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Les Canadiennes announce selection camp details

29 players were named to Les Canadiennes selection camp roster, but the biggest news is the absence of Charline Labonté.

There were expectations of retirement among the veterans on the Canadiennes core after last season, and it appears that Labonté will not be returning. Caroline Ouellette and Julie Chu are on the roster, but will not be at camp this weekend.

Montreal will start the defence of their Clarkson Cup championship on September 23 and 24. The camp starts with fitness testing Saturday morning before on-ice sessions later in the day and continuing on Sunday.

The camp will take place at the Normandin Arena at the Claude Robillard Sport Complex.

Labonté was the CWHL’s top goaltender each of the last three seasons. She had a 47-17 record (second all-time in wins) in 65 career games with a 1.76 GAA and 13 shutouts. She had nine wins in the Clarkson Cup playoffs, the most of any goaltender in history. Her 13 shutouts is one behind Sami Jo Small for most all-time.

There has been a lot of turnover from the team that won the Clarkson Cup. Team captain Marie-Philip Poulin, defender Lauriane Rougeau and first-round pick Mélodie Daoust will be at Team Canada’s centralization camp and will not play in the CWHL until after the Olympics, or they are released from Canada’s camp – if at all.

The team has a new number one goaltender in Emerance Maschmeyer, who was acquired from Calgary this summer. Maschmeyer, statistically, was the best goaltender last year but split the net with two other goaltenders in Calgary. Maschmeyer will also not be at camp.

The team has nine rookies at camp (eight participating), including defenders Laurence Beaulieu (second round) and Natalie Barrette (third round). There are three rookie goalies vying to be Maschmeyer’s backup. They will also have to contend with last year’s backup Catherine Herron and 2015-16 backup Sydney Aveson who has returned after a year in Europe.

Carly Hill, Leslie Oles, Brittney Fouracres, Amanda Makela, Alyssa Sherrard, and Emilie Bocchia are also among players not with the team this season.

Kim Deschênes, Karell Emard, Cindy Laurin, and Sarah Lefort are injured and will not be on the ice.

Here is the full roster:

The team kicks off their pre-season September 29 at the Université de Montréal. Their regular season opener is at home against the Boston Blades on October 14.

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