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IIHF Notes: Hall of Fame, Latvia, Bear

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Earlier this morning, the IIHF officially inducted their 2023 Hall of Fame class, including former NHL stars such as Brian Leetch, Henrik Zetterberg, and Cristobal Huet. Also included in the induction: Sandra Dombrowski (official), Jimmy Foster (player), Kalervo Kummola (builder), Caroline Ouellette (player), Viktor Szelig (player), and Kimmo Leinonen (builder).

Although much is well known about their individual and team successes in the NHL, Leetch, Zetterberg, and Huet performed extremely well internationally as well. From 1987-2004, Leetch played in two World Championships, two World Cup of Hockey events, and three Olympic Games, scoring 41 points in 55 total games. In 1996, as he was captain of Team USA, Leetch helped the Americans to a gold medal in that year’s World Cup of Hockey.

Zetterberg, coming from Sweden, also played in quite a few international events, including four Olympic Games. In his second attempt in 2006, Zetterberg was able to help lead Team Sweden to a gold medal in the Turin, Italy Winter Olympics. Throughout his international career, spanning from 2001-2014 at the professional level, Zetterberg played in 73 international games, scoring 17 goals and 38 assists.

Going down as likely one of, if not the best hockey player to ever come out of France, Huet spent many years between the pipes for the French national team. Unfortunately, throughout his rather lengthy international career, Team France was only able to qualify for two Olympic Games, in 1998 and 2002. In 87 career games on the international scene, Huet racked up a total of 4,589 minutes played, adding six total shutouts for Team France.

Other notes:

  • Earlier this morning, winning their first IIHF tournament medal in their country’s history, Team Latvia beat Team USA in overtime. Kristians Rubins, who is currently playing for the Calgary Wranglers of the AHL, scored both the game-tying goal and the game-winning goal, awarding Latvia the bronze medal. In the championship, Team Canada will face off against Team Germany.
  • Rick Dhaliwal of the Vancouver Athletic reports that defenseman Ethan Bear has missed the last two games for Team Canada due to an upper-body injury. Bear, who will be a restricted free agent for the Vancouver Canucks this offseason, will return to Vancouver to be re-evaluated by team staff.

East Notes: Eyssimont, Talvitie, Pajuniemi

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Team USA will be without the services of forward Michael Eyssimont for Thursday’s quarterfinal matchup against Czechia as the IIHF announced that he has received a one-game suspension for a kneeing incident in Tuesday’s game against Sweden.  The 26-year-old was a late addition to the team after the Lightning were eliminated in the first round but had suited up all seven games so far.  Eyssimont had two assists in those contests along with 11 shots and 29 penalty minutes in just over 12 minutes per game.  Team USA has one extra forward on their roster, Montreal prospect Luke Tuch who will likely suit up as the extra forward in Eyssimont’s absence.

Elsewhere in the East:

  • Devils prospect Aarne Talvitie has decided to go back overseas as TPS of the Finnish SM-liiga announced that they’ve signed the forward to a two-year contract. The 24-year-old showed some promise at Penn State after being drafted and was quite effective at the World Juniors in 2020.  However, that didn’t translate to much success in the pros as he followed up a 12-goal, 24-point rookie campaign with a three-goal, 14-point sophomore season in 2022-23, resulting in him looking to head back home.  New Jersey can still retain Talvitie’s RFA rights with a qualifying offer in June and he isn’t UFA-eligible until 2026, they might still do so.
  • Pending Rangers RFA Lauri Pajuniemi has decided to try his hand in the SHL as he has joined Malmo on a one-year contract, per a team announcement. The 23-year-old winger had a good sophomore year with AHL Hartford, notching 19 goals (fourth-most on the team) and 38 points (sixth-most) in 68 games while chipping in with six points in nine playoff appearances.  However, Pajuniemi didn’t receive a recall at any point during the regular season.  New York can retain his rights through 2027 by still tendering him a qualifying offer next month.

Slovenia, Hungary Relegated From Worlds For 2024

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It’s always a great story seeing countries work their way up from lower levels of international competition to gain the privilege of playing at the Men’s World Championship, something Poland and Great Britain have already earned the right to do so in 2024. Unfortunately, that involves relegation from teams in the current pool. Now that Slovenia and Hungary have clinched last-place finishes in their groups, they’ll be headed back to D1A, the second tier of the IIHF Men’s Worlds, for 2024.

They’ll join Italy, South Korea, and Romania in next year’s D1A tournament as both teams will try and earn re-promotion to the top level of competition for 2025. They’ll also be joined by Japan, who won promotion in the D1B tournament this year.

