Belarus defender VLADIMIR DENISOV (7) contests a loose puck in front of goalie ANDREI MEZIN with Russian forward NIKOLAI ZHERDEV at the 2009 IIHF World Championships in Switzerland. Russia narrowly defeated the Belarus 4-3 with the only goal of the third period. Both Denisov and Zherdev spent the 2008-09 season with the New York Rangers organization; Denisov skated with the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League.

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BELARUS PRELIMINARY ROSTER

Goaltenders

• 35 — 6’0″ 175 lb — Andrei MEZIN — Dynamo Minsk
• 35 — 6’1″ 205 lb — Sergei SHABANOV — HC Yunost Minsk
• 29 — 5’10″ 185 lb — Vitali KOVAL — Dynamo Minsk
• 23 — 6’0″ 170 lb — Igor BRIKUN — HK Gomel
• 23 — 5’11″ 170 lb — Dmitri MILCHAKOV — HK Brest

Defensemen

• 39 — 6’0″ 185 lb — Oleg LEONTIEV — HC Yunost Minsk
• 38 — 6’1″ 185 lb — Alexander MAKRITSKY — Dynamo Minsk
• 35 — 6’1″ 210 lb — Ruslan SALEI — COLORADO
• 35 — 6’1″ 210 lb — Sergei YERKOVICH — HC Yunost Minsk
• 30 — 6’1″ 200 lb — Viktor KOSTYUCHENOK — Spartak Moscow
• 30 — 6’2″ 205 lb — Alexander RYADINSKY — Dynamo Minsk
• 29 — 6’2″ 210 lb — Andrei GLEBOV — HC Keramin Minsk
• 27 — 6’2″ 195 lb — Andrei BASHKO — Dynamo Minsk
• 26 — 6’0″ 195 lb — Ivan USENKO — HK Gomel
• 25 — 5’11″ 205 lb — Vladimir DENISOV — Dynamo Minsk
• 24 — 5’10″ 185 lb — Andrei ANTONOV — Dynamo Minsk
• 23 — 6’4″ 203 lb — Sergei KOLOSOV — Grand Rapids (AHL)
• 22 — 6’5″ 223 lb — Nikolai STASENKO — Amur Khabarovsk
• 20 — 6’3″ 215 lb — Dmitri KOROBOV — Dynamo Minsk

Forwards

• 38 — 6’1″ 200 lb — Oleg ANTONENKO — Dynamo Minsk
• 34 — 5’9″ 175 lb — Alexei STRAKHOV — HC Keramin Minsk
• 33 — 5’10″ 195 lb — Sergei ZADELENOV — Shakhter Soligorsk
• 32 — 5’10″ 185 lb — Alexei KALYUZHNY — Dynamo Moscow
• 32 — 6’0″ 200 lb — Dmitri DUDIK — HC Yunost Minsk
• 31 — 5’11″ 198 lb — Andrei MIKHALEV — Dynamo Minsk
• 30 — 6’0″ 175 lb — Evgeny KURILIN — HC Yunost Minsk
• 28 — 6’1″ 190 lb — Konstantin KOLTSOV — Salavat Yulayev Ufa
• 28 — 5’10″ 205 lb — Yaroslav CHUPRIS — Dynamo Minsk
• 27 — 5’11″ 178 lb — Dmitri MELESHKO — Dynamo Minsk
• 27 — 5’10″ 198 lb — Alexander BOROVKOV — HC Yunost Minsk
• 26 — 6’0″ 180 lb — Alexander KULAKOV — Dynamo Minsk 
• 25 — 5’11″ 183 lb — Mikhail GRABOVSKI — TORONTO
• 24 — 6’0″ 214 lb — Andrei KOSTITSYN — MONTREAL
• 24 — 5’10″ 176 lb — Alexei UGAROV — HK MVD Balashikha
• 24 — 5’11″ 182 lb — Artem VOLKOV — HC Yunost Minsk
• 23 — 6’0″ 174 lb — Sergei DEMAGIN — Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk
• 23 — 5’10″ 170 lb — Evgeny KOVYRSHIN — Shakhter Soligorsk
• 22 — 6’0″ 210 lb — Sergei KOSTITSYN — MONTREAL
• 21 — 6’2″ 185 lb — Andrei STAS — Dynamo Minsk
• 20 — 6’3″ 201 lb — Mikhail STEFANOVICH — Quebec (QMJHL jrs)

Stanley Cup champion SANDIS OZOLINS is heavily experienced having played 875 National Hockey League games (167 go 397 as, 564 pts). The 37-year-old two-time Olympic veteran (6 ga, 1 go 7 as, 8 pts) was once a world-class offensive threat on the blueline. Ozolins has four goals and 12 points in 23 games this season for Dynamo Riga in the Kontinental Hockey League.

