Canadian rosters set for World U-17 Challenge

NEWS RELEASE

HOCKEY CANADA

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Canadian Rosters Announced For 2008 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge

CALGARY, AB – Some of the future stars of the IIHF World Junior Championship and the NHL will be in London, ON from December 29, 2007-January 4, 2008 for the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge.

Hockey Canada, in partnership with the Canadian Hockey League, announced on Tuesday the rosters for Canada’s five regional teams which will compete in the tournament. Along with London, partner venues in Lucan, Strathroy, Woodstock, Stratford and St. Thomas will also host games.

Canada’s five regional teams for the tournament are Pacific (Alberta, British Columbia, Northwest Territories, Yukon), Western (Manitoba, Nunavut, Saskatchewan), Ontario, Quebec, and Atlantic (Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia). All five rosters have been announced and are posted on 2008 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge website at www.hockeycanada.ca.

The 2008 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge features 10 teams – the five from Canada are joined by teams from Finland, Germany, Russia, Slovakia and USA. The teams are split into two groups, with each team playing four preliminary games before the playoff round. International team rosters will be announced closer to the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge.

The event brings together the top players in the world born in 1991 or later. Hockey Canada’s National Under-17 Program is the first step of the Program of Excellence. Many players who compete at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge go on to represent Canada with the National Under-18 Team and National Junior Team.

“This is the cream of the crop when it comes to this age group,” says Al Murray, Hockey Canada’s head scout. “This tournament is an important tool for scouting purposes. This is our first opportunity to identify, develop and evaluate future members of our Under-18 and Under-20 programs.”

Many players from past World Under-17 Hockey Challenges have gone on to play for Canada’s National Junior Team. Seventeen of Canada’s 22 players at the 2007 IIHF World Junior Championship played in the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, as did 19 of Canada’s 25 players from the 2007 Canada/Russia Super Series.

TICKET INFORMATION

Single-game tickets and ticket packages are now available for the 2008 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge. Tickets for games in London can be purchased online at www.johnlabattcentre.com or by phone at (866) 455-2849.

Tickets for games in the partner venues can be purchased by calling the following numbers: Strathroy: (519) 245-7557 St. Thomas: (519) 631-3607 Stratford: (519) 301-0600 Woodstock: (519) 539-3181 Lucan: (519) 666-1918

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