hckošice

MEN'S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS 2017 DAY 1 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TEAMS PREVIEW Russia ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- JERSEY Home Away ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Russia looks to the future Znarok brings young roster to Cologne Russia’s roster might have just three 30-somethings as Oleg Znarok tries out the rising stars of the KHL in a championship situation for the first time. With the 2018 Winter Olympics looming on the horizon, Russia has boldly cut many of its NHL stars and rested several veterans. Throughout the Euro Hockey Tour season, Oleg Znarok’s team has taken a long look at the young talent emerging from the KHL, and that process has continued into the World Championship. It’s true that the likes of SKA St.Petersburg stars Pavel Datsyuk, Ilya Kovalchuk and Vyacheslav Voynov are unavailable due to injury, but it’s also likely that the two forwards, at least, would be given some time off from a roster which could boast just three players over the age of 30. Goal Andrei Vasilevski is the man in charge here. The Tampa Bay goalie shot to prominence in Minsk in 2014 when he allowed just one goal in two appearances, making 66 saves in wins over the USA and Germany. Since then, the 22-year-old has established himself in Florida and agreed to join the national team in the expectation that he will be the first-choice goalie. Two KHL youngsters, Ilya Sorokin of CSKA Moscow and Igor Shestyorkin of SKA St. Petersburg will hope for some ice time and a chance to stake a claim for an Olympic call-up. Defence No place for the injured Vyacheslav Voynov, no place for Nikita Zaitsev after a long season in Toronto. Instead, Ivan Provorov looks like the intriguing call-up this time out. The Philadelphia youngster isn’t all that familiar to many fans in Russia: the Yaroslavl native’s career thus far has been played entirely across the Atlantic and he made his first senior appearances for Russia last weekend in the Czech Hockey Games. Now, the 20-year-old is set to be a key D-man at the Worlds after a breakout season for the Flyers. There’s plenty of scope for more young talent: Magnitogorsk’s Alexei Bereglazov and Viktor Antipin should play a big role, while Lokomotiv Yaroslavl’s Vladislav Gavrikov is another coming off a good KHL campaign. Anton Belov, SKA’s former Edmonton Oiler, adds some valuable experience to a young blue line. Forward After a season of smashing individual scoring records, team captain Sergei Mozyakin would normally be the stand-out star on offence. However, the pulsating play of SKA’s Vadim Shipachyov, Yevgeni Dadonov and Nikita Gusev makes them the line to watch. The chemistry between those three in the KHL was a joy to behold and if that translates onto the international stage, they could provide some of the big memories from Cologne. Elsewhere, 20-year-old Kirill Kaprizov could be the breakout star of the tournament. After scoring heavily for an inconsistent Salavat Yulaev team in the KHL and impressing again at the World Juniors, he began May by signing a contract with CSKA Moscow and getting the call for his first senior Worlds. A strong showing in Cologne could make him a lock for an Olympic role. NHL representation could be limited to a single line: Tampa Bay duo Nikita Kucherov and Vladislav Namestnikov will likely form a partnership with either Artemi Panarin (Chicago) or Roman Lyubimov (Philadelphia). Panarin has the World Championship props, having featured on an effective line with Dadonov and Shipachyov in the past; Lyubimov featured in Moscow last season and was part of the most recent Euro Tour roster. Among Russia’s more renowned NHLers, Alexander Radulov has cried off while he arranges his contract for next season. Space is likely to be left on the roster for Alexander Ovechkin or Yevgeni Malkin to join the team at the end of the on-going Caps – Pens series. Coaching Oleg Znarok has combined club coaching at SKA St. Petersburg with his role on the national team – and so far, it’s been a success. SKA powered to the Gagarin Cup, Russia dominated the Euro Hockey Tour, and the signs are encouraging for more glory to come. The current season has seen something of a change in Znarok’s style as well. His SKA team was a goal-hungry machine, smashing scoring records in the regular season, and the key Shipachyov-Dadonov-Gusev line is likely to be a key part of a potentially gung-ho Russian offence here. Projected results As usual, Russian fans are not discussing whether the team will win hardware; they’re debating the colour of medal that their heroes will bring home. Despite calling up fewer big-name players with NHL experience, the expectation is that this young roster can dominate its group. Progress to the final four feels like a minimum requirement; the prospect of claiming gold will depend on how well Oleg Znarok’s team overcomes its nemeses in previous championships – Finland and Canada, both of which start the tournament in Paris. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Previous Previews France Latvia Slovenia Canada Denmark Italy Belarus United States

