35 players invited to Canada's women's team camp

Hockey Canada announced on Monday that it has invited 35 players to attend the BFL National Women’s Team Training Camp in Halifax, March 1-7.

The week-long camp includes practices at the Scotiabank Centre that will take place in a secure team self-isolation environment and is closed to both the public and media.

Hockey Canada has worked extensively with the Province of Nova Scotia and Nova Scotia Public Health to ensure the health and safety of all participants and the community at large. Staff and players will strictly adhere to new restrictions announced on Friday that limit participants to 25 on the ice.

They will continue to follow strict COVID-19 testing as per team health and safety protocols that have been detailed and approved by Nova Scotia Public Health. 

“We are grateful to government officials and health authorities in Nova Scotia and Canadian Sports Center Atlantic who worked with us to ensure we are able to hold this camp in a safe and secure environment,” said Gina Kingsbury, director of women’s national teams with Hockey Canada in a statement. “Health and safety remain our priorities, and with the few chances we have had to get together as a team, this camp is important to our season.

"Our players, coaches and support staff have shown great resiliency through adversity and their eagerness to prepare and compete is evident in off-ice training, ice sessions and our virtual connections.”

The camp follows the January training camp in Calgary, which was the first opportunity the coaching staff had to evaluate players in preparation for the 2021 IIHF Women’s World Championship in Halifax and Truro this spring. It was also the first time Canada’s National Women’s Team was able to practice and scrimmage since the COVID-19 pandemic altered plans for in-person training and ice sessions last March.