The 2016 World Cup of Hockey will take place in Toronto, Ontario at Air Canada Centre as a pre-season clash of the nations. Team Canada, Team Finland, Team Russia, Team Sweden, Team USA, Team Europe, Team North America, and Team Czech Republic will duke it out for international supremacy. Just announced, the Czech team will have the following players representing their country.
2016 World Cup of Hockey: Team Czech Republic
Forwards
*Radek Faksa, Dallas Stars
Martin Hanzal, Arizona Coyotes
*Ales Hemsky, Dallas Stars
Tomas Hertl, San Jose Sharks
*Dmitrij Jaskin, St. Louis Blues
David Krejci, Boston Bruins
*Milan Michalek, Toronto Maple Leafs
Ondrej Palat, Tampa Bay Lightning
David Pastrnak, Boston Bruins
Tomas Plekanec, Montreal Canadiens
Vladimir Sobotka, Avangard Omsk (KHL)
Jakub Voracek, Philadelphia Flyers
Defensemen
Radko Gudas, Philadelphia Flyers
*Michal Jordan, Carolina Hurricanes
Michal Kempny, Chicago Blackhawks
*Zbynek Michalek, Arizona Coyotes
*Jakub Nakladal, Calgary Flames
Roman Polak, San Jose Sharks
Andrej Sustr, Tampa Bay Lightning
Goalies
Petr Mrazek, Detroit Red Wings
Michal Neuvirth, Philadelphia Flyers
Ondrej Pavelec, Winnipeg Jets
*= added today
Up front, the team possesses a mix of veterans and young players, with four players 30 and older and six 26 and younger. Voracek, Palat, Krejci, and Plekanec are expected to be leaders of this mixed group.
On defense, the team lacks a playmaker but delivers plenty of bruises. The average height of the blueline is 6’2″, with Sustr topping out at 6’7″. Four players weigh 210 pounds and above, with Polak leading the charge at 236.
In goal, the team possesses two young stars in Mrazek and Neuvirth to go along with Pavelec, who has appeared in 371 NHL contests. Mrazek a few seasons ago rose through the ranks in Detroit’s system, going through the ECHL, AHL, and NHL in the same year, helping the Grand Rapids Griffins to a Calder Cup Championship in the AHL and looks to be the Red Wings’ goalie of the future. Neuvirth had a career year for the Flyers this season, playing in 33 games posting a 2.27 GAA and .924 save percentage.
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