The Road to Sochi is long indeed.

In fact, there are 9,183.528 kilometres, or 5,706.38 miles, separating Hockey Canada’s home base of Calgary, Alta., and the site of the upcoming 2014 Olympic Winter Games in southern Russia.

Canada’s National Women’s Team has just turned its final corner on its last stretch to Sochi, travelling overseas to Vienna, Austria, this week for some practice and pre-competition before the Olympic puck drops. Not only is that an extremely intense journey for the players themselves, but it’s also a long trek – that carries a hefty price tag – for family and friends who want to be in the stands at Shayba Arena and the Bolshoy Ice Dome to cheer their loved ones on as they go for gold.

That’s where the Hockey Canada Foundation has “stepped” in to help, with an event called Sips, Sticks and Stilettos, held this past fall to help raise funds for the National Women’s Team family program, which cuts costs so that the top female players in the country can have their top fans supporting them at Sochi 2014.

The Oct. 29 event was held at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology in Edmonton, Alta., in the midst of one of Team Canada’s many road trips this season. Hockey Canada Foundation board director Doug Goss emceed the special evening, which gave invited guests the chance to mix and mingle with Canada’s National Women’s Team over dinner, and featured both an impressive live auction and a hot stove sessions hosted by two-time Olympic gold medallist Cassie Campbell-Pascall.

“We did this in 2009 as well, just leading into Vancouver, and the idea then, as it is now, was to provide support for the women’s hockey team and their families to attend the Olympics,” said Goss, who is also NAIT’s former board chair, and knew the school’s outstanding culinary students would put together a delicious five-course meal for attendees, which also included Hockey Canada president and CEO Bob Nicholson, Alberta Premier Alison Redford and several other high-profile guests.

“But the stars of the show were the players,” Goss said. “They were all great on stage, Cassie Campbell was terrific and I think everybody left feeling really close to all of the players, and feeling that they were all part of their journey in some way – and that’s a good thing.”

In total, Sips, Sticks and Stilettos raised about $120,000, with 75 per cent of the proceeds going to the National Women’s Team family program, and the other 25 per cent being donated to the Edmonton Girls Hockey Association to help grow the female game at the grassroots level, and inspire Team Canada’s future stars.

“This helps us tremendously, because we get to now bring our families to Russia," Canadian netminder Shannon Szabados of the festivities held in her hometown, and at her former post-secondary school. She said Sips, Sticks and Stilettos is giving her parents the chance to join her in Sochi “without re-mortgaging their house.”

Her parents have done the obscenely early morning drives to the rink, long weekend road trips countless times, and have followed their hockey-loving daughter pretty much everywhere else she’s played, including when she was in goal for the Olympic final at Vancouver 2010. So it seems only fair that they be there to support Szabados and her teammates as they defend that Olympic gold medal. Her husband will make the long trip, too, making it a smaller posse than the one she had in Vancouver, but an extremely important one.

“They were quite excited when I told them events like this help cover their expenses,” Szabados said. “I may not be able to spend a lot of time with my family when they are there, but it means so much just to know they are there supporting us, watching us, and if I need someone to talk to, they are there."

Campbell-Pascall happily helped out at this season’s Sips, Sticks and Stilettos event, since she knows all too well how important it is to have your biggest fans in attendance for your biggest games.

“Especially for Sochi coming up, it’s going to be a pretty expensive trip for the families to be there,” she said. “For some girls, it’s their first Olympics and for some girls, it’ll be their last, and as a former athlete, there’s nothing better to compete, and hopefully be successful, and then have your family right there to share it.”

The best women’s hockey players in the world “don’t make millions and millions of dollars a year,” Campbell-Pascall pointed out, adding “it just helps eliminate the costs … and it’s really important, I know, to the girls to have their parents and friends, and whoever else can, make the trip there.”

Campbell-Pascall said the success of Sips, Sticks and Stilettos shows that “there are a lot of great people out there that are supporting the game.”

“In my day, not many of the girls wore high heels to the rink,” she said with a chuckle of the appropriate yet quirky event name. “But you look at the girls now, and they’re all wearing them and that’s the style – it fits.”

