Kunitz joined Penguins’ teammate Sydney Crosby in the selection to the defending Olympic champions. Previously, Kunitz was a member of Canada’s squad that won a silver medal at the 2008 World Championships. He’s one of 14 forwards on Canada’s roster heading into the XXII Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia.

At Ferris State, Kunitz was a two-time all-Central Collegiate Hockey Association selection and the CCHA player of the year in 2002-03 when he was also named to the All-America first team and was a top three finalist for the Hobey Baker Memorial Award.

He concluded his career tied for sixth in career points (175), second in goals (99) and 18th in assists (76) in 152 games.

This season, Kunitz is among the league leaders with 47 points (23-24-47) in 44 games with the Penguins. He also has four game-winning goals and 11 power-play goals with a plus-22 plus-minus rating.

Kunitz, originally signed by Anaheim as an undrafted free agent in 2003, has played 625 career NHL regular-season games with Pittsburgh, Anaheim and Atlanta. He has 195 career goals.

Hockey at the Winter Olympics will take place Feb. 8-23 at the Bolshoy Ice Dome and Shayba Arena in Russi.a A total of 14 countries will compete. Canada will be slotted in Group B along with Austria, Norway and Finland.

Canada’s first game is on Feb. 13 against Norway.

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