Madferret
4-29-05, 12:51 PM
Canadian Press
4/29/2005
Canada and the Czech Republic, with solid goaltending and plenty of scorers, look the strongest heading into the IIHF world championship that begins Saturday in Austria. Canada is the two-time defending champion, but the NHL lockout has made many more of the world's top players available to their national teams - so Canada is not the only team with more weapons at the spring championship, which usually conflicts with the NHL playoffs.
The United States, 2002 champion Slovakia and Russia also have formidable rosters, while traditional powers like Sweden and Finland can't be counted out despite missing some stars. "There's three or four teams that can win," says Canadian centre Brendan Morrison. "Obviously, we're going to be favourites, but the Czechs will be up there. "The Russians are always an enigma. If they bring their A-game, you're dead. The Finns are missing some top guys but they've got a great team concept. And there's a few teams that can surprise you."
Here's a look at the 16 teams by their groupings for round-robin play:
Group A
Slovakia - The Slovaks have huge firepower from the likes of Zigmund Palffy, Marian Hossa, Richard Zednik and Pavol Demitra, but the defence relies heavily on Ottawa Senators giant Zdeno Chara and the goaltending duo of Jan Lasak and Rastislav Stana is average.
Russia - Russian youngsters Alexander Ovechkin, Pavel Datsyuk, Ilya Kovalchuk and Evgeny Malkin are the star attractions along with veterans like Alex Kovalev on a highly skilled team. But they're missing their NHL goalies, notably Nikolai Khabibulin.
Austria - The host country finished 11th last year, but will be buoyed by home crowds. A top shooter is 21-year-old Thomas Vanek, who played for Rochester in the AHL this season, while University of Wisconsin goalie Bernd Brueckler made the roster.
Belarus - The team that ousted Sweden from the 2002 Olympics is now coached by Glen Hanlon. It features Anaheim's Ruslan Salei on defence and Pittsburgh's Konstantin Koltsov up front. Goalie Andrei Mezin can steal a game and they hope to get gifted youngster Andrei Kostitsyn back from the AHL playoffs.
Group B
Canada - Some big names are missing, like Mario Lemieux and Joe Sakic, but Canada has probably the world's best goaltender in Martin Brodeur and a strong defence. Scoring may sag up front after the Dany Heatley and Joe Thornton lines, but their depth is the envy of hockey.
United States - Old familiar names like Brett Hull, John LeClair, Brian Leetch and Keith Tkachuk were left behind. Mike Modano and Doug Weight lead a hardworking team whose fate will probably rest on the play of goalies Ty Conklin and Rick DiPietro.
Latvia - Arturs Irbe in goal and Karlis Skrastins on defence are the only NHLers on a team that is missing star defenceman Sandis Ozolinsh. Canada saw in exhibition play they are a smaller team that doesn't stop working. They finished seventh at last year's world championship.
Slovenia - Relatively new to the top level of hockey and largely unknown, Slovenia has only three players in leagues outside its own country. All eyes will be on 17-year-old forward Anze Kopitar, who plays in Sweden and is expected to be picked in the next NHL draft.
Group C
Sweden - Missing are stars like Peter Forsberg, Mats Sundin, Niklas Lidstrom and Marcus Naslund, but the Swedes are always dangerous on big ice and still have talent in Daniel Alfredsson, Henrik Zetterberg, Kenny Jonsson and Mattias Norstrom. The question as always for Sweden is in goal.
Finland - Their top line of Saku Koivu, Jere Lehtinen and Teemu Selanne isn't playing, and veteran defenceman Teppo Numminen is missing, but with Kari Lehtonen in goal and a strong team game led by Olli Jokinen, they remain dangerous.
Denmark - Young scorer Frans Nielsen, a 2002 New York Islanders draft pick, and his linemate Kim Staal are the players to watch on a team that finished 12th last year. They have five players in the Swedish league, the rest play in Denmark.
Ukraine - Missing from the preliminary roster is Tampa Bay forward Ruslan Fedotenko. Last year's 14th place team - just avoiding relegation - is made up mainly of Russian league players, including skilled defenceman Gennadi Razin of AK Bars Kazan.
Group D
Czech Republic - Patrick Elias is recovering from hepatitis and Milan Hejduk just had knee surgery, but the Czechs, world champions from 1999 to 2001, have goaltending (Tomas Vokoun) that may be second only to Canada. They also have defence and scoring, led by Jaromir Jagr, Petr Sykora, Martin Straka and Martin Rucinsky.
Germany - Goaltender Olaf Kolzig and skaters Marco Sturm and Stefan Usdorf are out with injuries, while star shooter Jochen Hecht may not be ready to start the tournament with an arm injury. That leaves a thin lineup that includes NHL players Dennis Seidenberg and Marcel Goc.
Switzerland - Goaltenders David Aebischer and Martin Gerber are the strength of a Swiss side that placed eighth last year. Former Montreal Canadien Paul DiPietro, now with Swiss citizenship, is on the roster.
