Just two days after the first games of the CHL playoffs, it's now time for the national teams to have the spotlight in Europe. It's a busy schedule for many players who are playing in both events.
News Update
For many hockey players around Europe, this is a week of rest, but not so for those playing in the Champions Hockey League playoffs, or those representing their national teams at various events across the continent. For players who played on Tuesday in the first legs of the CHL eighth-finals, have now joined their national teams and will play again for their clubs next Tuesday in the second legs, it's a particularly busy week.
The highest-profile event happening is the Karjala Cup in Helsinki, where the national teams of the Czech Republic, Finland, Sweden and Russia have come together as part of the year-long Euro Hockey Tour competition. Also on the radar is the annual Deutschland Cup in Munich, which features Slovakia, Switzerland and a Canadian team that is composed of players on European clubs, many of which compete in the CHL. Additionally, Norway is hosting France, Denmark and Latvia, with all four teams using CHLers. The Austrian and Italian national teams will compete at events in Slovenia and Hungary, respectively.
Besides these men's events, many other tournaments are taking place at lower age groups where CHL – and future CHL – players will compete, most notably at a U20 event in Prerov, Czech Republic.
Below is a list of CHL players who are wearing their national colours this weekend. Note that the list is incomplete in some cases, as some players have been added late to their respective national rosters.
Karjala Cup, Helsinki, Finland
CZECH REPUBLIC – Goal: Simon Hrubec (Trinec). Defence: Adam Polasek (Sparta), Vladimír Roth, Milan Doudera (both Trinec), Ondrej Vitasek (Liberec). Forward: Vladimir Svacina, Ondrej Roman (both Vitkovice), Tomas Kubalík, Michal Birner (both KalPa), Jakub Orsava (Trinec), Tomas Filippi, Jakub Valsky (both Liberec), Petr Pohl (Berlin), Lukas Radil, Tomas Zohorna (both Pardubice), Radek Smolenak (TPS), Daniel Pribyl (Sparta), Petr Holik (Zlin).
FINLAND – Goal: Juha Metsola (Tappara). Defence: Mikko Kousa (Lukko), Lasse Kukkonen (Karpat), Tuukka Mantyly (Tappara), Kristian Nakyva (Lulea). Forward: Julius Junttila, Joonas Kemppainen (both Karpat), Tuomas Kiiskinen (Vaxjo), Olli Palola (Tappara), Lennart Petrell (Lulea), Jani Tuppurainen (JYP).
SWEDEN – Defence: Niclas Burstrom (Skelleftea), Daniel Rahimi (Linkoping). Forward: Ted Brithen (HV71), Mattias Janmark-Nylen, Joel Lundqvist (both Frolunda).
Deutschland Cup, Munich, Germany
CANADA – Goal: Sebastien Caron (Hamburg). Defence: Jamie Fraser (Vienna), Brett Festerling, Duvie Westcott, Mathieu Roy (all Hamburg), Bobby Raymond (Mannheim). Forward: Kevin Clark, Matt Pettinger (both Hamburg), Bud Holloway (Bern), Stephen Dixon, Cam Abbott, Chris Abbott (all Lulea), Liam Reddox (Vaxjo).
GERMANY – Goal: Dennis Endras (all Mannheim), Timo Pielmeier (Ingolstadt). Defence: Sinan Akdag, Nikolai Goc, Dennis Reul (Mannheim), Torsten Ankert, Bjorn Krupp (both Koln), Frank Hordler (Berlin), Benedikt Kohl (Ingolstadt), Justin Krueger (Bern). Forward: Jerome Flaake, Thomas Oppenheimer (both Hamburg), Philipp Gogulla (Koln), Patrick Hager (Ingolstadt), Kai Hospelt, Marcus Kink, Matthias Plachta, Christoph Ullmann (all Mannheim), Daniel Pietta (Krefeld), Andre Rankel, Marcel Noebels (Berlin).
SLOVAKIA – Defence: Marek Daloga, Juraj Mikus (both Sparta), Peter Ceresnak (Vitkovice), Oldrich Kotvan (Zlin), Adam Janosik (Kosice). Forward: Martin Bakos (Liberec), Lukas Cingel (Sparta), Vladimir Dravecky (Trinec), Michael Vandas (Vitkovice), Tomas Marcinko (Pardubice), Adam Lapsansky (Kosice).
SWITZERLAND – Defence: Eric Blum (Bern), Robin Grossmann, Tim Ramholt (both Zug), Forward: Christ Baltisberger, Mike Kunzle, Reto Schappi (all Zurich), Christoph Bertschy, Tristan Scherwey (both Bern), Simon Bodenmann, Romano Lemm (both Kloten), Lino Martschini, Reto Suri (both Zug).
Four Nations Challenge Cup, Stavanger, Norway
DENMARK – Defence: Mads Bodker (SonderjyskE). Forward: Thomas Spelling, Steffen Frank (both SonderskjyskE), Morten Madsen (Hamburg).
FRANCE – Defence: Yohann Auvitu (IFK Helsinki), Florian Chakiachvili (Briancon). Forward: Eliot Berthon (Geneve), Teddy Da Costa (Tappara).
LATVIA – Defence: Guntis Galvins (Bolzano), Kristers Freibergs (Hamburg). Forward: Koba Jass (Liberec).
NORWAY – Goal: Steffen Soberg (Valerenga). Defence: Alexander Bonsaksen, Daniel Sorvik (both Valerenga), Ole-Kristian Tollefsen (Farjestad). Forward: Morten Ask (Valerenga), Kristian Forsberg, Tommy Kristiansen (both Stavanger), Mathis Olimb, Mats Rosseli Olsen (both Frolunda), Martin Roymark (Farjestad).
Euro Ice Hockey Challenge
AUSTRIA – Defence: Stefan Bacher (Villach). Forward: Sascha Bauer (Vienna), Alexander Cijan, Markus Pock (both Salzburg), Bejamin Petrik (Villach).
ITALY – Defence: Alex Trivellato (Berlin), Hannes Oberdorfer (Bolzano). Forward: Anton Bernard, Marco Insam (both Bolzano).