2010 MOLSON CANADIAN WORLD HOCKEY SUMMIT

Toronto, ON, June 16, 2010 -- The 2010 Molson Canadian World Hockey Summit Steering Committee today announced the four individuals who will serve as the Summit Leadership Team for the four-day event to be held in Toronto, from August 23-26.  Daniel Alfredsson (Gothenburg, Sweden), a 14-year member of the NHL's Ottawa Senators, an Olympic gold medalist and longtime member of Sweden's national team; Brian Burke (Providence, Rhode Island), General Manager of the NHL's Toronto Maple Leafs, who also served in the same capacity with the 2010 United States Olympic silver medal-winning team in Vancouver; Hayley Wickenheiser (Shaunavon, Saskatchewan), a member of Canada's National Women's Team since 1993-94 and four-time Olympic medalist; and Steve Yzerman (Cranbrook, British Columbia),  General Manager of the NHL's Tampa Bay Lightning and a four-time Stanley Cup champion and two-time Olympic gold medalist with Canada have been named to the Summit Leadership Team.

, will be brought to life through interactive seminars, presentations and discussions - led by a who’s who of the global hockey world from the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), Hockey Canada, USA Hockey, the National Hockey League (NHL), National Hockey League Players' Association (NHLPA) and the Canadian Hockey League (CHL).Global Teamwork Promoting the Growth of the Game        The Summit’s core theme,

has been an Ottawa Senator for each of his 14 NHL seasons and team captain since 1999-2000. Alfredsson holds franchise records for career games, goals, assists and points for both the regular season and Stanley Cup Playoffs. The 37-year-old Gothenburg, Sweden native also boasts extensive experience in international hockey, highlighted by his role as alternate captain on the gold medal-winning Swedish entry at the 2006 Olympics in Turin. He has represented his country in two World Cups, four Olympics and six World Championships.Daniel Alfredsson        Selected 133rd overall in the 1994 Entry Draft,

has more than 20 years of NHL experience in a variety of management roles. The 1981 Harvard Law graduate has represented professional hockey players, worked in the NHL front office as Senior VP and Director of Hockey Operations and served as GM of the Maple Leafs, Hartford Whalers, Vancouver Canucks and Anaheim Ducks. He won the Stanley Cup with the Ducks in 2007, received the Lester Patrick Award for outstanding service to hockey in the United States in 2008 and earned an Olympic silver medal as GM of the U.S. men's team at the 2010 Winter Games.Brian Burke        Named General Manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs in November 2008,

has taken home three gold medals and one silver medal in four Olympic Games, captured six golds and one silver at the Women's World Hockey Championships and earned MVP honors several times at the Canada nationals. In January 2003, Wickenheiser became the first female hockey player to notch a point in a men's professional game with HC Salamat of the Finnish second division. She also attended the Philadelphia Flyers rookie camp in 1998 and 1999.Hayley Wickenheiser        A member of Canada’s National Women’s Team since 1993-94,

was named General Manager of the Tampa Bay Lightning on May 25 after spending the previous 27 seasons with the Detroit Red Wings as a player, captain and executive. He is a four-time Stanley Cup champion, winning three as a player and one in management, and has captured two Olympic gold medals with Team Canada, as a player in 2002 and as executive director in 2010. Yzerman also served as GM for Canada at the 2007 and 2008 World Championships, winning gold and silver medals, respectively. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2009, his first year of eligibility.Steve Yzerman        

        The inaugural Molson Canadian World Hockey Summit will open on the evening of Monday, August 23 with a series of round table discussions on the issues confronting the hockey world, including the challenges facing transfers and contractual status throughout the hockey world.  Beginning on Tuesday, Aug. 24, the following six themes will be addressed:

·        Player Skill Development - Understanding the need for and establishing a long term plan for player development will assist player recruitment and retention and provide opportunities for a safe, positive and enjoyable experience in youth hockey and foster long term participation in the sport at all levels of play.

·        Junior Development in the World - Assessing the results and figures from the IIHF World Juniors, the Olympics and the NHL Entry Draft; the North American vs. the European approach in developing players.

·        Vancouver 2010 Evaluation - Evaluating the 2010 Olympic Men's tournament, helping hockey to benefit from the unprecedented success by sustaining the positives while developing other areas.

·        Establishing a Long-Term Global Event Agenda - Exploring the possibilities to provide hockey with a long-term international event agenda for both national team and club events, further enhancing the IIHF-NHL cooperation for the growth of the game.

·        Women's Hockey After 2010 - In light of IOC President Jacques Rogge's comments with respect to female hockey worldwide - what steps need to be taken to close the gap and to insure women's hockey remains an Olympic sport.

·        Growing Participation in Hockey - Growing hockey means both recruiting new players and retaining our current ones.  It is important to promote positive messaging about our game and share best practices from around the world.

        This year’s event is open to the public to attend and participate in the sessions. Registration information can be obtained at www.worldhockeysummit.com.  There are 500 spaces available for the event, with tickets priced at $450.00 CDN. The events and sessions will be split between two venues in downtown Toronto: The Sheraton Centre and the Hockey Hall of Fame.

About the Molson Canadian World Hockey Summit:

The Molson Canadian World Hockey Summit is an event designed to dissect the current state of hockey and collaboratively identify and address key concerns and issues facing the game today. The Summit’s theme, Global Teamwork Promoting the Growth of the Game, will be brought to life through interactive seminars, presentations, and discussions led by the who’s who of the global hockey world. The Summit's steering committee includes the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), Hockey Canada, USA Hockey, the National Hockey League (NHL), the National Hockey League Players’ Association (NHLPA), the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) and the Molson Coors Brewing Company.