CALGARY – Hockey Canada announced the coaching staff for Ken Hitchcock and the first 15 players for the IIHF World Championship in Quebec City and Halifax, Canada, May 2-18.

From the NHL teams that will miss the Stanley Cup playoffs, Hockey Canada took two goalkeepers, three defencemen and ten forwards. The roster includes Cam Ward, Jason Chimera, Shane Doan, Jamal Mayers, Rick Nash, Eric Staal and Jonathan Toews who all won the 2007 World Championship in Moscow and look to repeat the feat.

“We are very pleased with the leadership and wealth of international experience that the players named today possess,” said Yzerman. “We feel that we have a very strong core group of players and we look to supplement our roster over the next few weeks as we monitor the NHL playoff situation.”
 
Canada’s head coach Ken Hitchcock (Columbus Blue Jackets) is joined by assistant coaches Pat Burns (New Jersey Devils), Mike Johnston (Los Angeles Kings) and Craig MacTavish (Edmonton Oilers).

Team Canada roster as of April 8:

Goalkeepers: Pascal Leclaire (Columbus Blue Jackets), Cam Ward (Carolina Hurricanes).

Defencemen: Jay Bouwmeester (Florida Panthers), Duncan Keith (Chicago Blackhawks), Steve Staios (Edmonton Oilers).

Forwards: Jason Chimera (Columbus Blue Jackets), Shane Doan (Phoenix Coyotes), Jamal Mayers (St. Louis Blues), Rick Nash (Columbus Blue Jackets), Derek Roy (Buffalo Sabres), Patrick Sharp (Chicago Blackhawks), Martin St. Louis (Tampa Bay Lightning), Eric Staal (Carolina Hurricanes), Jonathan Toews (Chicago Blackhawks), Ray Whitney (Carolina Hurricanes).