Hockey Canada Foundation executive director Chris Bright described Campbell-Pascall as “natural and engaging” when it comes to garnering support for Canada’s National Women’s Team, adding she “was a great compliment to the evening’s success.”

“The foundation is proud to support these athletes and their families,” Bright said. “Like all Canadians, we wish them all the success on the ice. Off the ice, it is hard not to admire the commitment and dedication they have to pursue gold.”

But from the first puck drop to the final buzzer – and every practice, game, training session, road trip in between – each trek to that sparkling summit of athletic accomplishment has been a unique experience for the forward from Unionville, Ont.

“I think each round of centralization is a little bit different,” Apps said following a recent practice in Burlington, Vt., while on the road with Canada’s National Women’s Team for two pre-Olympic games against the United States. “This time it’s been good so far; busier I think than it has been in the past.”

Apps is one of 27 top female players from across the country currently centralized with Team Canada for the 2013-14 season, and based out of Hockey Canada’s home facilities in Calgary, Alta. When they’re not playing, practising and training inside the Markin MacPhail Centre, they’re taking the bus across the province to play against AAA boys’ teams from the Alberta Midget Hockey League, or flying to major cities on both sides of the border to take on the U.S. in preparation for the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia, next February. The Canadian roster will be whittled down to 21 players before that long sought after trip to Sochi.

In the meantime, their stop in Burlington this October was to face off against the United States for an intense on-ice rivalry. Canada edged the U.S. 3-2 in the first of six Olympic warm-up games between the two rival teams Oct. 12, although it was more like a heated battle on the ice, sparks flying and all. Following the win, the maple leafs shifted focus to their second game against the stars and stripes, which was scheduled for just five days later, Oct. 17 at the Centre d’excellence Sports Rousseau in Boisbriand, Que.

“There are also similarities, with playing in the Midget AAA league, and going on tour with the U.S.,” Apps said of her third centralization, adding this time around “we’ve just been at the rink a little bit more.” For a high performance athlete who has already successfully gone through the trials and tribulations en route to winning Olympic gold, not once but twice, both at the 2006 Olympic Winter Games in Torino, Italy, and the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver, B.C., it’s clear the Road to Sochi 2014 is a rigorous journey for veterans and rookies alike.

Apps and her teammates love having hockey as their full-time job this season, but maintaining a sense of balance is also important. “I think you just take your down time when it comes, and try to unwind a little bit, and make sure you’re taking care of yourself – eating and sleeping,” Apps said. “And just trying to stay present when you’re at the rink.”

It’s all worth it for Apps. Not only for the possibility of having a third Olympic gold medal placed around her neck at the Bolshoy Ice Dome, but also to have the chance to spend time with her teammates every day. Apps has been a member of Canada’s National Women’s Team since 2001, also winning three women’s world championship gold medals during that time.

“It’s fun to be with this group, together full-time,” she said of what stands out for her so far this season. “Just feeling like a team that comes to the rink every day.”

Having teammates help push you through the rough patches through a tough year is also important for the red and white to stay on top of their game. “That’s why it’s so great that we have such a close group, because you can use your teammates to help you get through those hard times.”

Team Canada also adheres to mottos and messages that help motivate them on a daily basis. First introduced just before spring’s boot camp in Penticton, B.C., this season some of the team’s words to live by are “dig a little deeper.”

“When things are tough, just keep going,” Apps said. “You’ve always got more in you, so making sure that you’re giving your best every day.”

Apps said she and her teammates are excited to see proud Canadian crowds fill the stands, whether it’s at a small rink in rural Alberta as part of the ongoing National Women’s Team-Midget Series, or for one of the four remaining games against the United States, at the Markin MacPhail Centre in Calgary on Dec. 8; the Ralph Engelstad Arena in Grand Forks, N.D., on Dec. 20; the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minn., on Dec. 28 or the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ont., on Dec. 30.

“That’s the part that everyone’s looking forward to,” Apps said, adding she’s also hoping to experience Sochi 2014, which would be a completely new “dream come true.”

“If I had the chance to do it again, it would be a big honour,” she said.

Apps, who perhaps comes by her undying hockey determination honestly, as the daughter of Syl Apps Jr. and granddaughter of Syl Apps Sr. of the National Hockey League, said participating in the Olympics is simply something you train “your whole life for.”

