International Ice Hockey Federation

Seven champs return

Seven champs return

Six more teams announce preliminary rosters

Published 09.12.2014 12:53 GMT-5 | Author Martin Merk
Seven champs return
First-round draft pick Julius Honka is among the seven potential returnees for defending World Junior Champion Finland in Toronto and Montreal. Photo: Andre Ringuette / HHOF-IIHF Images
Almost all of the teams participating in the 2015 IIHF World Junior Championship in Toronto and Montreal, Canada, have announced their preliminary rosters.

After Canada, the United States and Switzerland last week, six other teams have named their preliminary rosters for the upcoming camps prior to the World Juniors.

Defending champion Finland will travel to Canada with potentially seven world junior champions who were part of the golden team last year in Malmo. The two goalkeepers Juuse Saros and Ville Husso , defencemen Julius Honka and forwards Artturi Lehkonen, Juuso Ikonen, Aleksi Mustonen and Otto Rauhala were named among the 27 candidates for the World Juniors.

Most of the players compete in the top Finnish senior league including Mustonen, Juuso Ikonen and Kasperi Kapanen, who have scored 18, 17 and 16 points respectively in the Liiga. Two players play in professional leagues abroad with Artturi Lehkonen in Sweden and Julius Honka in the AHL, two play junior hockey in the OHL and two college hockey in the United States.

Last season’s silver medallist Sweden presented its World Juniors candidates on Monday in Stockholm. It is the youngest “Juniorkronorna” in many years but one with star potential. The list of candidates includes many underage players, even three that are still eligible for the U18 Worlds.

But the squad also includes three players under NHL contract that the Swedes hope to get for the event. For defenceman Robert Hagg and forward Jacob de la Rose, who currently play in the AHL, it would be the third World Juniors, while for Washington Capitals forward Andre Burakowsky the second. Expect most of the other players on the squad to come from Swedish clubs.

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Last year’s bronze medallist Russia hopes to shine with a mix of Russian talent from domestic clubs and a couple of nominated juniors from the Canadian Hockey League. Some of the players including the goaltenders already have KHL experience, and the Russians also hope to get defenceman Nikita Zadorov if he is released by the Buffalo Sabres for the tournament. He would be the only returnee from last year’s defensive corps, while upfront Ivan Barbashyov, Pavel Buchnevich and Valentin Zykov may return. Buchnevich is currently the top goal scorer for the KHL team Severstal Cherepovets.

The Czech Republic named 32 players. Most of the players are under contract in their home country although eight play in Canada, two in Sweden, and one in Finland. David Pastrnak has an NHL contract with the Boston Bruins where he recently played five games before being reassigned to the AHL’s Providence Bruins. 2014 U18 Worlds hero Jakub Vrana is among the highest scoring junior forwards in the Swedish SHL. With David and Ondrej Kase the Czechs have a pair of brothers on their long list. Eight of the candidates are potential returnees.

Slovakia also nominated its 27 candidates for the World Juniors. Most of them are under contract with Slovak clubs and 19 of them played games for the Slovak U20 team that competes in the country’s top senior league during parts of the season. Three players join from Czech teams, two from Swedish teams and one from Canada, David Soltes of the Prince George Cougars. Four of the players are potential returnees from the last World Juniors including Martin Reway, who could play in his third World Junior Championship and is the top U20-aged scorer of the Czech Extraliga with Sparta Prague.

Freshly promoted Denmark already came to Canada earlier to participate in the World Junior A Challenge and that tournament will be used to form the final squad. Like last year in Division I Group A play, head coach Olaf Eller can count on his son Mads Eller. The younger brother of the Montreal Canadiens’ Lars Eller plays in the WHL for the Edmonton Oil Kings. But the most famous player is Nikolaj Ehlers, who was picked ninth overall last summer by the Winnipeg Jets and currently plays for the QMJHL’s Halifax Mooseheads following a junior career spent in Switzerland.

For Oliver Bjorkstrand of the Portland Winterhawks it will be the fourth World Championship event with the U20 team including the second World Juniors in the top division. He competed in 2012 in Calgary and Edmonton and like Eller he was coached by his father, Olaf Eller’s predecessor Todd Bjorkstrand.