MEN'S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS 2017 DAY 1 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TEAMS PREVIEW United States ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- JERSEY Home Away ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Americans aiming high Team USA brings youth and experience Led by a talented group of young players possessing international experience, USA is seeking to regain form and compete for a senior men's medal. Since 2013 Team USA has won two bronze medals in World Championship competition. They’ve done it with a mix of younger skaters, mostly from the NCAA American college ranks, and NHL players. Team USA’s competitiveness has been exceptionally high so there is every expectation that this team will accept the challenge and represent their country while learning more about gelling over a short tournament and gaining experience. However, what the Americans have not done yet is break through beyond the bronze medal game. They have just fallen short of getting to that next, exalted level of qualifying for a World Championship final with a chance of winning their first gold medal since 1933. In 2016 they were a goal away from getting into the final game, which is testament to how impressive the Americans have been in recent years in this tournament. Goal Team USA has two talented goaltenders who are capable of being number one. Jimmy Howard is returning to the World Championships for the first time since 2012. Howard won five of the seven games he played that tournament, yielding 17 goals. Over a three-year period from 2009-12, Howard won 109 games for the Detroit Red Wings. In his career, Howard has won 199 games for the Red Wings. Connor Hellebuyck made an impressive national team debut in 2015 when he won seven games and led the Americans to a bronze medal at the World Championships in the Czech Republic. Hellebuyck posted a 1.38 goals against average and came up particularly big in crucial games, including a quarterfinal win over Switzerland and in the bronze medal game against then home side Czech Republic. This season, Hellebuyck assumed the starting mantle for the Winnipeg Jets where he started 53 games (appeared in 56) and won 26 of those contests. College standout Cal Petersen is the third goaltender. Petersen played for the NCAA’s University of Notre Dame. He was a fifth round draft choice of the Buffalo Sabres in 2013. Defence Connor Murphy, son of former NHL defenceman Gord Murphy, is making his fourth consecutive appearance at the World Championships. Since 2014, Murphy has made steady progress and grown accustomed to the big ice and developed into a fine player at this level. He was named captain this week, further recognition of his growth and experience. At last year’s tournament, Murphy scored three goals and two assists. Noah Hanifin is completing his second full season in the NHL with the Carolina Hurricanes. Hanifin made his senior men’s team debut in Russia last May. Danny DeKeyser is coming off a disappointing season with Detroit but moves the puck well and can help on the power play. Danny Brickley just finished his second season of college hockey with Minnesota State University. An undrafted prospect, Brickley will likely generate some interest in the offseason from teams should he decide to turn pro. A good showing in Cologne will help his cause. Jacob Trouba should play an important role in generating offense after coming off an impressive season with Winnipeg. Recently, Charlie McAvoy and Trevor van Riemsdyk were added to the roster and should provide skill and depth. Forwards The United States is coming in with an impressive group of forwards. Led by Brock Nelson, Jack Eichel and Anders Lee, the Americans have two thirty-goal scorers and four others who’ve scored twenty or more in a season during their professional careers. After scoring one goal in 18 games this season, Anders Lee caught fire, scoring 33 in the next 63. Keys to his success were driving to the net, using his body and being a presence in front. These attributes are what the Americans will need to compete. Lee’s Islanders teammate Brock Nelson scored six goals and ten points for the 2015 bronze winning team. In three tournaments (2014, 2015, 2016) Nelson has scored 12 goals in 24 games. Dylan Larkin’s production in Detroit dipped from 23 goals in his rookie season to 17 last year. Larkin finished the season strong, despite some mistakes. A move to center and seeing some penalty kill time helped to improve his game. Playing in Germany will offer another chance to further build confidence. Keep an eye on Johnny Gaudreau. The Calgary Flames forward is small but plays big. This type of tournament and ice is made for him. Newcomers Jordan Greenway, Clayton Keller, Christian Dvorak and Andrew Copp will benefit from their international experience and provide depth. Coaching USA head coach Jeff Blashill completed his second year coaching the Detroit Red Wings. Detroit finished seventh in the Atlantic Division and missing out on the playoffs for the first time in 25 years. The World Championships offer Blashill a chance to right the ship on the season with a strong showing. This is his first time coaching the senior national team. Jack Capuano will join Blashill on the bench. He has head coach of the New York Islanders from November 2010 through January 2017 and won 227 games. Rand Pecknold has coached Quinnipiac University since 1994. He led Quinnipiac to the NCAA Frozen Four finals in 2016 where they lost to eventual winner University of North Dakota. Pecknold is one of American college hockey’s most respected coaches. Projected results For years, hockey pundits and enthusiasts have wondered why won’t America’s top NHL players participate at the World Championships when they are available. Perhaps what has been missed is that over the years USA Hockey has developed players who compete at every level, including the World Championships, and are now top flight stars in the league. Zach Parise, Patrick Kane, Phil Kessel, Seth Jones have all represented Team USA in recent years. There are more than a few players on this team who will occupy a place in future discussions about important American skaters on the international scene. Playing in a competitive group, the Americans will face serious challenges from Russia, Sweden and, yes, the home side Germany. But their goal, as always, will be competing for top four standing in the group and focusing on the playoff round, where anything can happen. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Previous Previews France Latvia Slovenia Canada Denmark Italy Belarus

MEN'S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS 2017 DAY 1 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TEAMS PREVIEW Belarus ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- JERSEY Home Away ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Belarus hopes for the best Returning to quarter-finals may be tough After Belarus came seventh at both the 2014 and 2015 Worlds, last year’s 12th-place finish was disappointing. Can the Belarusians bounce back in Paris? This former Soviet republic’s passion for hockey is beyond question. Belarus currently sits ninth in the IIHF World Ranking. In Minsk 2014, a new all-time attendance record was set with 640,044 spectators (topped by the Czech Republic in 2015 with 741,690). Belarus and Latvia are bidding jointly versus Finland to host the 2021 Worlds. But the question is whether a national team that relies as heavily on veteran forwards as Belarus does can succeed at this year’s tournament, which is heavy on youth and speed. Stay tuned for an unpredictable journey through Group B. Goal Kevin Lalande is the likely starter for Belarus. The acrobatic 30-year-old Canadian, who has played six of his eight KHL seasons with Dynamo Minsk, is coming off a tough season. Injuries limited him to six regular season games (2.17 GAA, 89.3 save percentage) and one playoff game. Paris will offer an opportunity for redemption. Mikhail Karnaukhov will make his World Championship debut as the back-up after the 23-year-old played 23 games for Dinamo-Molodechno of the Belarus Extraleague (2.54 GAA, 89.3 save percentage). Karnaukhov also had four games with Dynamo Minsk (5.12 GAA, 75.0 save percentage). Goaltending may prove to be an Achilles heel for Belarus this year. Defence The Belarusians have a solid and mobile – if not spectacular – defence corps. Veteran KHLer Dmitri Korobov, who served as an assistant captain in 2015 and 2016, is playing in his seventh Worlds. Last year, the 28-year-old posted a team-worst -7 plus minus-rating while averaging a team-high 23:06 of ice time. Columbus Blue Jackets prospect Oleg Yevenko, who has spent the last two seasons in the AHL, is poised to bring physicality in his fourth consecutive World Championship. Yevgeni Lisovets, 22, chipped in four assists last year in what was the Dynamo Minsk blueliner’s second Worlds. And it’ll be intriguing to see what kind of impact 21-year-old Kristian Khenkel, who played 52 games as a KHL rookie in Minsk, will make in his second go-round at this level. It will be tough for the Belarus rearguards to withstand the forechecking and counterattacking of the Canadians and Finns. Forward It might be hard to believe, but the NHL-experienced Kostitsyn brothers are both in their 30’s now. Both also captained KHL clubs this season, with 32-year-old Andrei (16-18-34) wearing the “C” in Sochi and 30-year-old Sergei (5-21-26) in Minsk. Maturity, poise, and focus will need to come into play as well as scoring ability for these forwards to have success. Andrei Stepanov, who tied for the team lead in scoring (2-4-6) with Charles Linglet last year, was a surprise roster cut: the 31-year-old right wing, known for his splashy celebrations, fell afoul of the coaches for his defensive shortcomings. But who will make up for his scoring? Linglet, a naturalized Canadian from Montreal who played five games for the Edmonton Oilers in 2009-10, is back after splitting his season between Minsk, Tappara Tampere, and Eisbaren Berlin. If Andrei Stas can replicate his 2016 output, Belarus fans should be ecstatic. The veteran Minsk center potted five goals in seven games, including two in a 3-0 win over France that helped his team avoid relegation. It’ll be offence by committee this year since there simply isn’t a game-breaker up front. Coaching Dave Lewis won three Stanley Cups (1997, 1998, 2002) as an assistant coach with the Detroit Red Wings. The 63-year-old native of Kindersley, Saskatchewan also served as the head coach of the Wings in 2002-03 and 2003-04 and of the Boston Bruins in 2006-07. Before taking the reins with Belarus, he also went behind the Ukraine bench in an unsuccessful home-ice bid for promotion from Division I in 2011. Lewis has always had a reputation as a good communicator. He recently told reporters in Belarus: “Honestly, I talk with our players after every practice. I want everyone to understand their role in the team.” That will be critical on this year’s team. Lewis has admitted that Belarus faces a monumental task in its first three group games against Finland, the Czech Republic, and Canada. There is a very real chance that Belarus will emerge with zero out of a possible nine points, and if the coach can’t maintain the confidence of his troops in the game plan (heavy on smart team defence), Belarus could wind up getting relegated for the first time since 2003. Projected Results It will be challenging to live up to expectations as the ninth-ranked team in the world. If Canada, Finland, and the Czech Republic all earn quarter-final berths, that leaves one spot in Group B up for grabs. The host French will be hugely motivated, as will the Swiss, who have underachieved since their 2013 silver medal. Historically, Belarus has had the edge against Norway and Slovenia, but those games can’t be taken for granted either. Objectively, the men in red and green should keep their top-division status, but somewhere between 10th and 12th place seems most likely. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Previous Previews France Latvia Slovenia Canada Denmark Italy

