While their NHL seasons may have come to an end, 22 players will now travel to Kosice and Bratislava, Slovakia to represent Canada at the 2019 IIHF World Championship.
Hockey Canada announced its roster on Monday in advance of the event that will take place May 10-26.
“It’s always a special opportunity when you get the call to represent your country on the international stage,” said Jason Botterill, who is part of Canada's management group, in the press release. “This roster is a mix of youth and veterans who will help lead the way in this short-term competition. Our coaching staff is excited to work with these players as we get set for a competitive tournament in Slovakia starting May 10.”
Looking for its first gold medal since 2016, when Canada won back-to-back championships, the roster contains it usual star power, headlined by the Maple Leafs' John Tavares, who finished 16th overall in scoring with 88 points (47 goals, 41 assists), and Vegas' Mark Stone, the current playoff leader in points and goals — despite his Golden Knights losing in the first round.
Stone does have experience at the world championship. He was on the 2016 gold-medal winning squad along with Sabres forward Sam Reinhart, who's also on the 2019 squad.
Two of Team Canada's three goaltenders are from Thunder Bay, ONT.#NJDevils Mackenzie Blackwood and Penguins Matt Murray.
— Amanda Stein (@amandacstein) April 29, 2019
Carter Hart rounds out the three goaltenders Canada will carry at the tournament.
Thomas Chabot (Senatos), Darnell Nurse (Oilers) and Kyle Turris (Nashville) are the only players returning from last year's team that did not medal.
In 2018, Canada finished fourth and off the podium for the first time since 2014. This year's squad includes four players — Tyler Bertuzzi, Jonathan Marchessault, Brandon Montour and Troy Stecher — who will be making their Team Canada debuts at the tournament.
Carter Hart, who backstopped Canada to gold at the 2018 World Junior Championship, was named to the roster along with fellow netminders Mackenzie Blackwood and Matt Murray. Both Blackwood and Murray hail from Thunder Bay, Ont.
Hart and Flyers teammate Sean Couturier will have a chance to showcase their skills to new Philadelphia head coach Alain Vigneault, who was named head coach earlier in the month, along with former Flyers head coach David Hakstol as an assistant.
Canada will hold a camp in Vienna and will face Austria May 7 in an exhibtion game. They open tournament play May 10 against Finland.
| No. | Name | Pos. | Hometown | NHL Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29 | Mackenzie Blackwood | G | Thunder Bay, Ont. | New Jersey Devils |
| 30 | Matt Murray | G | Thunder Bay, Ont. | Pittsburgh Penguins |
| 31 | Carter Hart | G | Sherwood Park, Alta. | Philadelphia Flyers |
| 4 | Dante Fabbro | D | Coquitlam, B.C. | Nashville Predators |
| 25 | Darnell Nurse | D | Hamilton, Ont. | Edmonton Oilers |
| 27 | Shea Theodore | D | Langley, B.C. | Vegas Golden Knights |
| 28 | Damon Severson | D | Melville, Sask. | New Jersey Devils |
| 51 | Troy Stecher | D | Richmond, B.C. | Vancouver Canucks |
| 62 | Brandon Montour | D | Brantford, Ont. | Buffalo Sabres |
| 72 | Thomas Chabot | D | Sainte-Marie-de-Beauce, Que. | Ottawa Senators |
| 7 | Sean Couturier | F | Bathurst, N.B. | Philadelphia Flyers |
| 14 | Adam Henrique | F | Burford, Ont. | Anaheim Ducks |
| 17 | Dylan Strome | F | Mississauga, Ont. | Chicago Blackhawks |
| 19 | Kyle Turris | F | New Westminster, B.C. | Nashville Predators |
| 20 | John Tavares | F | Oakville, Ont. | Toronto Maple Leafs |
| 21 | Mathieu Joseph | F | Laval, Que. | Tampa Bay Lightning |
| 23 | Sam Reinhart | F | West Vancouver, B.C. | Buffalo Sabres |
| 39 | Anthony Mantha | F | Longueuil, Que. | Detroit Red Wings |
| 59 | Tyler Bertuzzi | F | Sudbury, Ont. | Detroit Red Wings |
| 61 | Mark Stone | F | Winnipeg, Man. | Vegas Golden Knights |
| 71 | Anthony Cirelli | F | Woodbridge, Ont. | Tampa Bay Lighting |
| 81 | Jonathan Marchessault | F | Cap-Rouge, Que. | Vegas Golden Knights |