Slovenia is no stranger to this process. They bounced up and down between the D1A and top-tier play every year between 2010 and 2017 before failing to earn promotion from the D1A tournament in 2018 and 2019. With COVID pausing relegation (and canceling the next two D1A tournaments altogether), this was Slovenia’s first appearance with the top group in six years.

For the first time since 2008, though, Slovenia failed to secure a single point at the Worlds, losing all seven of their round-robin games in regulation. They had a 3-2 lead against Kazakhstan with 10 minutes left in today’s game, but the Kazakhs scored twice in five minutes to take the regulation win.

Former Pittsburgh Penguins prospect Jan Drozg tied for the Slovak lead in scoring at the tournament with three goals in seven games.

For Hungary, it was a tougher pill to swallow. They lost a do-or-die game against Austria today in a shootout, which, had they won, would have relegated Austria instead. The two teams ended up tied with a 0-5-1-1 record, but Hungary lost the goal differential tiebreaker by nine thanks to three 7-1 blowouts at the hands of the Americans, Swedes, and Finns.

IIHF Suspends Joe Veleno For Remainder Of World Championship

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The IIHF today suspended Team Canada and Detroit Red Wings forward Joe Veleno for five World Championship games, effectively ending his tournament. The suspension comes in response to Veleno appearing to intentionally step on the lower leg of Switzerland forward Nino Niederreiter during a puck battle in yesterday’s 3-2 win for the Swiss.

Veleno avoided a penalty on the play, and Niederreiter actually received a minor penalty for roughing Veleno later on in the sequence. Upon review, however, the IIHF undoubtedly made the right call, removing Veleno from the remainder of the tournament after one of the more dangerous plays in international hockey in recent memory.

It is a significant loss for Canada, which now sits third in Group B after the regulation loss. Veleno was second on the team in scoring, with two goals and three assists in five games.

Veleno, Detroit’s 30th overall selection in the 2018 NHL Draft, is a restricted free agent this offseason after the conclusion of his entry-level contract. He posted a career-high nine goals and 20 points in 81 games for the Red Wings this season.

William Nylander, Timothy Liljegren Reportedly Joining Sweden At Worlds

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According to a report from Swedish outlet Sportbladet, a pair of Toronto Maple Leafs are heading to the 2023 IIHF Men’s World Championship after their elimination from the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Winger William Nylander and defenseman Timothy Liljegren are joining the Swedish squad, while Sweden has reportedly sent defensemen Joel Persson and Christian Folin home from the tournament to create room on the roster.

After a disappointing loss to the Florida Panthers, Nylander and Liljegren are now set to bring their skills and experience to the international stage. The news bolsters a Swedish contingent that’s yet to lose through three games at the tournament, although they’ve struggled to produce offense outside of a 5-0 win against Austria.

Nylander should help with those scoring woes, coming off the first 40-goal season of his NHL career. He’s been money in the bank for Sweden at this tournament, recording 15 goals and 37 points in just 21 World Championship appearances across three tournaments (2017, 2019, 2022). It’s a significant boon to a Swedish team that has scored just three goals in two games against Germany and Finland, including a shootout marker.

Joining him is Liljegren, who’s made significant strides in his all-around ability since the last time he represented Sweden internationally at the 2018 IIHF Men’s World Junior Championship. One of the more intriguing young two-way defenders in the sport, Liljegren now gets a chance to add an additional spark to a Sweden defensive corps that’s excelled thus far at the tournament, one that includes former teammate and defense partner Rasmus Sandin.

Neither Persson nor Folin had suited up yet for Sweden in the tournament. While they’re both capable contributors to the Swedish lineup, and both have NHL experience, the swap for Nylander and Liljegren is a significant upgrade to a Swedish team with hopes of capturing the gold medal at this tournament.

Sweden can make it four games without a loss when they take on Hungary on Thursday.

Snapshots: Landeskog, Reinbacher, Agents

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Outside of the playoffs, one of the major questions in the hockey world is if we will ever see the return of Colorado Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog. On May 10th, Landeskog opted to receive a cartilage transplant on his right knee, which will likely sideline him for the entirety of the 2023-24 NHL season.

This will mark two straight years that Landeskog will fail to play a game in the NHL, and serious doubts are being raised about his ability to return to the ice following this surgery. Talking to doctors and experts about the surgery, Bennett Sousa of The Denver Post says the jury is still out on that specific question.