Finally, Apps makes an important point as to why she is thrilled to take the road to gold a third straight time. “It’s one thing to win a medal, and it’s even harder to defend.”

She helped lead Team Canada to a silver medal at the first-ever Olympic Winter Games to feature women’s hockey.

So it’s fitting that a decade and a half after helping introduce the great female game to the world at Nagano 1998, that France St-Louis will once again serve in an important leadership position at Sochi 2014.

The Canada’s National Women’s Team alumna from St-Hubert, Que., was named assistant chef de mission for the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia, this week by the Canadian Olympic Committee. She joins fellow assistant chef de mission, Lillehammer 1994 gold medal-winning freestyle skier Jean-Luc Brassard, and chef de mission, Lake Placid 1980 bronze medal-winning downhill skier Steve Podborski, on the prestigious Canadian team.

“If we want to become the best Olympic nation in the world, we need to gather the best-qualified Canadians to help lead our athletes and coaches,” Canadian Olympic Committee president Marcel Aubut said in a news release. “France will provide an exceptional amount of experience to our Olympic athletes, as they compete against the world’s best.”

“We add the knowledge and capacity of one of this country’s greatest ice hockey athletes to our Sochi 2014 team,” Podborski added to the official Canadian Olympic Committee statement. “We have just taken one step closer to our quest in becoming the number one country in total medals at next year’s Winter Olympic Games. Our athletes and coaches have just gained access to an incredible amount of depth and perspective, from an athlete who knows what it takes to win.”

In addition to claiming silver at Nagano 1998, St-Louis has also won five gold medals at the IIHF Ice Hockey Women’s World Championship, including the inaugural event in 1990 in Ottawa, Ont.; 1992 in Tampere, Finland; 1994 in Lake Placid, N.Y.; 1997 in Kitchener, Ont.; and 1999 in Espoo, Finland.

She has received several impressive accolades in the sports world as a result of her achievements on the ice, including the Canadian Association for the Advancement of Women in Sport and Physical Activity (CAAWS) Breakthrough Award in recognition of her immense contribution to women in sport, and her 2003 induction into the Quebec Sports Hall of Fame.

“As an athlete who has already competed in an Olympic Games, I know how valuable it is to be surrounded by the best coaches and individuals that are equipped with the proper support,” current Canada’s National Women’s Team member Caroline Ouellette told the Canadian Olympic Committee. “Having someone of France’s standing is a great addition to our Olympic Team, because at times, having the right mentality can help you achieve your ultimate dream of winning an Olympic gold medal.”

“What an extraordinary occasion this is for me; an opportunity to be part of the Olympic Movement – something that I have believed in for many years,” St-Louis herself said in the COC statement. “I want to thank the administration at the Cégep du Vieux-Montréal for being so supportive. It is going to be an honour to work alongside two incredible individuals like Steve and Jean-Luc.

“I am tremendously motivated and humbled to contribute to the Canadian Olympic Team at Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games,” she added. “I know how important it is for our athletes to be prepared both physically and mentally, in order to achieve their desired objectives, and this is exactly what I aim to deliver.”

France St-Louis teaches physical education at the Cégep du Vieux-Montréal, a post-secondary institution supporting excellence in sports and raising awareness of the importance of participating in physical activity and leading a healthy lifestyle.

Ask Dean McAmmond what he remembers most about winning a gold medal at the 1993 IIHF World Junior Championship and the first thing that springs to mind has nothing to do with what happened on the ice.

“I (felt like) Santa Claus on Christmas Day because it was the first time I was away from home,” he says. “Our team doctor dressed up.”

The hockey part was pretty memorable, too.

“(We were) a bunch of young-faced hockey players who were just in the beginning parts of their budding careers,” he says. McAmmond himself would go on to play 18 seasons in the NHL, reaching the Stanley Cup Final with the Ottawa Senators in 2007.

As the medal round for the 2015 World Juniors plays out in Toronto, Ont., over the next few days, members of the 1993 and 1994 teams have been reunited in recognition of their golden achievements.

“I think everyone at Hockey Canada and the Hockey Canada Foundation recognizes the importance of celebrating the game and the successes we’ve had,” says Chris Bright, executive director of the Hockey Canada Foundation. “It’s part of the mandate for the foundation to celebrate Canada’s hockey heritage.”

