Canadian Olympians headline inaugural women’s hockey all-star rosters

TORONTO – Canadian Olympians are featured prominently on the teams which will compete Saturday at the inaugural Canadian Women’s Hockey League All-Star Game at Toronto’s Air Canada Centre.

The rosters were chosen Friday, with captains Charline Labonte of the Montreal Stars and Jessica Campbell of the Calgary Inferno each selecting five players for their respective teams. The remaining 28 players were chosen by way of a random stick pull.

Labonte, who was on the national team that won Olympic gold in Sochi in February, was voted captain along with Campbell via an online poll.

Labonte received 20.86 per cent of more than 75,000 fan votes, earning first pick in Friday’s draft. Campbell received 20.27 per cent of the total votes.

With her first five picks, Labonte chose Lisa-Marie Breton-Lebreux of the Stars, fellow 2014 Canadian Olympian Rebecca Johnston of the Inferno, Jamie Lee Rattray of the Brampton Thunder, American Olympian Kacey Bellamy of the Boston Blades, and Tessa Bonhomme of the Toronto Furies, who won Olympic gold with the women’s team in Vancouver in 2010.

Campbell’s first five picks were goaltender Sami Jo Small of the Furies, Canadian Olympians Haley Irwin of the Inferno, Lauriane Rougeau of the Stars, and Laura Fortino of the Thunder, and American Olympian Hilary Knight of the Blades.

Other Canadian Olympians to play in Saturday’s all-star game include: Genevieve Lacasse and Tara Watchorn of the Blades, Jocelyne Larocque of the Thunder, Caroline Ouellette of the Stars, and Natalie Spooner of the Furies.