HELSINKI/STOCKHOLM – The Czech national team added goalkeeper Petr Mrazek and forward Petr Koukal to its roster and awaits Martin Erat.
International hockey fans might remember Mrazek of the OHL’s Ottawa 67’s from the recent World Junior Championship where he was named Best Goalkeeper of the event. He was registered as third goalkeeper for the 2012 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship on Wednesday.
HC Pardubice forward Koukal will play his second World Championship. He was on the 2010 World Champion team.
With the registration of the two players the Czechs have an active roster containing three goalkeepers and 20 skaters and they can register two additional skaters throughout the tournament.
One roster spot will go to Martin Erat. Czech head coach Alois Hadamczik told the official website of the Czech Ice Hockey Association that he expects Erat to be in Stockholm in two days after passing the medical examination. The 30-year-old forward of the Nashville Predators will play this third IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship and the first international tournament since the Vancouver Olympics.
Who will be the last player registered? The Czechs informed that after the Philadelphia Flyers’ ousting from the post-season, neither Jaromir Jagr nor Pavel Kubin, who ended his national team career after the 2010 Olympics, will join the team. But there’s hope that another Czech Flyer might come. Jakub Voracek will give his answer after the medical examination.
MARTIN MERK |