COLOGNE/MANNHEIM – The Slovak Ice Hockey Association has confirmed on Saturday that Miroslav Satan will join its national team at the 2010 IIHF World Championship.
“I contacted our two Boston Bruins players after the series against Philadelphia and Miro Satan promised that he will come,” said Peter Bondra, the General Manager of the Slovak national team.
Satan is expected to arrive in Cologne on Sunday. Zdeno Chara, on the other hand, declined due to health reasons. Slovakia will still have one open spot in the roster after adding Satan.
Slovakia’s 35-year-old hockey icon has played for the Boston Bruins since January. In 38 games in the regular season he had 14 points (9+5). His production increased in the last few weeks, posting 10 points (5+5) in 13 games in the playoffs.
Satan represented Slovakia in four Olympic Winter Games, including the fourth-place performance in Vancouver earlier this year, and he will play in his eighth top division World Championship (tenth including lower divisions).
Canada used its to open spots on the roster for goalkeeper Devan Dubnyk and forward Mason Raymond. Both arrived in Mannheim and were registered before tonight’s game against Sweden.
Dubnyk, 24, split the season between the NHL’s Edmonton Oilers and the AHL’s Springfield Falcons. He represented Canada in the 2004 World U18 Championship and in the 2006 World U20 Championship.
Raymond, 24, will play in the Team Canada sweater for the first time. He has been playing for the Vancouver Canucks since 2007 and recorded 25 goals and 28 assists in 82 regular-season games this year.
Sweden added Sanny Lindström to complete its roster. The 30-year-old defenceman played for Färjestad Karlstad. In 50 games he had three goals and six assists.
Russia has meanwhile officially registered the three previously announced additions, Pavel Datsyuk, Sergei Gonchar and Evgeni Malkin. Datsyuk had his first game in the 3-2 victory against Germany while Gonchar and Malkin will be eligible in the next game today against Denmark.
Latvia lost its forward Juris Stals, who suffered a shoulder injury in the game against Sweden and will most likely miss the remainder of the tournament. Also Aleksandrs Jerofejevs and Kaspars Daugavins suffered injuries, but might be able to play today against Norway.
USA Hockey registered David Leggio as third goalkeeper behind Scott Clemmensen and Ben Bishop for the 2010 IIHF World Championship.
The 25-year-old netminder transferred from the ECHL to Europe last summer and led TPS Turku to the Finnish league title last month. Leggio impressed with a 94.2 save percentage in the Finnish playoffs.
The U.S. roster now includes three goalkeepers, eight defencemen, and twelve forwards. Team USA can still register two additional skaters.