Some of the alumni hadn’t seen each other in 20 years.

“We’re talking about minor hockey and about our kids and grandkids and how they’re playing,” says Jos Canale, who was an assistant coach in 1993 and the head coach in 1994. “It’s nice to be part of a winning tradition. When you win you become a very close family.”

Brent Tully was also a member of both teams. In 1993 he was named to the tournament all-star team; the following year he served as Canada’s captain.

After winning in 1994 Tully proudly called his team “a bunch of no-name hockey players” in a televised interview. The team was an underdog, he says now, and wanted to prove they were better than people pegged them to be.

The team went undefeated but it wasn’t until the dying minutes of the last game against Sweden – medals were awarded after an eight-team round-robin – that the gold was iced.

“Aaron Gavey made a play with his stick that was unbelievable – a blind pass that would’ve been an empty net goal for them,” he says. Shortly after, Rick Girard scored an empty-netter and made it 6-4 Canada.

That was the first of three World Juniors gold medals for Jason Botterill. The groundwork for the team’s success, he says, was laid in Switzerland in the lead up the event.

“I think the support that guys felt on the bench, whether they played a lot or not, really started at that training camp,” he says.

Now in his role as associate general manager of the Pittsburgh Penguins, Botterill watches and evaluates his team’s prospects from all the countries.

He wants to see future Penguins succeed, just not necessarily their teams.

“You’re always a fan at heart,” he says. “You’re certainly cheering for the maple leaf.”

The 1993 team didn’t wait as long to clinch its medal: it was secured with two games still to play.

“We luckily had a lot of time to enjoy our championship because we still had over half a week left of hockey,” says Adrian Aucoin. “It was probably a lot more fun than it should have been.”

The alumni have been kept busy in Toronto. In addition to the celebratory brunch on Friday, the players were recognized during Canada’s quarter-final game against Denmark, and they’ll make appearances at the McDonald’s Fan Zone and help launch a new public rink that was built with funds raised by the Hockey Canada Foundation.

But their weekend kicked off Thursday night when they meet and mingled with Canada’s current National Junior Team. The alumni talked to them about facing adversity and staying confident in the team. Mostly, though, the players simply shared their love of hockey.

Current defenceman Josh Morrissey told Aucoin about watching him play with the Flames when he was growing up in Calgary, Alta. And McAmmond and Morrissey talked about playing their junior hockey with the Prince Albert Raiders.

The players may have been meeting for the first time, but in the small world of hockey they quickly learned there’s far fewer than six degrees of separation.

“I’ve been on the ice with (Curtis) Lazar’s little brother,” says McAmmond, who coaches minor hockey in Lazar’s hometown of Vernon, B.C. “He’s a Peewee, same age as my son, so we connected on that level.”

The popularity and visibility of the World Juniors has grown considerably in the past two decades. But what hasn’t doesn’t change is the pride one feels in playing for his country.

“Twenty-some years later to be brought back – it makes you feel like you’re still part of it,” says McAmmond. “I’ve been retired for four years now; my playing career’s done but you always feel like you’re wearing the leaf on your chest.”

BEIJING, China – Hockey fans across the world can own a piece of Hockey Canada history and bid on game-worn jerseys from Canada’s women’s and men’s Olympic hockey teams.

Bidding will remain open until Feb. 21 at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT at HockeyCanada.ca/Auction.

Proceeds from the online auction benefit the Hockey Canada Foundation and the Canadian Olympic Foundation and will be invested in programs to grow the game at the grassroots level in Canadian communities.

As Canada’s Women’s Olympic Team prepares for tonight’s gold medal game, fans can join the excitement of the Games and bid on game-worn jerseys from captain Marie-Philip Poulin, tournament scoring leader Sarah Nurse, first-time Olympian Sarah Fillier and the rest of Team Canada.

The online auction for Canada’s Men’s Olympic Team is also open, with game-worn jerseys available of captain Eric Staal, No. 1 NHL draft pick Owen Power, Kent Johnson and the other 22 members of the Canadian roster.

“All month, hockey fans from coast to coast to coast have been cheering on Canada’s men’s and women’s teams at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games as they proudly represent our country,” said Donna Iampieri, executive director of the Hockey Canada Foundation. “Now, they can own a piece of hockey history and support the development of grassroots hockey across Canada.

