Athletes named to Canada's National Women's hockey team who will compete in the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia, pose for a team photo during a news conference in Calgary, Monday, Dec. 23, 2013.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh
December 23, 2013 - 8:01 AM
CALGARY - The Canadian women's Olympic hockey team has been finalized.
The 21-player roster comprises a dozen players who helped Canada win gold at the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver, including Hayley Wickenheiser, Jayna Heffford and Caroline Ouellette
Forwards Vicki Bendus and Bailey Bram and defenceman Courtney Birchard were released.
Twenty-seven players were invited to try out for the team and began training full-time in Calgary in August.
The team recently had a coaching change. Former NHL player and coach Kevin Dineen stepped in last week when Dan Church abruptly resigned.
Canada will play the U.S. in exhibition games Saturday in Minnesota and again next Monday in Toronto.
News from © The Canadian Press, 2013