Dr. Rachel Frank, a team physician for the MLS Colorado Rapids team, said, “We’ve seen this done before in patients and athletes at all levels, including the high school, the collegiate and the professional athlete. But at the elite level, it’s a bit less predictable because, quite frankly, it’s not as common.” Although the surgery has been quite successful in the past, Frank was quick to point out that the surgery is typically given for quality-of-life scenarios, not returning to their original form in athletics.

The only other major athlete to receive the surgery in recent memory would be Chicago Bulls guard, Lonzo Ball. In March of 2023, Ball opted to receive the surgery and has yet to make his return to the court at this time, missing the entirety of the 2022-23 NBA season. Due to the lack of comparables in the world of sports, Landeskog’s future in hockey is still up in the air.

Other snapshots:

  • In their loss against Team Sweden at the 2023 IIHF World Championship, Team Austria received even more negative news during the game, as top draft prospect David Reinbacher would not return to the game (Tweet Link). Receiving a hip check from Washington Capitals’ defenseman Rasmus Sandin, Reinbacher left the game with a lower-body injury. Clocking in at 20th overall on the draft board by TSN’s Bob McKenzie, Reinbacher scored three goals and 19 assists playing for EHC Kloten of the National League this season.
  • Although not pressing news, an interesting factoid was provided by PuckPedia today, as they announced that two agents have now crossed over the $1B mark in active contracts, as both Craig Oster of Newport Sports and Pat Brisson of CAA Hockey have crossed the threshold. Oster represents NHL talent such as Erik Karlsson, Mark Stone, and Matthew Tkachuk, while Brisson represents players such as Nathan MacKinnon, Sidney Crosby, and John Tavares.

USA Hockey Adds Tyler Kleven To World Championship Roster

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After a 2-0 start to the 2023 IIHF Men’s World Championship, USA Hockey announced after today’s win against Hungary they’ve added Ottawa Senators defenseman Tyler Kleven to their tournament roster.

Kleven, who registered two assists in eight games down the stretch of the 2022-23 season with Ottawa, could suit up when the United States faces Germany in continued round-robin play tomorrow. The 21-year-old second-round pick in the 2020 NHL Draft signed his entry-level contract with Ottawa after the end of his junior season at the University of North Dakota.

While this will be Kleven’s first World Championship appearance, he’s no stranger to the United States national program. He played with the National Team Development Program for two seasons before joining North Dakota in 2020-21 and played for Team USA at the 2021 and 2022 IIHF Men’s World Junior Championship, recording one point in a combined seven games between tournaments.

Kleven brings an added layer of size and physicality to the American roster, becoming the third defender on the team who stands at least 6-foot-4 and weighs 200 pounds (Nicklaus Perbix, Dylan Samberg). A defensive player first and foremost, Kleven will try and shut down some of the tougher opponents remaining on the Americans’ group schedule, namely Germany and Sweden.

Sweden Announces 2023 World Championship Roster

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Sweden has revealed its roster for the upcoming 2023 IIHF Men’s World Championship, and it’s filled with an impressive mix of NHL players, high-end SHL players, and young prospects. The team is hoping to bring in Sweden’s first medal at the tournament since winning back-to-back golds in 2017 and 2018.

Headlining the roster are some prominent NHLers, including seasoned veteran Jakob Silfverberg and younger players like Lucas Raymond, Jonatan Berggren, and Fabian Zetterlund. For Silfverberg, who’s rumored to return to Sweden after his current contract with the Anaheim Ducks expires, this is his first appearance at the Worlds in over a decade. There’s also top 2023 NHL Draft prospect Leo Carlsson, who could see his name called as early as third overall by the Columbus Blue Jackets after spending the entire season up in the SHL with Örebro HK.

On the blue line, Sweden is led by a pair of longtime NHLers in Christian Folin and Patrik Nemeth, but their best defender is undoubtedly Washington Capitals youngster Rasmus Sandin. Others, such as three-time Swiss league defenseman of the year Henrik Tömmernes, provide some valuable depth.

In net, Sweden will be relying on a trio of capable goaltenders led by one of the best prospects in the world – Jesper Wallstedt. The Minnesota Wild prospect posted a .908 save percentage in 38 games with the AHL’s Iowa Wild and put up a .940 mark in international play for Sweden last year at the World Junior Championship. If Wallstedt doesn’t run away with the crease, there’s a high-end second option in SHL and KHL veteran Lars Johansson, who recorded a sparkling .958 save percentage for Sweden at the 2022 Winter Olympics.