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LATVIA PRELIMINARY ROSTER

Goaltenders

• 40 — 5’10″ 180 lb — Sergejs NAUMOVS — Dynamo Jrs. Riga
• 29 — 5’10″ 175 lb — Edgars MASALSKIS — Dynamo Riga
• 29 — 5’9″ 176 lb — Dmitrijs ZABOTINSKIS — Metlaurgs Liepaja
• 25 — 6’2″ 165 lb — Ervins MUSTUKOVS — Dynamo Jrs. Riga
• 23 — 6’1″ 160 lb — Ugis AVOTINS — HK Ogre
• 20 — 5’11″ 180 lb — Nauris ENKUZENS — Dynamo Jrs. Riga  

Defensemen

• 37 — 6’3″ 205 lb — Sandis OZOLINS — Dynamo Riga
• 35 — 6’1″ 208 lb — Karlis SKRASTINS — DALLAS
• 35 — 5’10″ 185 lb — Rodrigo LAVINS — Dynamo Riga
• 35 — 5’10″ 180 lb — Olegs SOROKINS — Dynamo Riga
• 33 — 6’3″ 220 lb — Atvars TRIBUNCOVS — HC Karlovy Vary
• 30 — 6’0″ 205 lb — Arvids REKIS — EHC Wolfsburg
• 28 — 6’1″ 210 lb — Georgijs PUJACS — Sibir Novosibirsk
• 28 — 6’2″ 190 lb — Krisjanis REDLIHS — Dynamo Riga
• 27 — 6’1″ 190 lb — Jekabs REDLIHS — Dynamo Riga
• 27 — 6’2″ 200 lb — Agris SAVIELS — Metallurg Zhlobin
• 27 — 5’11″ 190 lb — Maksims SIROKOVS — HK Nitra 
• 25 — 6’2″ 190 lb — Aleksdrs YEROFEYEVS — Mtlrg  Novokuznetsk
• 23 — 6’1″ 190 lb — Guntis GALVINS — Dynamo Riga 
• 23 — 6’2″ 194 lb — Janis ANDERSONS — HC Trinec
• 22 — 6’2″ 184 lb — Oskars BARTULIS — PHILADELPHIA
• 22 — 6’0″ 190 lb — Kristaps SOTNIEKS — Dynamo Riga
• 21 — 6’2″ 195 lb — Arturs KULDA — Chicago (AHL)
• 21 — 6’2″ 190 lb — Oskars CIBULSKIS — Dynamo Jrs. Riga
• 20 — 6’4″ 204 lb — Kriss GRUNDMANIS — Dynamo Jrs. Riga

Forwards

• 34 — 5’9″ 176 lb — Aleksandrs MACIJEVSKIS — IK SonderjyskE
• 34 — 6’1″ 195 lb — Girts ANKIPANS — Dynamo Riga
• 33 — 5’10″ 185 lb — Herberts VASILJEVS — EV Krefeld
• 33 — 5’10″ 170 lb — Aleksandrs NIZIVIJS — Dynamo Riga
• 30 — 6’4″ 240 lb — Raitis IVANANS — LOS ANGELES
• 29 — 5’11″ 185 lb — Martins CIPULIS — Dynamo Riga
• 29 — 5’10″ 190 lb — Vladimirs MAMONOVS — Metalurgs Liepaja
• 28 — 6’0″ 190 lb — Aleksejs SIROKOVS — Amur Khabarovsk
• 28 — 5’10″ 175 lb — Viktors BLINOVS — Metallurg Zhlobin
• 27 — 6’3″ 215 lb — Janis SPRUKTS — Dynamo Riga
• 27 — 6’3″ 198 lb — Juris STALS — Quad City (IHL)
• 26 — 6’0″ 195 lb — Edijs BRAHMANIS — Metalurgs Liepaja
• 25 — 5’10″ 180 lb — Mikelis REDLIHS — Dynamo Riga
• 25 — 6’3″ 190 lb — Vladislavs VODOLAZSKIS — Rossoblu Milan
• 24 — 6’2″ 185 lb — Lauris DARZINS — Dynamo Riga
• 24 — 5’11″ 165 lb — Guntis DZERINS — HK Ozolniecki/Monarhs
• 24 — 6’3″ 185 lb — Raimonds DANILICS — Swindon Wildcats
• 23 — 5’10″ 192 lb — Martins KARSUMS — Norfolk (AHL)
• 23 — 5’9″ 165 lb — Elvis ZELUBOVSKIS — HK Gomel
• 22 — 6’3″ 190 lb — Kaspars SAULIETIS — Dynamo Minsk
• 22 — 6’0″ 175 lb — Gints MEIJA — Dynamo Riga
• 22 — 6’2″ 200 lb — Sergejs PECURA — Krylja Sovetov
• 22 — 6’0″ 180 lb — Toms HARTMANIS — Dynamo Jrs. Riga
• 21 — 6’0″ 205 lb — Kaspars DAUGAVINS — Binghamton (AHL)
• 21 — 6’2″ 180 lb — Andris DZERINS — Dynamo Riga
• 20 — 5’11″ 198 lb — Roberts JEKIMOVS — Dynamo Jrs. Riga 
• 19 — 6’0″ 190 lb — Alberts ILISKO — IF Nynashamns