ROAD TO MEN'S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS 2017 DAY 1 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Day "D" is here, The 2017 IIHF World Championships will start today, So time to introduce the last participating Nation, ofc the reigning champion, Canada the tournament favourites and two-time defending champions Canada. Can they make in three in a row in Cologne/Paris 2017? CANADA

MEN'S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS 2017 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Preliminary Round DAY 1 Group A Central European Summer Time (GMT +2) Sweden vs Russia Period-by-Period: May 5th 2016, h. 16:15, LANXESS Arena, Cologne United States vs Germany Period-by-Period: May 5th 2016, h. 20:15, LANXESS Arena, Cologne Group B Central European Summer Time (GMT +2) Finland vs Belarus Period-by-Period: May 5th 2016, h. 16:15, AccorHotels Arena, Paris Czech Republic vs Canada Period-by-Period: May 5th 2016, h. 20:15, AccorHotels Arena, Paris

yep, you would be surprised to see how many times it happen from 1:10

Cool It´s really easy, here some basic rules for the tournament 16 Nations are divided in 2 Preliminary Round Groups A and B. Group A in Cologne ( ) Group B in Paris ( ) In the preliminary round each team will play once against all opponents of his group. Each match must have a winner, so if the game end by a draw after 60 minutes of regulation time (3 periods by 20 minutes) the match continue with the "sudden death" overtime (5 minutes OT played by 3 skating players against 3 !! this is the new rule since this year) when a team score a goal the overtime and match is over, the scoring team won. if no goal is scored the game continue with the shoot-out penalties session. a 3 vs 3 serie, if the game still no decided, the shoot-outs continue with a a direct elimination format 1 vs 1 untill the game is decided (one team score and the opponent doesn´t). For a win in regulation time the team receive 3 points in the standing, For a win i´after overtime or shoot-outs the team receive 2 points, For a lose after overtime or GWS the team receive 1 point, For a lose in regulation time the team not receive any points. The top 4 ranked teams from both groups qualify for the quarterfinals where they will meet in a direct elimination match. The pairing will be formed by cross-over system so winner of group A will face the 4th of Group B, 2nd of Group A will face 3rd of Group B. winner of Group B the 4th of Group A, and the second of Group B the 3rd of Group A. The winners continue in semifinals and so..from the semifinals all matches will be played only in Cologne. The last ranked (8th) teams of both groups will be relegated to next years Division I Group A. BUT ATTENTION! In Group A there one exception. Denmark as the next year top division host is assured to stay in top division however they will be ranked, so that means if Denmark will finish 8th, nothing will happen to them, but automatically the 7th ranked team will be relegated. It´s important to know that the tie-breaker rule is the direct confrontation, this is why all matches must have a winner. the goal scoring has no importance, if 2 teams have the same amount of points, we watch their dircet confrontation result, and the winner is ranked higher. here the official full tie-breaker formula The rules of matches didn´t changed, still 2 teams of 5 skaters + 1 goaltender play ahainst each other and try to score more goals than the opponent, there some penalties given for fouls and mistakes, resulting on power plays (a man afvantage) ther only 3 possible power plays a traditional 5 against 4players, or 5 against 3 (2 mans advantage) or 4 against 3. There minor penalties of 2 minutes and major penalties of 5 minutes, during a minor penalty if the offended team score the power play is over and the guilty player can return to the game from the penalty box, in a major penalty the offended team play the complete 5 minutes in power play and can score how many goals they want the penalised player will have to sit in the penalty bench the whole 5 minutes. The most often penalty calls are for tripping, hooking, boarding, high sticking, cross-checking or my favorite too many players on ice here some examples of the most often fouls Also ice hockey is one of the most inteligent games, because ther 2 extremely important rules! Off-side and Icing explanation video Hopefully it help you a bit