“Proceeds from the online auction will help establish a legacy for our Olympic hockey teams that goes well beyond the Games and inspires the next generation of hockey players to chase their Olympic dreams.”

Through the auction, hockey fans have already raised over $35,000 for grassroots hockey.

For more information on the Hockey Canada Foundation, please visit HockeyCanada.ca/Foundation.

PYEONGCHANG, South Korea – The Hockey Canada Foundation is looking to extend the legacy of this year’s Canadian women’s and men’s Olympic hockey teams with a unique online auction of game-worn jerseys that will put money back directly into growing the game at the grassroots level across the country.

Beginning Feb. 17 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT, hockey and Olympic fans from around the world can bid on game-worn jerseys from every member of Canada’s Women’s Olympic Hockey Team during a five-day, online auction. The 23-player team, announced on Dec. 22, 2017, went undefeated in Olympic preliminary-round action as part of its drive for five consecutive gold medals. Bids will be accepted until the evening of Feb. 22.

The online auction for Canada’s Men’s Olympic Hockey Team begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on Feb. 20, and closes on Feb. 25. The 25-player team faces the Czech Republic in its second preliminary-round game tonight at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.

“Canada’s Olympians – both past and present – inspire our nation to not only come together to support our athletes, but also to get involved in sport and active, healthy lifestyles,” said Donna Iampieri, executive director of the Hockey Canada Foundation. “We want to help make our women’s and men’s Olympic hockey teams’ legacies live on well beyond the Games themselves. Working with the Canadian Olympic Foundation, we will provide hockey and Olympic fans from around the world an opportunity to bid on a piece of the history from the 2018 Olympic Winter Games – game-worn Olympic hockey jerseys from the 48 players who are representing our nation in PyeongChang.”

Iampieri noted that net proceeds from the jersey auctions will be shared between the Hockey Canada Foundation and Canadian Olympic Foundation.

Up for grabs are the game-worn jerseys of all 48 players who were named to the women’s and men’s Olympic hockey teams, including those of two-time Olympic gold-medallist and women’s team captain Marie-Philip Poulin, and 2011 Stanley Cup champion and men’s team captain Chris Kelly.

For more information on Canada’s women’s and men’s Olympic hockey teams, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow through social media on Facebook, Twitter, and Twitter.com/HC_Women or Twitter.com/HC_Men.

To learn more about the Hockey Canada Foundation, please visit HockeyCanada.ca/Foundation and review its case for support.

CALGARY, Alta. – Hockey Canada announced Sunday that Caroline Ouellette (Montreal, Que./Montreal, CWHL) and Sidney Crosby (Cole Harbour, N.S./Pittsburgh, NHL) will serve as captain of Canada’s National Women’s Team and Canada’s National Men’s Team, respectively, at the 2014 Olympic Winter Games, while Greg Westlake (Oakville, Ont.) will captain Canada’s National Sledge Team at the 2014 Paralympic Winter Games.

It is the first time any of the three have captained Canada at an Olympic Winter Games or Paralympic Winter Games.

Caroline Ouellette is a three-time Olympic gold medallist, winning gold with Canada’s National Women’s Team in 2002, 2006 and 2010. She has also helped Canada to gold medals at the IIHF Ice Hockey Women’s World Championship in 1999, 2000, 2001, 2004, 2007 and 2012, scoring the overtime winner in the 2012 gold medal game, and silver medals in 2005, 2008, 2009, 2011 and 2013. A member of Canada’s National Women’s Team since 1999, Ouellette is the third-leading scorer in national team history, recording 238 points (85 goals, 153 assists) in 210 games.

Hayley Wickenheiser (Shaunavon, Sask./University of Calgary, CIS) will serve as a permanent alternate captain for Canada’s National Women’s Team, while Jayna Hefford (Kingston, Ont./Brampton, CWHL) and Catherine Ward (Montreal, Que./Montreal, CWHL) will wear an ‘A’ on a rotating basis. All three won gold with Canada at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games, and Wickenheiser and Hefford will be appearing in their fifth Olympics.