Finnish defenseman AKI-PETTERI BERG (7) spills Swedish forward FREDRIK MODIN (33) over top of goaltender ANTERO NIITYMAKI in the Gold Medal Match at the 2006 Winter Olympic Games in Turin, Italy. The Finns fell at the final hurdle 3-2 to their Nordic neighbors and arch-rivals. Finland have earned two silver and two bronze medals at the Olympics.

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The two men chiefly responsible for the selection of Finland’s Olympic team competing in Vancouver this February are none other than former NHL star JARI KURRI, who was, of course, Wayne Greztky’s long-time sidekick with the Edmonton Oilers and one-time NHL defense prospect TIMO JUTILA, who appeared at 13 major international tournaments (95 ga, 17 go 25 as, 42 pts) for the Finns in the 1980s and 90s.

The Finnish national team coach is JUKKA JALONEN, who replaced former Pittsburgh Penquin player DOUG SHEDDEN in 2008.

FINLAND PRELIMINARY ROSTER

Goaltenders

• 33 — 6’1″ 184 lb — Miikka KIPRUSOFF — CALGARY
• 32 — 5’10″ 198 lb — Vesa TOSKALA — TORONTO
• 31 — 6’1″ 189 lb — Niklas BACKSTROM — MINNESOTA
• 29 — 6’1″ 190 lb — Antero NIITYMAKI — TAMPA BAY
• 27 — 6’5″ 207 lb — Pekka RINNE — NASHVILLE
• 26 — 6’4″ 215 lb — Kari LEHTONEN — ATLANTA

Defensemen

• 37 — 5’10″ 185 lb — Petteri NUMMELIN — HC Lugano
• 35 — 6’3″ 204 lb — Sami SALO — VANCOUVER
• 34 — 5’10″ 194 lb — Kimmo TIMONEN — PHILADELPHIA
• 33 — 6’2″ 195 lb — Jyrki VALIVAARA — JyPHT Jyvaskyla
• 32 — 6’1″ 210 lb — Toni LYDMAN — BUFFALO
• 31 — 6’1″ 195 lb — Mikko LEHTONEN — HC Vastra Frolunda
• 30 — 5’11″ 187 lb — Teemu AALTO — Karpat Oulu
• 29 — 6’4″ 212 lb — Ossi VAANANEN — Dynamo Minsk
• 29 — 6’1″ 205 lb — Mikko JOKELA — Dynamo Minsk
• 28 — 6’0″ 198 lb — Janne NISKALA — HC Vastra Frolunda
• 28 — 6’0″ 187 lb — Lasse KUKKONEN — Avangard Omsk
• 27 — 6’7″ 220 lb — Olli MALMIVAARA — JyPHT Jyvaskyla
• 27 — 6’0″ 185 lb — Markus SEIKOLA — Ilves Tampere
• 26 — 6’3″ 210 lb — Joni PITKANEN — CAROLINA
• 26 — 6’1″ 190 lb — Topi JAAKOLA — SK Sodertalje
• 25 — 6’1″ 200 lb — Anssi SALMELA — ATLANTA
• 25 — 6’0″ 190 lb — Sami LEPISTO — PHOENIX