ROAD TO MEN'S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS 2017 DAYS -1 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TEAMS PREVIEW Italy ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- JERSEY Home Away ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Seeking survival New-look Italy turns to local talent Back in the top tier for the first time since 2014, Italy brings a new look to Cologne. But Stefan Mair's young team faces a battle to survive this year. When Italy was relegated from the Elite Pool in 2014, 10 of its players were dual-nationals. Today, the roster has a far stronger Italian accent as the squadra azzurra puts its faith in local talent. Back at the top level, the team faces a battle against relegation – but can point to progress towards forging a new Italian identity. This season’s roster draws heavily on the Italian teams involved in the Alps League and HC Bolzano, Italy’s representative in the Austrian EBEL. Goal Andreas Bernard has held down the #1 spot at Finnish team Assat Pori for the past two seasons, gaining valuable experience of life in the Liiga and cementing his status as Italy’s first choice between the piping. He’s backed up by the experienced Frederic Cloutier, 35, a Quebec-born goalie playing in Italy since 2007. Youngster Gianluca Vallini rounds out the trio. Defence Thomas Larkin, born in London to an American father, might look like the kind of imported Italian that the team is keen to stop relying upon. In reality, though, he moved to his mother’s homeland as a young child and learned his hockey in Varese before hitting the US College circuit. Two seasons in the KHL with Medvescak Zagreb came to an end in the spring and Larkin, 26, moved on to Adler Mannheim of the DEL. Elsewhere on the blue line, there’s plenty of experience. Armin Helfer, 36, will be involved in his 16th World Championship campaign and was part of Italy’s roster at the Turin Olympics. Bolzano’s Alexander Egger, a versatile player who has also been seen playing as centre, is back for his 10th campaign. Forward Italy has a young forward line in this competition, with only Giulio Scandella (33) topping the 30 mark. Like Helfer, he played Olympic hockey in Turin in 2006. The absence of Joachim Ramoser, the country’s leading goalscorer in Poland last year, is a miss. Players like Luca Frigo, Raphael Andergassen and Tommaso Traversa are among the players who have won a place on the national team since Italy’s last top-flight adventure in 2014. Anton Bernard, another player with Bolzano connections, has worn the ‘C’ for his country since 2015. The two Kostners, Diego and Simon, are not brothers. Diego, 24, is the son of Thomas, currently head coach of Italy U20s; Simon, 26, plays for his father Erwin’s Ritten Sport team in the Alps League. Coaching Stefan Mair, previously head coach at Schwenninger Wild Wings of the DEL, has been in the job since 2014, combining his international responsibilities with a role as head coach of Swiss second-tier team Hockey Thurgau. In that time he’s overseen the rebuilding of the country’s roster, giving greater opportunities to young players emerging from the national program and clinching a top-tier return with a second-placed finish in Katowice 12 months ago. This will be his first attempt at coaching in the Elite Pool. Projected results Like any newly-promoted team, Italy’s first task is to remain in the top flight. The nation was once a fixture at this level, enjoying an unbroken run from 1992-2002, but it last avoided relegation back in 2007 and has been up and down ever since. Italy’s hopes of stepping off that elevator this time are hampered by the fact that Denmark – the next lowest seed in Cologne – cannot be relegated before it hosts next year’s championship, upping the pressure on Mair’s men. The May 9 meeting with Latvia and the concluding group stage game against the Danes on May 15 will be crucial for the team’s survival prospects, while the experience of facing the likes of Russia, Sweden and the USA will be a fantastic opportunity for Italy’s younger players to test themselves at a whole new level. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Previous Previews France Latvia Slovenia Canada Denmark

Still one of the strongest squads here, maybe only behind Sweden who send to Cologne a truly impressive team. but I personally still rank this Canada team very high in this competition, ofc it´s not the Sochi 2014 or Vancouver 2010 hammer squads, but still very strong and a medal is highly probable. Other to notes, Russia and Czech Republic also with a extremely strong and balanced teams definitely teams to watch, then traditionally Finland and USA rejuvenated by still extremely packed rosters.

TEAM UNITED STATES Goaltenders: Connor Hellebuyck (Winnipeg Jets/CAN/NHL), Jimmy Howard (Detroit Red Wings/NHL), Cal Petersen (University of Notre Dame/NCAA) Defencers: Jacob Trouba (Winnipeg Jets/CAN/NHL), Danny DeKeyser (Detroit Red Wings/NHL), Connor Murphy (Arizona Coyotes/NHL), Daniel Brickley (Minnesota State University/NCAA), Noah Hanifin (Carolina Hurricanes/NHL), Charlie McAvoy (Boston Bruins/NHL), Trevor van Riemsdyk (Chicago Blackhawks/NHL) Forwards: Nick Bjugstad (Florida Panthers/NHL), J.T. Compher (Colorado Avalanche/NHL), Andrew Copp (Winnipeg Jets/CAN/NHL), Christian Dvorak (Arizona Coyotes/NHL), Dylan Larkin (Detroit Red Wings/NHL), Anders Lee (New York Islanders/NHL), Brock Nelson (New York Islanders/NHL), Jordan Greenway (Boston University/NCAA), Clayton Keller (Arizona Coyotes/NHL), Anders Bjork (University of Notre Dame/NCAA), Jack Eichel (Buffalo Sabres/NHL), Johnny Gaudreau (Calgary Flames/CAN/NHL), Nick Schmaltz (Chicago Blackhawks/NHL) Belarus Canada Czech Republic Denmark Finland France Germany Italy Latvia Norway Russia Slovakia Slovenia Sweden Switzerland

TEAM ITALY Goaltenders: Andreas Bernard (Ässät Pori, FIN), Frederic Cloutier (Asiago Hockey), Gianluca Vallini (HC Gherdeina) Defencers: Daniel Glira (HC Bolzano), Alexander Egger (HC Bolzano), Luca Zanatta (Red Ice Martigny, SUI), Thomas Larkin (Adler Mannheim, GER), Armin Helfer (Pustertal Bruneck), Armin Hofer (Pustertal Bruneck), Stefano Marchetti (Asiago Hockey), Enrico Miglioranzi (Asiago Hockey) Forwards: Anton Bernard (HC Bolzano), Marco Insam (HC Bolzano), Luca Frigo (HC Bolzano), Markus Gander (HC Bolzano), Daniel Frank (HC Bolzano), Michele Marchetti (HC Bolzano), Giovanni Morini (HC Lugano, SUI), Raphael Andergassen (Pustertal Bruneck), Alex Lambacher (Hannover Indians, GER), Diego Kostner (HC Ambri-Piotta, SUI), Simon Kostner (Ritten Sport), Tommaso Traversa (Ritten Sport), Tommaso Goi (HCB Ticino Rockets, SUI), Giulio Scandella (Asiago Hockey) Belarus Canada Czech Republic Denmark Finland France Germany Latvia Norway Russia Slovakia Slovenia Sweden Switzerland

TEAM SWEDEN Goaltenders: Viktor Fasth (CSKA Moscow, RUS/KHL), Eddie Läck (Carolina Hurricanes/USA/NHL), Niklas Svedberg (Salavat Yulayev Ufa, RUS/KHL) Defencers: Philip Holm (Växjö Lakers), Calle Rosén (Växjö Lakers), Victor Hedman (Tampa Bay Lightning/USA/NHL), Anton Stralman (Tampa Bay Lightning/USA/NHL), Jonas Brodin (Minnesota Wild/USA/NHL), Alexander Edler (Vancouver Canucks/CAN/NHL), Oliver Ekman-Larsson (Arizona Coyotes/USA/NHL), John Klingberg (Dallas Stars/USA/NHL) Forwards: Elias Lindholm (Carolina Hurricanes/USA/NHL), Joakim Nordström (Carolina Hurricanes/USA/NHL), Victor Rask (Carolina Hurricanes/USA/NHL), Gabriel Landeskog (Colorado Avalanche/USA/NHL), Carl Söderberg (Colorado Avalanche/USA/NHL), Dennis Everberg (Växjö Lakers), Joel Lundqvist (Frölunda Indians), Joel Eriksson Ek (Minnesota Wild/USA/NHL), Carl Klingberg (EV Zug, SUI), Marcus Krüger (Chicago Blackhawks/USA/NHL), William Nylander (Toronto Maple Leafs/CAN/NHL), Linus Omark (Salavat Yulayev Ufa, RUS/KHL), Mario Kempe (Vityaz Podolsk, RUS/KHL), William Karlsson (Columbus Blue Jackets/USA/NHL) Belarus Canada Czech Republic Denmark Finland France Germany Latvia Norway Russia Slovakia Slovenia Switzerland