“There is a tremendous amount of experience in our dressing room, and there is no shortage of qualified candidates to wear a letter,” said Kevin Dineen, head coach of Canada’s National Women’s Team. “The players we have selected as captain and alternates in Sochi have shown their dedication and commitment to the team and its end goal throughout a long season, and we feel they are the ideal choices to lead our team through the Olympic experience.”

Sidney Crosby won a gold medal with Canada’s Men’s Olympic Team at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games, scoring the game-winning goal in overtime of the gold medal game. He also represented Canada at 2006 IIHF World Championship, leading the tournament in scoring and earning Top Forward honours, and won a pair of medals with Canada’s National Junior Team at the IIHF World Junior Championship, silver at the 2004 tournament and gold in 2005. Crosby made his international debut with Canada’s National Men’s Summer Under-18 Team at the 2003 Junior World Cup, winning a gold medal and leading the team in scoring as an under-age player.

Jonathan Toews (Winnipeg, Man./Chicago, NHL) and Shea Weber (Sicamous, B.C./Nashville, NHL) will serve as alternate captains for Canada’s Men’s Olympic Team. Both won gold at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games, and both won gold medals with Canada’s National Junior Team at the IIHF World Junior Championship; Toews in 2006 and 2007, Weber in 2005.

“Sidney, Jonathan and Shea have been leaders on the international stage in the past, as well as with their NHL teams,” said Mike Babcock, head coach of Canada’s National Men’s Team. “These three players will be at the forefront of our leadership group in Sochi, but we are confident that every one of the 25 players on our roster will lead in their own way and allow our team to be successful.”

Greg Westlake has been captain of Canada’s National Sledge Team since the start of the 2010-11 season, leading Canada to a gold medal at the 2013 IPC Sledge Hockey World Championship, and bronze at the world championship in 2011. The 2014 Paralympic Winter Games will be his third Paralympics; he won gold at the 2006 Games in Turin, Italy, and finished fourth in Vancouver. He also won a gold medal with Canada at the 2008 IPC Sledge Hockey World Championship. Westlake has been a member of Canada’s National Sledge Team since 2003, and sits second in all-time national team scoring, with 250 points (126 goals, 124 assists) in 147 games.

Brad Bowden (Orton, Ont.) and Adam Dixon (Midland, Ont.) will serve as alternate captains for Canada’s National Sledge Team. Bowden has played in two previous Paralympic Winter Games, winning gold in 2006, and is a three-time world champion, in 2000, 2008 and 2013. Dixon will be making his second Paralympic appearance and won gold with Canada at the IPC Sledge Hockey World Championship in 2008 and 2013.

“This is the leadership team we have had in place since 2011, and we have the utmost confidence in them leading our team into Sochi,” said Mike Mondin, head coach of Canada’s National Sledge Team. “Greg, Brad and Adam have worn the Team Canada jersey with pride every time they have put it on, and have earned the right to wear a letter on the game’s biggest stage.”

The 2014 Olympic Winter Games run from Feb. 7-23 in Sochi, Russia, with the women’s tournament running from Feb. 8-20, and the men’s event from Feb. 12-23.

The 2014 Paralympic Winter Games run from March 7-16 in Sochi, Russia, with the sledge hockey tournament taking place from March 8-15.

For more information on Hockey Canada, its national teams, the 2014 Olympic Winter Games and 2014 Paralympic Winter Games, visit www.hockeycanada.ca, or follow along through social media at www.facebook.com/hockeycanada and www.twitter.com/hockeycanada, www.twitter.com/hc_men, www.twitter.com/hc_women and www.twitter.com/hc_sledge.  

CALGARY, Alta. – Edmonton, the City of Champions, will honour Canada’s champions as the Hockey Canada Foundation (HCF) plays host to its annual gala and golf tournament on June 28 and 29.

Hockey Canada announced on Tuesday that Edmonton will be the site of the annual event, which celebrates the on-ice accomplishments of Hockey Canada’s national teams. This year's celebration will focus on Canada’s success at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games, where the men’s and women’s teams won gold medals.

“Edmonton is the perfect place to honour our athletes and the successes they have had in 2010,” says Bob Nicholson, president and CEO of Hockey Canada. “We expect the gala and golf tournament to add to Edmonton’s incredible sporting history.” 