The full roster can be found below:

F Pär Lindholm
F Dennis Everberg
F Marcus Sorensen
F Andre Petersson
F Leo Carlsson
F Lucas Raymond
F Oscar Lindberg
F Jakob Silfverberg
F Jonatan Berggren
F Fabian Zetterlund
F Linus Johansson
F Carl Grundström
F Jacob de La Rose
F Alexander Nylander

D Christian Folin
D Henrik Tömmernes
D Patrik Nemeth
D Lukas Bengtsson
D Rasmus Sandin
D Anton Lindholm
D Jonathan Pudas
D Joel Persson

G Jesper Wallstedt
G Lars Johansson
G Jacob Johansson

 

Moritz Seider Will Attend World Championships

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Star Detroit Red Wings defender Moritz Seider will be a late addition to the German roster for the 2023 IIHF Men’s World Championships, the German Ice Hockey Federation announced today. Seider will join the German contingent on Wednesday, heading to the host city of Tampere, Finland, after initially planning not to go to the tournament due to injury concerns.

Seider overcame a slow start to the 2022-23 campaign to post similar numbers to his rookie season, playing in all 82 games yet again. The sixth overall pick in the 2019 NHL Draft recorded five goals and 42 points, ending up with the team lead among defenders after Filip Hronek was shipped to the Vancouver Canucks late in the season. Averaging over 23 minutes a game, there wasn’t a sizeable sophomore slump on Seider’s journey to becoming a perennial All-Star defender.

He joins Germany’s team at the upcoming Worlds as the only defender with NHL experience. However, the team does boast John-Jason Peterka, Nico Sturm, and former NHLer Dominik Kahun on their list of forwards.

This is Seider’s third appearance for Germany at the Worlds. He posted seven points in eight games at least year’s tournament, which resulted in a quarterfinal loss for the Germans.

Finland Releases 2023 IIHF World Championship Roster

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Finland has released the roster of players that will represent them at the 2023 IIHF World Championships next week. Finland will compete in Group A of the tournament, a group containing fellow hockey heavyweights such as Sweden, the United States, and Germany. They are hosts for half of the tournament and the medal games, with Group A contests, the semifinals, and finals set to be played at Nokia Arena in Tampere, Finland.

This Finnish roster boasts some impressive talent, notably headlined by Colorado Avalanche superstar Mikko Rantanen. Other current NHLers on the roster include Kaapo Kakko, Olli Maatta, Kasperi Kapanen, and Joel Armia. Columbus Blue Jackets sniper Patrik Laine, one of the most naturally talented Finnish players in the world, won’t be playing in the tournament due to injury. Per a team announcement, Laine isn’t yet back to 100% after missing the final 12 games of the NHL season with an injury and prioritizing his recovery the choice was made to not represent Finland.

Perhaps the most interesting group of players to look at outside just the NHLers is in the crease. The Finns have 26-year-old Christian Heljanko as an option, fresh off of a season where he shined in the highest-pressure moments for his club Tappara Tampere. He backstopped Tappara to a Champions Hockey League title and Liiga title, but one wonders if that’ll be enough to unseat last year’s starter Jussi Olkinoura.

Olkinoura began the year with the Grand Rapids Griffins, but struggled through 15 games and eventually left to help save Brynas IF from relegation from the SHL, an attempt that ultimately failed. He shined in international play last year, though, earning Goalie of the Tournament honors at last year’s edition as well as the gold medal at both the IIHF Worlds and 2022 Winter Olympics. Also in the mix to start for Finland is Emil Larmi, who was among the best goalies in the SHL this season and recently led Vaxjo Lakers to a championship, winning playoff MVP honors along the way.

Will Finland trust their tournament in the hands of one of two players coming off of an excellent club season? Or will they keep faith in Olkinoura, who struggled in club play this season but led the country to Olympic and World Championship glory last year, and has a 14-1-1 record, 1.17 goals-against-average, and .947 save percentage in IIHF World Championship play?

Here’s the team as a whole:

F Marko Anttila
F Joel Armia
F Hannes Bjorninen
F Teemu Hartikainen
F Kaapo Kakko
F Kasperi Kapanen
F Juho Lammikko
F Sakari Manninen
F Waltteri Merela
F Ahti Oksanen
F Harri Pesonen
F Mikko Rantanen
F Jere Sallinen
F Antti Suomela

D Niklas Friman
D Miika Koivisto
D Mikko Lehtonen
D Olli Maatta
D Atte Ohtamaa
D Ville Pokka
D Mikael Seppala

G Christian Heljanko
G Emil Larmi
G Jussi Olkinuora

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