-4556
bpascall@hockeycanada.ca