QUEBEC CITY – Sweden’s team management has confirmed that New York Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist will join the three-crown team.

“The Rangers have cleared him and Lundqvist will arrive in Quebec City tomorrow,” team manager Mats Naslund said. Lundqvist can be registered for the game against Switzerland but it’s not expected that he will play before the qualification round.

Lundqvist will complete the goalie trio with Phoenix Coyotes’ Mikael Tellqvist and Stefan Liv of Swedish champion HV 71 Jonkoping.

The 26-year-old was Sweden’s goalie in three World Championships (2003-2005) before he left Frolunda Gothenburg to join the New York Rangers, where he had his third NHL season. Lundqvist was also the starting goalkeeper when he led Sweden to Olympic gold 2006 in Turin, Italy. He hasn’t won gold in the World Championship yet but at the 2002 IIHF InLine World Championship.

Lundqvist was awarded best goalkeeper at the 2004 World Championship and has been nominated for the Vezina Trophy as the best NHL goalie three times. He finished third the first two times and is one of the finalists again for the June 12 ceremony together with Canadian Martin Brodeur (New Jersey) and Russia’s Evgeni Nabokov (San Jose).

MARTIN MERK