The Canadian Olympic men's hockey team that will try for a third straight gold medal next month in South Korea will be announced today in Calgary at 1:30 p.m. NT.
Canada won gold medals in Vancouver in 2010 and Sochi in 2014 with teams full of NHL stars. But general manager Sean Burke and head coach Willie Desjardins don't have that luxury for next month's Games, as the NHL decided not to send players to the Olympics for the first time since 1994.
As a result the majority of players being considered for Team Canada are from European-based leagues, including St. John’s native Teddy Purcell, a forward who plays in Russia with Avangard Omsk of the KHL.
In all, 49 forwards, 27 defencemen and four goalies have suited up for Canada at five pre-Olympic tournaments since August.
Purcell played in two of the three most recent events — the Karjala Cup and Channel One Cup. He did not participate in the Christmas-time Spengler Cup tourney, where Team Canada was not permitted to use KHL players.
With files from the Canadian Press
