TILBURG, Netherlands – Mark Pederson will coach the Serbian national team at the 2010 IIHF World Championship Division I, Group A. He signed a two-year contract with the Serbian Ice Hockey Association.

For the 41-year-old Canadian it will be a short trip as the event takes place in Tilburg, Netherlands where he coaches local club Tilburg Trappers. His assistant coach with the Trappers, Nicky Rohde, will join him behind the Serbia bench.

The contacts were made by the Trappers’ Serbian-born junior coach and former Yugoslavian national team player Alex Andjelic.

“Mark is the ideal guy for Serbia,” Andjelic says. “He’s a good coach who can help the team stay in Division I, because the goal is not to be relegated.”

Serbia was promoted to Division I last year and will play against Austria, Ukraine, Japan, Lithuania and the Netherlands in the April 19-25 tournament.

Pederson will meet his team for the first time during the February break for two exhibition games in Belgrade against Romania followed by a tournament in Romania.

The Tilburg Trappers gave Pederson green light for the February international break and the Division I preparation camp which begins on April 1 in Belgrade.