Forwards

• 39 — 6’0″ 196 lb — Teemu SELANNE — ANAHEIM
• 36 — 6’0″ 194 lb — Jere LEHTINEN — DALLAS
• 36 — 5’11″ 185 lb — Ville PELTONEN — Dynamo Minsk
• 36 — 5’10″ 185 lb — Sami KAPANEN — Kalpa Kuopio
• 35 — 5’10″ 178 lb — Saku KOIVU — ANAHEIM
• 34 — 6’1″ 204 lb — Jarkko RUUTU — OTTAWA
• 31 — 6’3″ 215 lb — Olli JOKINEN — CALGARY
• 30 — 6’0″ 210 lb — Niklas HAGMAN — TORONTO
• 30 — 5’9″ 180 lb — Niko KAPANEN — Ak Bars Kazan
• 29 — 6’0″ 190 lb — Antti MIETTINEN — MINNESOTA
• 29 — 6’0″ 200 lb — Riku HAHL — HC Vastra Frolunda
• 28 — 6’0″ 190 lb — Mika PYORALA — PHILADELPHIA
• 27 — 6’0″ 210 lb — Jarkko IMMONEN — Ak Bars Kazan
• 27 — 5’11″ 180 lb — Janne PESONEN — Ak Bars Kazan
• 26 — 6’2″ 200 lb — Mikko KOIVU — MINNESOTA
• 26 — 5’11″ 198 lb — Jussi JOKINEN — CAROLINA
• 26 — 6’0″ 205 lb — Tuomo RUUTU — CAROLINA
• 26 — 6’1″ 190 lb — Ville LEINO — DETROIT
• 25 — 5’10″ 205 lb — Sean BERGENHEIM — NY ISLANDERS
• 25 — 6’0″ 193 lb — Valtteri FILPPULA — DETROIT
• 25 — 5’11″ 185 lb — Antti PIHLSTROM — BK Farjestad Karlstad
• 25 — 6’0″ 197 lb — Petri KONTIOLA — Metallurg Magnitogorsk
• 23 — 6’1″ 196 lb — Lauri KORPIKOSKI — PHOENIX
• 23 — 6’1″ 194 lb — Petteri NOKELAINEN — ANAHEIM
• 22 — 6’4″ 215 lb — Oskar OSALA — Hershey (AHL)

Aging former NHL defenseman ANDERS MYRVOLD (54) as well as veteran center TORE VIKINGSTAD (29) are two whose experience Norway will need at the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver, Canada. It was Vikingstad who scored perhaps the most important goal in Norwegian hockey history with game-winner in Norway's shocking 4-3 upset victory over Canada at the 2000 IIHF World Championships in St. Petersburg, Russia.

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NORWAY PRELIMINARY ROSTER

Goaltenders

• 32 — 6’2″ 194 lb — Pal GROTNES — IF Stjernen
• 28 — 6’2″ 200 lb — Halvor HARSTAD-EVJEN — IF Frisk Asker
• 24 — 6’0″ 195 lb — Mathias GUNDERSEN — IF Sparta Sarpsborg
• 22 — 6’0″ 175 lb — Ruben SMITH — IF Storhamar
• 21 — 6’4″ 245 lb — Andre LYSENSTOEN — HeKi Heinola

Defensemen

• 39 — 5’8″ 190 lb — Tommy JAKOBSEN — IK Lorenskog
• 37 — 5’11″ 200 lb — Erik RYMAN — AIK Stockholm
• 35 — 6’2″ 210 lb — Lars Erik LUND — IF Valerenga
• 35 — 6’0″ 185 lb — Mathias LIVF — IF Storhamar
• 34 — 6’2″ 207 lb — Anders MYRVOLD — IF Stjernen
• 33 — 5’10″ 183 lb — Mats TRYGG — EC Koeln
• 30 — 6’2″ 195 lb — Juha KAUNISMAKI — IF Stavanger
• 29 — 5’11″ 185 lb — Matthias HOLMSTEDT — IK Vasteras
• 26 — 5’8″ 175 lb — Cato ORBAEK — IF Storhamar
• 25 — 6’2″ 210 lb — Ole-Kristian TOLLEFSEN — PHILADELPHIA
• 22 — 5’11″ 210 lb — Jonas HOLOS — BK Farjestad Karlstad
• 22 — 5’11″ 183 lb — Alex BONSAKSEN — Mo Do Ornskoldsvik
• 21 — 5’10″ 187 lb — Henrik ODEGAARD — IF Frisk Asker

