Players from CHL clubs have made an impact in past World Junior Championships. Who will grab the spotlight this time?
CHL News
It's once again the time of year when the top teenaged hockey players on the globe take centre stage at the IIHF World Junior Championships. In the past there have been some fine performances from CHL-affiliated players, such as Sparta Prague's Martin Reway and Lulea Hockey's Christian Jaros and Peter Celharik leading Slovakia to a surprise bronze medal in 2015, or last year's stunning show put on by the line of Tappara Tampere's Patrik Laine and Karpat Oulu's Sebastian Aho and Jesse Puljujarvi, leading the Finns to a gold medal at home.
This year, more young players from some of Europe's top clubs are poised to steal the spotlight. The CHL's reigning champs, Frolunda Gothenburg, are sending four players to Team Sweden, including two – defenceman Jacob Larsson and forward Carl Grundstrom – who are likely to be in the team's line-up in next month's CHL Semi-Finals. Likewise, Czech Petr Kalina is one of Sparta's regular d-men and Fribourg-Gotteron forward Nathan Marchon has been on loan to the NLB since mid-November, but has played in five CHL games this season and might return to the big club after the WJC. Danish forward Jonas Rondbjerg has played in three CHL games for the Vaxjo Lakers this year, but is currently playing with their junior team.
Below is a list of all players in the tournament who are members of clubs who participated in the 2016-17 season. Those in bold are on the CHL rosters of the four teams still alive in the competition. Links are provided for players who have been featured in past CHL news stories.
CZECH REPUBLIC – Defence: Daniel Krenzelok (Vitkovice), David Kvasnicka (Pilsen), Frantisek Hrdinka (Linkoping), Petr Kalina (Sparta). Forwards: Daniel Kurovsky (Vitkovice), Radek Koblizek (Karpat).
DENMARK – Defence: Anders Koch (Esbjerg). Forward: Rasmus Andersson (HV71), Niklas Andersen (Esbjerg), Jonas Rondbjerg, David Madsen (both Vaxjo).
FINLAND – Goal: Markus Ruusu, Veini Vehlivainen (both JYP), Karolus Kaarlehto (TPS). Defence: Miro Heiskanen (IFK Helsinki), Urho Vaakanainen (JYP). Forward: Joona Luoto (Tappara), Teemu Vayrynen (TPS).
LATVIA – Defence: Maksims Ponomarenko (Lorenskog). Forward: Rihards Puide (Zurich).
SLOVAKIA – Defence: Martin Bodak (Tappara). Forward: Filip Lestan (HV71).
SWEDEN – Goal: Filip Gustavsson (Lulea), Adam Werner (Farjestad). Defence: Jacob Larsson, Kristoffer Gunnarsson, Rasmus Dahlin (all Frolunda), David Bernhardt (Djurgarden), Gabriel Carlsson (Linkoping). Forward: Lias Andersson (HV71), Carl Grundstrom (Frolunda), Rasmus Asplund, Joel Eriksson Ek (both Farjestad), Sebastian Ohlsson, Andreas Wingerli, Tim Soderlund (all Skelleftea).
SWITZERLAND – Goal: Philip Wuthrich (Bern), Joren van Pottelberghe (Davos). Defence: Livio Stadler (Lulea), Nico Gross (Zug), Colin Gerber (Bern). Forward: Jerome Portmann, Nando Eggenberger (both Davos), Marco Miranda, Raphael Prassl, Dominik Diem (all Zurich), Nathan Marchon (Fribourg), Zannick Zehnder, Fabian Haberstich, Timo Haussener (all Zug).