TEAM SWITZERLAND Goaltenders: Leonardo Genoni (SC Bern), Jonas Hiller (EHC Biel), Niklas Schlegel (ZSC Lions Zürich) Defencers: Raphael Diaz (EV Zug), Dominik Schlumpf (EV Zug), Philippe Furrer (HC Lugano), Joël Genazzi (Lausanne HC), Dean Kukan (Cleveland Monsters/USA/AHL), Romain Loeffel (Servette Geneva), Christian Marti (ZSC Lions Zürich), Ramon Untersander (SC Bern) Forwards: Cody Almond (Servette Geneva), Andres Ambühl (HC Davos), Simon Bodenmann (SC Bern), Thomas Rüfenacht (SC Bern), Damien Brunner (HC Lugano), Gaetan Haas (EHC Biel), Denis Hollenstein (EHC Kloten), Vincent Praplan (EHC Kloten), Denis Malgin (Florida Panthers/USA/NHL), Tanner Richard (Syracuse Crunch/USA/AHL), Reto Schäppi (ZSC Lions Zürich), Pius Suter (ZSC Lions Zürich), Fabrice Herzog (ZSC Lions Zürich), Reto Suri (EV Zug) Belarus Canada Czech Republic Denmark Finland France Germany Latvia Norway Russia Slovakia Slovenia

TEAM SLOVENIA Goaltenders: Luka Gracnar (Red Bull Salzburg, AUT/EBEL), Gasper Kroselj (AIK Stockholm, SWE), Matija Pintaric (Rouen Dragons, FRA) Defencers: Sabahudin Kovacevic (Yunost Minsk, BLR), Klemen Pretnar (Yunost Minsk, BLR), Blaz Gregorc (Mountfield Hradec Kralove, CZE), Ales Kranjc (EC Bad Nauheim, GER), Matic Podlipnik (Lyon Lions, FRA), Jurij Repe (HC Kladno, CZE), Mitja Robar (KAC Klagenfurt, AUT/EBEL), Andrej Tavzelj (Angers Ducks, FRA), Luka Vidmar (Frederikshavn White Hawks, DEN) Forwards: Bostjan Golicic (Grenoble Bruleurs de Loups, FRA), Anze Kuralt (Grenoble Bruleurs de Loups, FRA), David Rodman (Grenoble Bruleurs de Loups, FRA), Ales Music (Olimpija Ljubljana/EBEL), Ziga Jeglic (Slovan Bratislava, SVK/KHL), Jan Mursak (CSKA Moscow, RUS/KHL), Ken Ograjensek (Graz 99ers, AUT/EBEL), Ziga Pance (KAC Klagenfurt, AUT/EBEL), Nik Pem (Heilbronner Falken, GER), Robert Sabolic (Admiral Vladivostok, RUS/KHL), Rok Ticar (Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg, RUS/KHL), Jan Urbas (VSV Villach, AUT/EBEL), Miha Verlic (VSV Villach, AUT/EBEL) Belarus Canada Czech Republic Denmark Finland France Germany Latvia Norway Russia Slovakia

TEAM RUSSIA Goaltenders: Andrei Vasilevski (Tampa Bay Lightning, USA/NHL), Ilya Sorokin (CSKA Moscow, KHL), Igor Shestyorkin (SKA St. Petersburg, KHL) Defencers: Ivan Provorov (Philadelphia Flyers, USA/NHL), Anton Belov (SKA St. Petersburg, KHL), Artyom Zub (SKA St. Petersburg, KHL), Alexei Bereglazov (Metallurg Magnitogorsk, KHL), Viktor Antipin (Metallurg Magnitogorsk, KHL), Andrei Mironov (Dinamo Moscow, KHL), Vladislav Gavrikov (Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, KHL), Bogdan Kiselevich (CSKA Moscow, KHL), Mikhail Naumenkov (CSKA Moscow, KHL) Forwards: Artemi Panarin (Chicago Blackhawks, USA/NHL), Nikita Kucherov (Tampa Bay Lightning, USA/NHL), Vladislav Namestnikov (Tampa Bay Lightning, USA/NHL), Roman Lyubimov (Philadelphia Flyers, USA/NHL), Sergei Plotnikov (SKA St. Petersburg, KHL), Nikita Gusev (SKA St. Petersburg, KHL), Vadim Shipachyov (SKA St. Petersburg, KHL), Yevgeni Dadonov (SKA St. Petersburg, KHL), Alexander Barabanov (SKA St. Petersburg, KHL), Sergei Mozyakin (Metallurg Magnitogorsk, KHL), Andrei Svetlakov (CSKA Moscow), Ivan Telegin (CSKA Moscow), Valeri Nichushkin (CSKA Moscow), Sergei Andronov (CSKA Moscow), Vladimir Tkachyov (AK Bars Kazan, KHL), Kirill Kaprizov (Salavat Yulayev Ufa, KHL) *Still one of the forwards will be cut after the preliminary round, as 27 Is the maximum number of players who can be written in the Roster for the play-off round, (25 is the maximum number of players for the preliminary Round phase).. Belarus Canada Czech Republic Denmark Finland France Germany Latvia Norway Slovakia

TEAM NORWAY Goaltenders: Lars Haugen (Färjestad BK, SWE), Henrik Haukeland (Leksand IF, SWE), Steffen Söberg (Valerenga) Defencers: Jonas Holös (Färjestad BK, SWE), Johannes Johannesen (Frölunda, SWE), Mattias Nörstebö (Frölunda, SWE), Erlend Lesund (Mora, SWE), Dennis Sveum (Stavanger), Daniel Sörvik (HC Litvinov, CZE), Henrik Ödegaard (Frisk Asker), Alexander Bonsaksen (Tappara Tampere, FIN) Forwards: Anders Bastiansen (Frisk Asker), Kristian Forsberg (Stavanger), Jorgen Karterud (Linköping, SWE), Sondre Olden (Leksand IF, SWE), Ken André Olimb (HC Linköping, SWE), Mathis Olimb (HC Linköping, SWE), Mats Rosseli Olsen (Frölunda, SWE), Thomas Valkvä Olsen (BIK Karlskoga, SWE), Aleksander Reichenberg (Storhamar Hockey), Niklas Roest (Sparta Sarpsborg), Patrick Thoresen (Zürich ZSC Lions, SUI), Mathias Trettenes (Almtuna, SWE), Andreas Martinsen (Montreal Canadiens/CAN/NHL), Martin Röymark (Tappara Tampere, FIN) Belarus Canada Czech Republic Denmark Finland France Germany Latvia Slovakia

