Irwin to play at world championship

TORONTO - The Canadian team bent on reclaiming the women's world championship from the United States was unveiled Wednesday in Toronto.

Thunder Bay's Haley Irwin, who won gold at the 2010 Olympics, has earned a spot on the squad.

Canada may have beaten the Americans 2-0 in the Olympic final last year in Vancouver to claim the gold medal but the U.S. is the two-time defending world champion.

They defeated Canada in the 2009 and 2008 finals in Hameenlinna, Finland, and Harbin, China, respectively. A world championship isn't held in Olympic years.

Canada's 21-player roster includes 16 from the Olympic team. Two forwards and three defenceman retired after the Games.

Forwards Jennifer Wakefield of Pickering., Ont., and Natalie Spooner of Toronto, plus defenders Bobbi Jo Slusar of Swift Current, Sask., Tara Watchorn of Newcastle, Ont., and Jocelyne Larocque of Ste. Anne, Man., will make their world championship debut April 16-25 in Winterthur and Zurich, Switzerland.

Captain Hayley Wickenheiser of Shaunavon, Sask., and forward Jayna Hefford of Kingston, Ont., will appear in their 10th world championship for Canada.

Former NHL player and coach Ryan Walter will coach the women's team again. He was behind the bench at the Four Nations Cup in November, when Canada edged the U.S. 3-2 in overtime to win the four-team international tournament in St. John's, N.L.

Hockey Canada held a four-day selection camp in Toronto and 15 players were released Wednesday.

The national team will head to Ann Arbour, Mich., for a four-day training game that includes two exhibition games against the U.S. before Canada departs Saturday for Europe.

The Canadians open the 2011 world championship April 16 against the host Swiss.