Sweden has so much depth at defense that the team has no room on its World Cup of Hockey roster for Dallas Stars’ second-year player John Klingberg just yet.
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Team USA was the final team to announce their first 16 players for the World Cup of Hockey that will take place in Toronto this September. For being one of the super powers in the tournament, the US roster lacks the kind of dynamic scoring ability of Team Russia, Team North America or Team Canada. There will be a North American team consisting of players who are 23 and under as October 1, 2016, plus a Team Europe, of players outside the Czech Republic, Finland, Russia and Sweden.
The Nordic country will go into the competition with less experience than when it won bronze at the 2014 Sochi Olympics, with players like Teemu Selanne having retired.
The NHL has shutdown mid-season since the 1998 Nagano Winter Games, freeing players to represent their countries but recently owners have lost some enthusiasm for the Olympics because many players have returned injured or exhausted, thereby hurting their teams in the push towards the Stanley Cup playoffs. We’re confident this is the start of a group that will compliment each other really well and assume team roles that will lead to team success. However, there are two new faces representing Russian Federation in this tournament.
Eight American players and eight Canadians were selected for the 16-player roster. “Here are the possible advantages of doing a World Cup and other worldwide events, including the Olympics, and disadvantages include that every extra game you play does something to compress the schedule”, said Fehr. “These 16 players all excel in their compete level, overall skill and selflessness, which will be key components of our team”. Marcus Johansson was a bit of a question mark for this one, but if he continues to play well as he has since the turn of the calendar year, he should make the team when the final rosters are announced in June. The tournament was last played 12 years ago in 2004.
“It is a whole set of issues associated with Olympic participation that doesn’t even relate to World Cup consideration”. He has played in nine global tournaments for Finland.
Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist will play for Team Sweden in the World Cup of Hockey 2016 in Toronto.
Zach Parise and Ryan Suter of the Wild are on the US roster for the World Cup of Hockey.
“I’m not going to try and convince him”, Czech GM Martin Rucinsky said.
The Russian Hockey Federation’s 16-man roster mixes established names such as Russian Olympic team regulars Pavel Datsyuk and Evgeny Malkin with up-and-comers such as the Tampa Bay Lightning pair of Nikita Kucherov and Vladislav Namestnikov.
Three more defensemen and four forwards will added before June 1.
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Among the notable omissions Wednesday – and there always are with Team Canada, arguably the deepest talent pool in hockey – are Corey Perry of the Ducks, Joe Thornton of the Sharks, Taylor Hall of the Edmonton Oilers, Matt Duchene of the Colorado Avalanche, Claude Giroux of the Philadelphia Flyers and P.K. Subban of the Canadiens.