TEAM GERMANY Goaltenders: Danny aus den Birken (EHC Red Bull Munich), Felix Brückmann (Grizzlys Wolfsburg), Thomas Greiss (New York Islanders, USA/NHL) Defencers: Konrad Abeltshauser (EHC Red Bull Munich), Sinan Akdag (Adler Mannheim), Christian Ehrhoff (Kolner Haie), Frank Hördler (Eisbären Berlín), Justin Krueger (SC Bern, SUI), Moritz Müller (Kolner Haie), Denis Reul (Adler Mannheim), Dennis Seidenberg (New York Islanders, USA/NHL) Forwards: Yasin Ehliz (Nuremberg Ice Tigers), Gerrit Fauser (Grizzlys Wolfsburg), Philip Gogulla (Kolner Haie), Patrick Hager (Kolner Haie), Dominik Kahun (EHC Red Bull Munich), Marcus Kink (Adler Mannheim), Brooks Macek (EHC Red Bull Munich), Matthias Plachta (Adler Mannheim), Patrick Reimer (Nuremberg Ice Tigers), Tobias Rieder (Arizona Coyotes, USA/NHL), Felix Schütz (Rögle BK, DEN), Yannic Seidenberg (EHC Red Bull Munich), Frederik Tiffels (Western Michigan University, USA), David Wolf (Adler Mannheim) Belarus Canada Czech Republic Denmark Finland France Latvia Slovakia

TEAM LATVIA Goaltenders: Janis Kalnins (Dinamo Riga/KHL), Elvis Merzlikins (HC Lugano, SUI), Ivars Punnenovs (SCL Tigers Langnau, SUI) Defencers: Uvis Janis Balinskis (Dinamo Riga/KHL), Oskars Cibulskis (Dinamo Riga/KHL), Guntis Galvins (Dinamo Riga/KHL), Ralfs Freibergs (Dinamo Riga/KHL), Kristofers Bindulis (Lake Superior State University, USA/NCAA), Arturs Kulda (Jokerit Helsinki, FIN/KHL), Janis Jaks (American International College, USA/NCAA), Kristaps Sotnieks (Lada Togliatti, RUS/KHL) Forwards: Maris Bicevskis (Dinamo Riga/KHL), Miks Indrasis (Dinamo Riga/KHL), Lauris Darzins (Dinamo Riga/KHL), Gints Meija (Dinamo Riga/KHL), Vitalijs Pavlovs (Dinamo Riga/KHL), Gunars Skvorcovs (Dinamo Riga/KHL), Rihards Bukarts (Springfield Thunderbirds, USA/AHL), Roberts Bukarts (HC PSG Zlin, CZE), Andris Dzerins (Mountfield Hradec Kralove, CZE), Kaspars Daugavins (Torpedo Nizhni Novgorod, RUS/KHL), Zemgus Girgensons (Buffalo Sabres/USA/NHL), Ronalds Kenins (ZSC Lions Zürich, SUI), Frenks Razgals (HK Riga/MHL), Janis Sprukts (Ritten/Renon, ITA), Teodors Blugers (Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, USA/AHL) Belarus Canada Czech Republic Denmark Finland France Slovakia

TEAM CANADA Goaltenders: Eric Comrie (Winnipeg Jets/NHL), Calvin Pickard (Colorado Avalanche/USA/NHL), Chad Johnson (Calgary Flames/NHL) Defencers: Jason Demers (Florida Panthers/USA/NHL), Michael Matheson (Florida Panthers/USA/NHL), Tyson Barrie (Colorado Avalanche/USA/NHL), Calvin de Haan (New York Islanders/USA/NHL), Josh Morrissey (Winnipeg Jets/NHL), Marc-Edouard Vlasic (San Jose Sharks/USA/NHL) Forwards: Sean Couturier (Philadelphia Flyers/USA/NHL), Claude Giroux (Philadelphia Flyers/USA/NHL), Travis Konecny (Philadelphia Flyers/USA/NHL), Wayne Simmonds (Philadelphia Flyers/USA/NHL), Brayden Schenn (Philadelphia Flyers/USA/NHL), Matt Duchene (Colorado Avalanche/USA/NHL), Nathan MacKinnon (Colorado Avalanche/USA/NHL), Alex Killorn (Tampa Bay Lightning/USA/NHL), Brayden Point (Tampa Bay Lightning/USA/NHL), Ryan O'Reilly (Buffalo Sabres/USA/NHL), Mark Scheifele (Winnipeg Jets/NHL), Jeff Skinner (Carolina Hurricanes/USA/NHL), Mitch Marner (Toronto Maple Leafs/NHL) Belarus Czech Republic Denmark Finland France Slovakia

TEAM FINLAND Goaltenders: Joni Ortio (Skelleftea AIK, SWE), Harri Säteri (HK Vityaz Podolsk, RUS/KHL), Joonas Korpisalo (Columbus Blue Jackets/USA/NHL) Defencers: Juuso Hietanen (Dinamo Moscow, RUS/KHL), Julius Honka (Dallas Stars/USA/NHL), Ville Lajunen (Jokerit Helsinki/KHL, Topi Jaakola (Jokerit Helsinki/KHL), Joonas Järvinen (Kunlun Red Star, CHN/KHL), Lasse Kukkonen (Kärpät Oulu), Atte Ohtamaa (Ak Bars Kazan, RUS/KHL), Mikko Lehtonen (HV71 Jönköping, SWE) Forwards: Miro Aaltonen (HK Vityaz Podolsk, RUS/KHL), Antti Pihlström (Jokerit Helsinki/KHL), Joonas Kemppainen (Sibir Novosibirsk, RUS/KHL), Mika Pyörälä (Kärpät Oulu), Tomi Sallinen (Kunlun Red Star, CHN/KHL), Veli-Matti Savinainen (Tappara Tampere), Jani Lajunen (Tappara Tampere), Sebastian Aho (Carolina Hurricanes/USA/NHL), Markus Hännikäinen (Columbus Blue Jackets/USA/NHL), Jesse Puljujärvi (Edmonton Oilers/CAN/NHL), Juhamatti Aaltonen (IFK Helsinki), Valtteri Filppula (Philadelphia Flyers/USA/NHL), Oskar Osala (Metallurg Magnitogorsk, RUS/KHL), Mikko Rantanen (Colorado Avalanche/USA/NHL) Belarus Czech Republic Denmark France Slovakia