Finland camp roster as of 8th December 2014

Goaltenders:
Ville Husso, IFK Helsinki
Juuse Saros, HPK Hameenlinna
3rd goaltender to be named

Defencemen:
Erik Autio, Penn State University (NCAA)
Julius Honka, Texas Stars (AHL)
Mika Ilvonen, St. Cloud State University (NCAA)
Mikke Levo, Ilves Tampere
Alex Lintuniemi, Ottawa 67's (OHL)
Joonas Lyytinen, KalPa Kuopio
Aleksi Makela, Ilves Tampere
Atte Makinen, Tappara Tampere
Sami Niku, JYP Jyvaskyla
Teemu Vuorisalo, Assat Pori

Forwards:
Sebastian Aho, Karpat Oulu
Hannes Bjorninen, Pelicans Lahti
Roope Hintz, Ilves Tampere
Juuso Ikonen, JYP Jyvaskyla
Antti Kalapudas, Karpat Oulu
Kasperi Kapanen, KalPa Kuopio
Juho Lammikko, Kingston Frontenacs (OHL)
Artturi Lehkonen, Frolunda Gothenburg (SWE)
Aleksi Mustonen, Ilves Tampere
Niko Ojamaki, Assat Pori
Jesse Puljujarvi, Karpat Oulu
Mikko Rantanen, TPS Turku
Otto Rauhala, Tappara Tampere
Aleksi Saarela, Assat Pori
Julius Vahatalo, TPS Turku

Head Coach:
Hannu Jortikka


Sweden camp roster as of 8th December 2014

Goaltenders:
Jonas Johansson, Brynas Gavle
Linus Soderstrom, Djurgarden Stockholm
Samuel Ward, Lulea HF

Defencemen:
Sebastian Aho, Skelleftea AIK
Julius Bergman, London Knights (OHL)
Andreas Englund, Djurgarden Stockholm
Gustav Forsling, Linkopings HC
Robert Hagg, Lehigh Valley Phantoms (AHL)
Oliver Kylington, Farjestad Karlstad
William Lagesson, Dubuque Fighting Saints (USHL)
Robin Norell, Djurgarden Stockholm

Forwards:
Rasmus Asplund, Farjestad Karlstad
Anton Blidh, Frolunda Gothenburg
Leon Bristedt, University of Minnesota (NCAA)
Adam Brodecki, Brynas Gavle
Andre Burakowsky, Washington Capitals (NHL)
Jacob de la Rose, Hamilton Bulldogs (AHL)
Christoffer Ehn, Frolunda Gothenburg
Axel Holmstrom, Skelleftea AIK
Anton Karlsson, Frolunda Gothenburg
Adrian Kempe, MODO Ornskoldsvik
Oskar Lindblom, Brynas Gavle
Jens Looke, Brynas Gavle
William Nylander, MODO Ornskoldsvik
Victor Olofsson, MODO Ornskoldsvik
Lucas Wallmark, Lulea HF

Head Coach:
Rikard Gronborg


Russia camp roster as of 7th December 2014

Goaltenders:
Denis Kostin, Avangard Omsk
Igor Shestyorkin, SKA St. Petersburg
Ilya Sorokin, Metallurg Novokuznetsk

Defencemen:
Alexander Bryntsev, Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk
Nikita Cherepanov, HK Ryazan
Vladislav Gavrikov, HK Ryazan
Nikolai Glukhov, Avangard Omsk
Ziat Paigin, Ak Bars Kazan
Yuri Pautov, HK Sochi
Ivan Provorov, Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL)
Rushan Rafikov, HK Ryazan
Damir Sharipzyanov, Owen Sound Attack (OHL)
Mikhail Tikhonov, Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk
Rinat Valiev, Kootenay Ice (WHL)
Ivan Vereshagin, Vityaz Podolsk
Dmitri Yudin, SKA St. Petersburg
Nikita Zadorov, Buffalo Sabres (NHL)

Forwards:
Ivan Barbashyov, Moncton Wildcats (QMJHL)
Vladimir Bryukvin, Dynamo Balashikha
Pavel Buchnevich, Severstal Cherepovets
Alexander Dergachyov, SKA-1946 St. Petersburg
Ivan Fishenko, Sokol Krasnoyarsk
Nikolai Goldobin, IFK Helsinki (FIN)
Anatoli Golyshev, Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg
Vladislav Kamenev, Metallurg Magnitogorsk
Ilya Korenev, Yugra Khanty-Mansisk
Pavel Kraskovski, Loko Yaroslavl
Vyacheslav Leshenko, Atlant Mytishi
Maxim Mamin, CSKA Moscow
Alexander Mokshantsev, Loko Yaroslavl
Yegor Morozov, HK Sochi
Konstantin Okulov, Sibirskie Snaipery Novosibirsk
Artyom Penkovski, Traktor Chelyabinsk
Vladimir Tkachyov, Quebec Remparts (QMJHL)
Sergei Tolchinski, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OHL)
Alexander Sharov, Lada Togliatti
Valentin Zykov, Baie-Comeau Drakkar (QMJHL)

Head Coach:
Valeri Bragin


Czech Republic camp roster as of 4th December 2014

Goaltenders:
Miroslav Svoboda, Ocelari Trinec
Vitek Vanecek, Bili Tygri Liberec
Karel Vejmelka, HC Pardubice
Daniel Vladar, Rytiri Kladno