The gala, which will include unique silent and live auctions, will be held at Edmonton’s Edmonton Marriott at River Cree Resort in cooperation with the River Cree Resort & Casino on June 28. Members of the 2010 men’s and women’s Olympic hockey teams, along with other celebrities, will be in attendance. Pierre McGuire and Gord Miller are the masters of ceremony.

“The evening will be one of celebration,” says Edmonton’s Doug Goss, event chairman. “This is all about recognition, memories and entertainment.”

Blackhawk Golf Course and Edmonton Petroleum Golf and Country Club will play host to the celebrity tournament on June 29. Each foursome will include a celebrity.

The Hockey Canada Foundation works closely with Hockey Canada to raise money to support minor hockey programs. The HCF focuses on five areas of funding: skill development and qualified coaching, accessibility and diversity, health and wellness, athlete and alumni support, and next-generation programming.

The majority of the funds that will be raised at the 2010 gala and golf tournament will go to support an outdoor minor hockey and public skating facility at TELUS Field in Edmonton. This project will be a partnership between the Hockey Canada Foundation, the Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation and the City of Edmonton.

For more information on the gala and golf tournament, please click here to view the available sponsorship opportunities.

MONTREAL - Molson today announced a unique donation designed to help boost Canada's National men's and women's hockey teams' medal results this February in Salt Lake City.

Molson Million for Gold - a $1 million incentive to inspire both of Canada's National hockey teams to bring home gold medals - was unveiled by Molson President and Chief Executive Officer, Daniel J. O'Neill together with Canadian Hockey Association President, Bob Nicholson, Team Canada Executive Director, Wayne Gretzky and Canada's National women's team General Manager and HeadCoach, Danièle Sauvageau at a special event at Molson's Montreal brewery this afternoon.

Molson's $1 million donation consists of $500,000 each to Canada's 2002 National men's and women's hockey teams should either or both win the gold medal at the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Games. Earlier this year, in recognition of the economic strain that elite athletic training can put on both the athlete and their families, Molson provided $275,000 in advance funding to assist the women's team with daily per diems, travel, equipment, additional coaching staff and also to help some of the athletes bring their families to see them compete in Salt Lake City in February. Upon winning the gold medal, Molson would provide an additional $250,000 to the players and coaching staff of the women's team for a total of $525,000.00. Should the men's National hockey team bring the gold medal home, those team members will receive a total of $500,000.00 which will then be directed to Canadian hockey development programs and initiatives."No one can deny the great feeling of country, of accomplishment, of excitement and pride that Canada would have if our National teams were able to bring back gold medals for hockey from Salt Lake City," said Daniel J. O'Neill, Molson President and Chief Executive Officer. "I think everyone across Canada would feel incredibly proud. Once and for all, we would show the world we are the masters of our game."

"Having been a Canadian Hockey Association sponsor for a number of years, Molson admires the incredible commitment and dedication of our Canadian athletes. We want to show our appreciation and support in an innovative way that helps lighten some of the financial burden, enabling our National hockey teams to focus on their training needs and ultimately bring home gold medals," Mr. O'Neill added.

"Molson Million for Gold is the first time that a donation has come right into the team's dressing room. Many players on our women's team have to support themselves with full-time jobs while undertaking the gruelling training and travel that comes with being a National team hockey player. This funding makes the road to Salt Lake City a lot easier," says Bob Nicholson, President, Canadian Hockey Association. "The funds are going directly where it's needed – a portion up-front to our women's team members with added incentive should they bring home a gold medal, while our men's team members would like to donate their gold winnings to the development ofCanadian hockey programs and initiatives."

Molson Million for Gold is another example of Molson's deeply rooted commitment to the development of Canada's national sport. For over 50 years, Molson has established and maintained an unparalleled network of relationships with hundreds of teams and leagues across the country-from every Canadian NHL club, junior hockey leagues and the men's and women's national teams to adult recreational and community hockey clubs throughout Canada.

Molson (TSE: MOL.A) is Canada's pre-eminent brewer with more than $2.5 billion in annual sales. Founded in 1786, Molson is North America's oldest beer brand and a global brand name with products that include Molson Canadian, Molson Export, Molson Dry, Rickard's and the Brazilian beer brand, Bavaria.