TEAM DENMARK Goaltenders: Simon Nielsen (Herning Blue Fox), Sebastian Dahm (Graz 99ers, AUT), George Sörensen (Almtuna IS Uppsala, SWE) Defencers: Jesper B. Jensen (Jokerit Helsinki, FIN/KHL), Oliver Lauridsen (Jokerit Helsinki, FIN/KHL), Markus Lauridsen (Leksands IF, SWE), Matias Lassen (Mora IK, SWE), Nicholas Jensen (Rungsted Ishockey), Nicolai Weichel (Rungsted Ishockey), Phillip Bruggisser (Esbjerg Energy), Emil Kristensen (Linköping HC, SWE) Forwards: Jesper Jensen (Brynäs IF, SWE), Mathias Bau Hansen (Frederikshavn White Hawks), Peter Regin (Jokerit Helsinki, FIN/KHL), Nicolai Meyer (Tingsryds AIF, SWE), Morten Poulsen (Pelicans Lahti, FIN), Morten Green (Rungsted Ishockey), Morten Madsen (Karlskrona HK, SWE), Steffen Klarskov (Rodovre Mighty Bulls), Julian Jakobsen (Aalborg Pirates), Patrick Russell (Bakersfield Condors, USA/AHL), Nikolaj Ehlers (Winnipeg Jets/CAN/NHL), Nichlas Hardt (Malmö Redhawks, SWE), Frederik Storm (Malmö Redhawks, SWE), Mads Christensen (RHC Red Bull Munich, GER) Belarus Czech Republic France Slovakia

TEAM CZECH REPUBLIC Goaltenders: Petr Mrazek (Detroit Red Wings/USA/NHL), Pavel Francouz (Traktor Chelyabinsk, RUS/KHL), Dominik Furch (Avangard Omsk, RUS/KHL) Defencers: Michal Kempny (Chicago Blackhawks/USA/NHL), Radko Gudas (Philadelphia Fylers/USA/NHL), Jakub Krejcik (Kometa Brno), Tomas Kundratek (Slovan Bratislava, SVK/KHL), Jan Rutta (Pirati Chomutov), Libor Sulak (Pelicans Lahti, FIN), Jakub Jerabek (Vityaz Podolsk, RUS/KHL), Radim Simek (Bili Tygri Liberec), Jan Kolar (Amur Khabarovsk, RUS/KHL) Forwards: David Pastrnak (Boston Bruins/USA/NHL), Jan Kovar (Metallurg Magnitogorsk, RUS/KHL), Tomas Zohorna (Amur Khabarovsk, RUS/KHL), Jakub Voracek (Philadelphia Flyers/USA/NHL), Tomas Plekanec (Montreal Canadiens/CAN/NHL), Roman Cervenka (Fribourg, SUI), Lukas Radil (Spartak Moskva, RUS/KHL), Petr Vrana (Sparta Praha), Robin Hanzl (HC Verva Litvinov), Tomas Hyka (BK Mlada Boleslav), Michal Birner (Fribourg, SUI), Michal Repik (Sparta Praha), Roman Horak (Vityaz Podolsk, RUS/KHL), Jakub Lev (Skoda Plzen), Dominik Kubalik (Skoda Plzen) Belarus France Slovakia

TEAM BELARUS Goaltenders: Kevin Lalande (Dinamo Minsk/KHL), Michail Karnaukhov (Dinamo Minsk/KHL), Vitali Trus (Neman Grodno) Defencers: Kristian Khenkel (Dinamo Minsk/KHL), Roman Graborenko (Dinamo Minsk/KHL), Dmitrij Korobov (Dinamo Minsk/KHL), Yevgenij Lisovets (Dinamo Minsk/KHL), Ilia Shinkevich (Dinamo Minsk/KHL), Pavel Vorobei (Dinamo Molodechno), Vladimir Denisov (Traktor Chelyabinsk, RUS/KHL), Oleg Yevenko (Cleveland Monsters, USA/AHL), Nikolai Stasenko (Severstal Cherepovets, RUS/KHL) Forwards: Sergei Drozd (Dinamo Minsk/KHL), Danila Karaban (Dinamo Minsk/KHL), Yevgenij Kovyrshin (Dinamo Minsk/KHL), Sergei Kostitsyn (Dinamo Minsk/KHL), Alexander Kulakov (Dinamo Minsk/KHL), Alexander Pavlovich (Dinamo Minsk/KHL), Andrej Stas (Dinamo Minsk/KHL), Artyom Volkov (Dinamo Minsk/KHL), Artyom Demkov (Shakhtyor Soligorsk), Alexander Kogalev (Yunost Minsk), Maxim Parfeyevets (Yunost Minsk), Mikhail Stefanovich (Neman Grodno), Yegor Sharangovich (Belarus U20 Team Project), Andrei Kostitsyn (HK Sochi, RUS/KHL), Charles Linglet (Eisbären Berlín/GER) France Slovakia

