CALGARY — The Canadian women's hockey team has opened a 35-player camp in a Calgary "bubble."

The 14-day camp is the first physical gathering of national-team players in months because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Hockey Canada invited 47 players to Calgary, but 12 won't participate because of school commitments "and other reasons," the organization said Monday in a statement.

Captain Marie-Philip Poulin, veteran forwards Natalie Spooner, Brianne Jenner and Laura Stacey and defenders Laura Fortino and Laurianne Rougeau were among the 35 who arrived Sunday in Calgary.

Forwards Rebecca Johnston and Sarah Nurse were among the dozen who didn't.

National team players have skated and trained this winter in Toronto, Montreal and Calgary hubs with access to Hockey Canada skills coaches.

“We recognize it has been a challenge for our players, coaches and support staff, but we have made tremendous gains through our resiliency and strength,” said Gina Kingsbury, director of women’s national teams with Hockey Canada.

"We stress to our athletes about controlling what they can, and that has been shown in their individual work, off-ice training, weekly ice sessions and staying committed through our virtual connections."

Hockey Canada received clearance from the Alberta government to hold the camp, which is closed to the public.

"We are able to hold our camp in a safe and secure bubble," Kingsbury said.

The 2020 women's world hockey championship in Halifax and Truro, N.S., was postponed to April 7-17, 2021 because of the pandemic.

Twenty-two players named to the 2020 world roster were invited to camp, as well as 18 veterans of the squad that won an Olympic silver medal in Pyeongchang, South Korea in 2018.

Seven games against the U.S., including a five-game Rivalry Series, has been Canada's only international competition since finishing third in the 2019 world championship in Finland.

The 2019 Four Nations Cup in Sweden was cancelled because of a dispute between the host team and its federation.

Troy Ryan of Spryfield, N.S., returns as Canada's head coach for a second year. Doug Derraugh, Kori Cheverie, former national-team player Vicky Sunohara and goalie coach Brad Kirkwood are his assistants.

The reigning Olympic and world champion United States held an evaluation camp Oct. 25-31 in Blaine, Minn.

Here is the full list of invitees:

Goaltenders:

Kristen Campbell
Ann-Renée Desbiens
Genevîeve Lacasse
Emerance Maschmeyer
Kassidy Sauvé
Shea Tiley

Defence

Erin Ambrose
Jaime Bourbonnais
Renata Fast
Laura Fortino
Brigette Lacquette
Jocelyne Larocque
Meaghan Mikkelson
Lauriane Rougeau
Ella Shelton
Claire Thompson
Micah Zandee-Hart

Forwards

Victoria Bach
Ann-Sophie Bettez
Emily Clark
Mélodie Daoust
Jessie Eldridge
Sarah Fillier
Loren Gabel
Julia Gosling
Brianne Jenner
Rebecca Leslie
Kristin O'Neill
Sarah Potomak
Marie-Philip Poulin
Jamie Lee Rattray
Jillian Saulnier
Natalie Spooner
Laura Stacey
Blayre Turnbull

Invited but unable to attend

Ashton Bell
Kendall Cooper
Élizabeth Giguère
Nicole Gosling
Rebecca Johnston
Emma Maltais
Allie Munroe
Sarah Nurse
Amy Potomak
Sophie Shirley
Alexa Vasko
Daryl Watts