Two-time Olympic gold medalist Cheryl Pounder is returning to the Canadian women's hockey team after taking last season off to have a baby.
The defenceman was one of 21 players chosen for the team yesterday for the Four Nations Cup in Lake Placid, N.Y.
The tournament pits Canada against the United States, Sweden and Finland.
Pounder gave birth to daughter Jaime on Jan. 25. The veteran of seven world championships is more than ready to put the Canadian jersey back on.
"I really missed it," Pounder said from her home in Mississauga.
"I missed the girls, the camaraderie in the dressing room and, of course, the competitiveness and being in a close game.
"To put the jersey on again, I've always said it never gets old."
Canada has won the annual Four Nations Cup five consecutive years, but is coming off back-to-back losses to the United States at the world championship in April.
The Canadians fell 4-3 to the Americans in the final. Pounder, 32, is well versed in her country's rivalry with the United States and is eager to engage in it again.
"The competitiveness of those games is something we live for," she said. "I'm really excited to see what they're like and how they've changed and to really be competitive out there and send a message."
Pounder trained in the gym and worked on her stick handling on the ice up until Jaime was born, so she was able to get her fitness back quickly.
But she played only three games with her club team, the Mississauga Chiefs, in March so getting her timing and sharpness back has been important.
"Now it's fine-tuning and getting on the ice and playing games," Pounder said.
Pounder and 33-year-old Becky Kellar will anchor one of the youngest bluelines the Canadian women have ever had in international hockey.
Six of the nine defencemen picked for the squad are 23 years old or younger.
"We're definitely the old dogs," Pounder joked and then added: "I think it shows you the depth we have in this country and obviously [the coaching staff]is taking a good look at the defence."
Tessa Bonhomme of Sudbury, Ont., Annie Guay of Rouyn-Noranda, Que., Edmonton's Meaghan Mikkelson and Bobbi Jo Slusar of Swift Current, Sask., are all 23 years old.
Jocelyne Larocque of Sainte Anne, Man., is 20 and Montreal's Catherine Ward is 21.
Head coach Melody Davidson confirmed she's focusing on the team's blueline with this roster, but added this was the only time she could take some players out of their schools and universities before next April's world championship.
"There's definitely young players there we want to see and it's our only chance to really see them," Davidson said.
"We have a lot of defencemen we have to look at and make some decisions on so we're obviously going to bring as many of them as we can so we get to know them better and see them play."
Davidson selected only 10 forwards to the roster yesterday, but expects to add another following a training camp in October. Veteran Caroline Ouellette was picked for the team as a defenceman, but she also plays forward.
Canada will have familiar names up front, including Wickenheiser of Shaunavon, Sask., Jayna Hefford of Kingston, Ont., Gillian Apps of Unionville, Ont., Meghan Agosta of Ruthven, Ont., and Sarah Vaillancourt of Sherbrooke, Que.
Toronto's Natalie Spooner, who turns 18 later this month and was one of Canada's top three players at the world under-18 championship in January, will make her debut with the national senior team. Jennifer Wakefield of Pickering, Ont., who is 19, will play in her second Four Nations Cup for Canada.
Davidson selected veteran goaltenders Kim St. Pierre of Chateauguay, Que., and Charline Labonte of Boisbriand, Que.
The Canadian team will hold a camp Oct. 9 to 13 in Moncton.