to @phelps I know you have Slovak public television, and you use it to watch hockey, so here the official final STV schedule for the preliminary round of the world championships, don´t know if the Italian TV will broadcast many games from this WCh, but if not, so you can then follow some matches in our TV Friday 5th May 16:00 Sweden vs Russia STV2 Live 18:55 Finland vs Belarus STV2 (1 hour shortened replay) 20:00 Czech Republic vs Canada STV1 Live 23:45 USA vs Germany STV2 Full Replay Saturday 6th May 12:00 Latvia vs Denmark STV2 Live 14:45 Slovenia vs Switzerland STV2 (1 hour shortened replay) 16:00 Slovakia vs Italy STV1 Live 21:00 Germany vs Sweden STV2 Live (the coverage will start from 2nd period because of our football league match ) 23:45 Slovakia vs Italy STV2 Full Replay 01:15 Belarus vs Czech Republic STV2 Full Replay 03:35 Norway vs France STV2 Full Replay Sunday 7th May 12:00 Italy vs Russia STV2 Live 14:45 Slovenia vs Canada STV2 (1 hour Shortened replay) 16:00 USA vs Denmark STV2 Live 18:55 Finland vs France STV2 (1 hour Shortened replay) 20:00 Slovakia vs Latvia STV1 Live 23:50 Slovakia vs Latvia STV2 Full Replay 01:20 Norway - Switzerland STV2 Full Replay Monday 8th May 16:00 Germany vs Russia STV2 Live 18:55 Belarus vs Canada STV2 (1 hour shortened Replay) 20:00 USA vs Sweden STV2 Live 23:40 Finland vs Czech Republic STV2 Full Replay Tuesday 9th May 16:00 Italy vs Latvia STV2 Live 18:55 Slovenia vs Norway STV2 (1 hour shortened replay) 20:00 Slovakia vs Denmark STV1 Live 23:40 Slovakia vs Denmark STV2 Full Replay 01:10 Switzerland vs France STV2 Full Replay Wednesday 10th May 16:00 Switzerland vs Belarus STV2 Live 18:55 USA vs Italy STV2 (1 hour shortened replay) 20:00 Slovakia vs Germany STV1 Live 00:00 Slovakia vs Germany STV2 Full Replay 01:45 Finland vs Slovenia STV2 Full Replay Thursday 11th May 16:00 Russia vs Denmark STV2 Live 18:55 Czech Republic vs Norway STV2 (1 hour shortened replay) 00:15 France vs Canada STV2 Full Replay 01:45 Sweden vs Latvia STV2 Full Replay Friday 12th May 16:00 Czech Republic vs Slovenia STV2 Live 18:55 Sweden vs Italy STV2 (1 hour shortened replay) 20:10 Denmark vs Germany STV2 Live 23:40 France vs Belarus STV2 Full Replay Saturday 13th May 12:00 Latvia vs USA STV2 Live 14:45 Norway vs Finland STV2 (1 hour shortened replay) 16:00 Slovakia vs Russia STV1 Live 21:00 Canada vs Switzerland STV2 Live (again the coverage will start from 2nd period because of our football league match ) 23:40 Slovakia vs Russia STV2 Full Replay 01:10 Slovenia vs Belarus STV2 Full Replay 03:30 Italy vs Germany STV2 Full Replay Sunday 14th May 16:00 Slovakia s USA STV1 Live 20:00 Denmark vs Sweden STV2 Live 23:40 Slovakia vs USA STV2 Full Replay 01:10 Finland vs Switzerland STV2 Full Replay Monday 15th May 16:00 Canada vs Norway STV2 Live 18:55 Denmark vs Italy STV2 (1 hour shortened replay) 20:10 Russia vs Latvia STV2 Live 23:40 France vs Slovenia STV2 Full Replay Tuesday 16th May 12:00 Slovakia vs Sweden STV1 Live 14:35 Belarus vs Norway STV2 (1 hour shortened replay) 16:00 Russia vs USA STV2 Live 18:55 Czech Republic vs Switzerland (1 hour shortened replay) 20:10 Canada vs Finland STV2 Live 23:40 Slovakia vs Sweden STV2 Full Replay 01:10 Germany vs Latvia STV2 Full Replay

ROAD TO MEN'S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS 2017 DAYS -1 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TEAMS PREVIEW Denmark ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- JERSEY Home Away ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ehlers & Co. ready to roll Denmark can afford to take some chances Coming into the 2017 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship, Denmark has the opportunity to take a few chances in qualifying for the playoff round. Denmark is a year away from hosting the World Championship at home. Before that happens, Denmark will have the opportunity to present a strong showing heading into next spring. This country with less than 5,000 registered hockey players remains an international success story. Their debut in the top division of World Championship tournament competition in 2003 was remarkable as they defeated Team USA and tied Canada. Fourteen years later, Denmark has remained at the elite level and produced NHL-quality talent along the way. Denmark remains a team to watch and can be a spoiler when they get timely scoring and strong goaltending. After a 10-1 loss to Russia last year, they won three games and made the playoffs en route to an 8th-place finish, their best placing yet. Over the years, Denmark has earned the respect of competing nations and cannot be taken for granted. Goalie Denmark’s goaltending has remained steady in the recent past. They are fortunate to have two goaltenders who have both, at different times, saw the bulk of action for the national team. Sebastian Dahm has been the starting goaltender in consecutive tournaments. After being the third goaltending option in 2013 and 2014, Dahm has played well when given the starting nod. In 13 overall games, Dahm has won five and posted a 2.43 goals against average. Dahm is poised to start for Denmark here in Germany. Simon Nielsen has also spent a fair amount of time with the national team. Nielsen, who is brother to NHLer Frans Nielsen, has seen action in 11 games with a 3.60 goals against average. Defence Oliver and Markus Lauridsen are national team mainstays. Markus contributed a goal and assist while Oliver, more of a stay-at-home defenceman, was scoreless in eight games. Jesper Jensen only participated in three games in 2016 World Championship but led Danish defencemen in scoring with two goals and three points. Markus Lauridsen and Jensen are teammates with Finnish squad Jokerit in the Kontinental Hockey League. Otherwise, Denmark received little production from their blueliners and this needs to change if they are to add a dimension to their offensive capabilities that will aid their fortunes. Forwards Denmark will miss out on the services of Frans Nielsen, Patrick and Oliver Bjorkstrand. Despite this, Denmark still carries a talented group of forwards to Germany ready to compete. Denmark finished atop the standings in power play efficiency in 2016 which bodes well for their ability to play with the man advantage. In his second full season with the NHL, Nikolaj Ehlers scored 25 goals and 64 points for the Winnipeg Jets, tying him with Patrik Laine for third in team scoring. Ehlers scored four games in Russia last spring. Ehlers showed his promise last week registering four assists as Denmark defeated Switzerland for the first time in its history in any competition, 5-4. Captain Morten Green has played every tournament for the Danes since they joined the top division in World Championship play in 2003. Malmo skaters Nichlas Hardt and Frederik Storm join the team. Both have been key performers in previous tournaments. Birkenrod native Patrick Russell spent the last four years in North American, moving from American junior hockey to college to minor pro. Mads Christensen is coming off a superb year where his German team Munich who the league championship. Christensen scored 16 goals and 37 points during the regular season and seven points in 14 playoffs games. Peter Regin returns for this first time since 2010 to national team play. In the KHL he led Jokerit Helsinki in scoring with 48 points. Coaching Head coach Jan Karlsson has plenty of experience at the league and international level. Karlsson was behind the bench as an assistant coach for Sweden when they won gold at the 2006 Winter Olympics and World Championships. He’s also a three-time domestic league winner as coach in Sweden. Karlsson is looking to elevate Denmark back into the top of World Championship standings after an impressive finish in 2016. Projected Results Denmark need pull out all the stops here, and can afford to take some chances. Since relegation is not an option with the tournament on home ice next year, they can really push their compete level to gain a spot in the quarter-finals. A strong showing here will build expectations and interest for the 2018 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship where Denmark will be in the spotlight of the international hockey community. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Previous Previews France Latvia Slovenia Canada