Kazakhstan - The team made up mostly of Russian league players finished 13th last year. There are no big names. One of their best scorers is Dmitri Upper.
http://images.tsn.ca/images/stories/20040906/gagne_48388.jpg
4/29/2005
Canada and the Czech Republic, with solid goaltending and plenty of scorers, look the strongest heading into the IIHF world championship that begins Saturday in Austria. Canada is the two-time defending champion, but the NHL lockout has made many more of the world's top players available to their national teams - so Canada is not the only team with more weapons at the spring championship, which usually conflicts with the NHL playoffs.
The United States, 2002 champion Slovakia and Russia also have formidable rosters, while traditional powers like Sweden and Finland can't be counted out despite missing some stars. "There's three or four teams that can win," says Canadian centre Brendan Morrison. "Obviously, we're going to be favourites, but the Czechs will be up there. "The Russians are always an enigma. If they bring their A-game, you're dead. The Finns are missing some top guys but they've got a great team concept. And there's a few teams that can surprise you."
Here's a look at the 16 teams by their groupings for round-robin play:
Group A
Slovakia - The Slovaks have huge firepower from the likes of Zigmund Palffy, Marian Hossa, Richard Zednik and Pavol Demitra, but the defence relies heavily on Ottawa Senators giant Zdeno Chara and the goaltending duo of Jan Lasak and Rastislav Stana is average.
Russia - Russian youngsters Alexander Ovechkin, Pavel Datsyuk, Ilya Kovalchuk and Evgeny Malkin are the star attractions along with veterans like Alex Kovalev on a highly skilled team. But they're missing their NHL goalies, notably Nikolai Khabibulin.
Austria - The host country finished 11th last year, but will be buoyed by home crowds. A top shooter is 21-year-old Thomas Vanek, who played for Rochester in the AHL this season, while University of Wisconsin goalie Bernd Brueckler made the roster.
Belarus - The team that ousted Sweden from the 2002 Olympics is now coached by Glen Hanlon. It features Anaheim's Ruslan Salei on defence and Pittsburgh's Konstantin Koltsov up front. Goalie Andrei Mezin can steal a game and they hope to get gifted youngster Andrei Kostitsyn back from the AHL playoffs.
Group B
Canada - Some big names are missing, like Mario Lemieux and Joe Sakic, but Canada has probably the world's best goaltender in Martin Brodeur and a strong defence. Scoring may sag up front after the Dany Heatley and Joe Thornton lines, but their depth is the envy of hockey.
United States - Old familiar names like Brett Hull, John LeClair, Brian Leetch and Keith Tkachuk were left behind. Mike Modano and Doug Weight lead a hardworking team whose fate will probably rest on the play of goalies Ty Conklin and Rick DiPietro.
Latvia - Arturs Irbe in goal and Karlis Skrastins on defence are the only NHLers on a team that is missing star defenceman Sandis Ozolinsh. Canada saw in exhibition play they are a smaller team that doesn't stop working. They finished seventh at last year's world championship.
Slovenia - Relatively new to the top level of hockey and largely unknown, Slovenia has only three players in leagues outside its own country. All eyes will be on 17-year-old forward Anze Kopitar, who plays in Sweden and is expected to be picked in the next NHL draft.
Group C
Sweden - Missing are stars like Peter Forsberg, Mats Sundin, Niklas Lidstrom and Marcus Naslund, but the Swedes are always dangerous on big ice and still have talent in Daniel Alfredsson, Henrik Zetterberg, Kenny Jonsson and Mattias Norstrom. The question as always for Sweden is in goal.
Finland - Their top line of Saku Koivu, Jere Lehtinen and Teemu Selanne isn't playing, and veteran defenceman Teppo Numminen is missing, but with Kari Lehtonen in goal and a strong team game led by Olli Jokinen, they remain dangerous.
Denmark - Young scorer Frans Nielsen, a 2002 New York Islanders draft pick, and his linemate Kim Staal are the players to watch on a team that finished 12th last year. They have five players in the Swedish league, the rest play in Denmark.
Ukraine - Missing from the preliminary roster is Tampa Bay forward Ruslan Fedotenko. Last year's 14th place team - just avoiding relegation - is made up mainly of Russian league players, including skilled defenceman Gennadi Razin of AK Bars Kazan.
Group D
Czech Republic - Patrick Elias is recovering from hepatitis and Milan Hejduk just had knee surgery, but the Czechs, world champions from 1999 to 2001, have goaltending (Tomas Vokoun) that may be second only to Canada. They also have defence and scoring, led by Jaromir Jagr, Petr Sykora, Martin Straka and Martin Rucinsky.
Germany - Goaltender Olaf Kolzig and skaters Marco Sturm and Stefan Usdorf are out with injuries, while star shooter Jochen Hecht may not be ready to start the tournament with an arm injury. That leaves a thin lineup that includes NHL players Dennis Seidenberg and Marcel Goc.
Switzerland - Goaltenders David Aebischer and Martin Gerber are the strength of a Swiss side that placed eighth last year. Former Montreal Canadien Paul DiPietro, now with Swiss citizenship, is on the roster.
Kazakhstan - The team made up mostly of Russian league players finished 13th last year. There are no big names. One of their best scorers is Dmitri Upper.
http://images.tsn.ca/images/stories/20040906/gagne_48388.jpg