Defencemen:
Marek Baranek, HC Litvinov
Tomas Dvorak, Energie Karlovy Vary
Lukas Klok, Vitkovice Ostrava
Jan Kostalek, Rimouski Oceanic (QMJHL)
Dominik Masin, Peterborough Petes (OHL)
David Nemecek, TPS Turku (FIN)
Jan Scotka, HC Pardubice
Jan Stencel, Vitkovice Ostrava
Jakub Zboril, Saint John Sea Dogs (QMJHL)

Forwards:
Filip Chlapik, Charlettetown Islanders (QMJHL)
Sebastian Gorcik, Energie Karlovy Vary
Miroslav Indrak, HC Plzen 1929
Pavel Jenys, Sudbury Wolves (OHL)
David Kampf, Pirati Chomutov
Vaclav Karabacek, Gatineau Olympiques (QMJHL)
David Kase, Pirati Chomutov
Ondrej Kase, Pirati Chomutov
Dominik Kubalik, HC Plzen 1929
Jan Mandat, Val d'Or Foreurs (QMJHL)
David Pastrnak, Providence Bruins (AHL)
Roman Prikryl, HC Plzen 1929
Marek Ruzicka, Ocelari Trinec
Michael Spacek, HC Pardubice
Lukas Vopelka, Orebro HK (SWE)
Daniel Vozenilek, HC Pardubice
Jakub Vrana, Linkopings HC (SWE)
Pavel Zacha, Sarnia Sting (OHL)
Patrik Zdrahal, Vitkovice Ostrava

Head Coach:
Miroslav Prerost


Slovakia camp roster as of 8th December 2014

Goaltenders:
Denis Godla, Slovan Bratislava
David Okolicany, Dukla Michalovce

Defencemen:
Patrik Bacik, Slovan Bratislava
Erik Cernak, HC Kosice
Lukas Duben, Pirati Chomutov (CZE)
Frederik Fekiac, HKM Zvolen
Marco Hochel, Slavia Prague (CZE)
Matus Holenda, Dukla Trencin
Christian Jaros, Lulea (SWE)
Dominik Jendrol, HC '05 Banska Bystrica
Branislav Pavuk, HC Kosice
Mislav Rosandic, HC '05 Banska Bystrica

Forwards:
Radovan Bondra, U18 National Team Development Program
Dominik Briestensky, Dukla Trencin
Peter Cehlarik, Lulea HF (SWE)
Peter Galis, Slovan Bratislava
Kristian Horvat, PHK Presov
Lukas Hrusik, MsHK Zilina
Michal Kabac, MHK 32 Liptovsky Mikulas
Patrik Koys, Dukla Trencin
Robert Lantosi, VIK Vasteras (SWE)
Samuel Petras, Slovan Bratislava
Dominik Rehak, MsHK Zilina
Matus Sukel, MHK 32 Liptovsky Mikulas
Martin Reway, Sparta Prague (CZE)
Pavol Skalicky, HC Kosice
David Soltes, Prince George Cougars (WHL)

Head Coach:
Ernest Bokros


Denmark camp roster as of 8th December 2014

Goaltenders:
Nicolai Henriksen, Esbjerg Energy
Thomas Lillie, Vaxjo Lakers (SWE)
George Sorensen, Herning Blue Fox

Defencemen:
Victor Eskerod, Unibert Stars Gentofte
Daniel Hansen, SonderjyskE Vojens
Sonny Hertzberg, Oshawa Generals (OHL)
Anders Krogsgaard, Esbjerg Energy
Mads Larsen, Malmo Redhawks (SWE)
Matias Lassen, Rodovre Mighty Bulls
Christian Mieritz, Rodovre Mighty Bulls
Daniel Nielsen, Hvidovre IK

Forwards:
Mikkel Aagaard, Niagara IceDogs (OHL)
Matthias Asperup, Malmo Redhawks (SWE)
Oliver Bjorkstrand, Portland Winterhawks (WHL)
Nikolaj Ehlers, Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL)
Mads Eller, Edmonton Oil Kings (WHL)
Jeppe Holmberg, Esbjerg Energy
Kristian Jensen, Lulea HF (SWE)
Christian Kristiansen, Rogle Angelholm (SWE)
Soren Dau Mortensen, SonderjyskE Vojens
Marcus Nielsen, Rungsted Ishockey
Soren Nielsen, Esbjerg Energy
Nick Olesen, Odense Bulldogs (DEN)
Andre Staeremose Pison, Wenathchee Wild (NAHL)
Emil Rasmussen, Rodovre Mighty Bulls
Alexander True, Seattle Thunderbirds (WHL)

Head Coach:
Olaf Eller

 

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