"It's good to see that we're (the Senators) pretty well represented," Redden said. "It's exciting for a player because everyone knows how important it is to have a chance to go and play. It's going to be unbelievable."

The Ottawa Senators will be well represented at the Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy, in February. Thursday, Dec. 22, marked the deadline for countries to submit their hockey rosters, and nine members from the Senators have been chosen to represent their countries at the Olympics.

On Wednesday, Dec. 21, four Senators were named to their countries lineups with left-winger Dany Heatley, defenceman Wade Redden and centre Jason Spezza (taxi squad) being named to Team Canada, and Christoph Schubert getting the nod by Germany.

On Thursday, another five Senators received invitations from their countries, including: right-winger Daniel Alfredsson, Sweden; goaltender Dominik Hasek, Czech Republic; defenceman Anton Volchenkov, Russia; and defencemen Zdeno Chara and Andrej Meszaros, Slovakia.
Canada is the reigning champion in men's hockey, defeating the United States in the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Hasek is the only current Senators player to have won a gold medal in Olympic competition. He backstopped the Czech Republic to gold during the 1998 Games in Nagano, Japan. He played in two other Olympics in 1988 and 2002.

Alfredsson, Chara and Schubert have represented their countries in the past two events. Making their Olympic debuts are Meszaros, Volchenkov, Heatley, Spezza and Redden.

Below is a list of the Senators players selected for this year's Olympics and their previous involvement in international competition.

Andrej Meszaros, Slovakia
World senior championship, 2004
World U20 junior championship, 2004, 2003
World U18 junior championship, 2002

Anton Volchenkov, Russia
World Cup, 2004
World senior championship, 2002
World U20 junior championship, 2002, 2001
World U18 junior championship, 2000

Christoph Schubert, Germany
Olympics, 2002
World Cup, 2004
World senior championship (tier II group), 2000
World U20 junior championship, 2000

Daniel Alfredsson, Sweden
Olympics, 2002, 1998
World Cup, 2004, 1996
World senior championship, 2005, 2004, 2001, 1999, 1996, 1995

Dany Heatley, Canada
World Cup, 2004
World senior championship, 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002
World U20 junior championship, 2001, 2000

Dominik Hasek, Czech Republic
Olympics, 2002, 1998 (gold), 1988
World senior championship, 1990, 1989, 1987, 1986, 1983

Jason Spezza, Canada
World U20 junior championship, 2002, 2001, 2000

Wade Redden, Canada
World Cup, 2004
World senior championship, 2005, 2001, 1999
World U20 junior championship, 1996, 1995

Zdeno Chara, Slovakia
Olympics, 2002
World Cup, 2004
World senior championship, 2005, 2004, 2001, 2000, 1999