Forwards

• 34 — 6’3″ 205 lb — Tore VIKINGSTAD — EC Hannover
• 31 — 5’11″ 200 lb — Per-Age SKRODER — Mo Do Orsnkoldsvik
• 31 — 6’1″ 195 lb — Mads HANSEN — IF Brynas Galve
• 31 — 6’0″ 190 lb — Kjell Richard NYGARD — IF Valerenga
• 29 — 6’3″ 215 lb — Anders BASTIANSEN — BK Farjestad Karlstad
• 29 — 6’1″ 200 lb — Morten ASK — EC Nuremburg
• 28 — 6’0″ 187 lb — Jonas ANDERSEN — IF Sparta Sarpsborg
• 28 — 5’11″ 200 lb — Erik SKADSDAMMEN — IF Storhamar
• 28 — 6’4″ 210 lb — Lars Peder NAGEL — IF Stavanger
• 28 — 6’0″ 200 lb — Alexander NERVIK — IF Valerenga
• 27 — 6’3″ 200 lb — Knut Henrik SPETS — IF Valerenga
• 26 — 5’11″ 185 lb — Patrick THORESEN — Salavat Yulayev Ufa
• 26 — 6’0″ 185 lb — Peter LORENTZEN — IF Stavanger
• 25 — 6’0″ 180 lb — Marius HOLTET — BK Farjestad Karlstad
• 24 — 5’10″ 180 lb — Lars Erik SPETS — IF Valerenga
• 24 — 5’11″ 195 lb — Steffen THORESEN — IF Valerenga
• 23 — 6’0″ 190 lb — Martin ROYMARK — HC Vastra Frolunda
• 23 — 5’10″ 175 lb — Mathis OLIMB — HC Vastra Frolunda
• 23 — 6’1″ 180  lb — Kristian FORSBERG — Mo Do Ornskoldsvik
• 22 — 5’7″ 160 lb — Mats Z. AASEN — Mo Do Ornskoldsvik
• 21 — 6’2″ 210 lb — Mats FROSHAUG — HC Linkoping
• 20 — 6’3″ 210 lb — Martin L. YLVEN — HC Linkoping 
• 20 — 5’10″ 175 lb — Ken Andre OLIMB — IF Frisk Asker
• 19 — 6’3″ 205 lb — Andreas MARTINSEN — IF Leksand

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MATS FROSHAUG, an outside shot to make the final Olympic roster for Norway, was drafted in the 6th round (# 161 overall) of the 2008 NHL Draft by the Winter Games host city’s Vancouver Canucks.

KRISTIAN FORSBERG, playing his first year in the Swedish Elite League with Mo Do Ornskoldsvik, is no relation to his famous club teammate — Sweden’s Olympic champion PETER FORSBERG.

Sault Ste Marie, Ontario, native as well as former Montreal Canadien and Toronto Maple Leaf PAUL DIPIETRO scored both goals in Switzerland's shock 2-0 shutout of Canada at the 2006 Winter Olympic Games in Turin, Italy. DiPietro has made four appearances (27 ga, 8 go 8 as, 16 pts) at major international tournaments for Switzerland.

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Swiss head coach RALPH KRUEGER, a former Canadian junior player who represented West Germany internationally in the 1980s, announced his preliminary list of 40 candidates for the Olympic squad in October :

SWITZERLAND PRELIMINARY ROSTER

Goaltenders

• 36 — 6’0″ 185 lb — Ronnie RUEGER — EHC Kloten
• 35— 5’11″ 198 lb — Martin GERBER — Atlant Mytischy Moscow
• 27 — 6’2″ 190 lb — Jonas HILLER — ANAHEIM
• 25 — 6’3″ 185 lb — Tobias STEPHAN — HC Servette Geneva
• 25 — 6’0″ 185 lb — Daniel MANZATO — SC Rapperswil-Jona
• 22 — 6’0″ 190 lb — Leonardo GENONI — HC Davos

Defensemen

• 32 — 6’0″ 197 lb — Mark STREIT — NY ISLANDERS
• 32 — 5’11″ 185 lb — Mathias SEGER — SC Zurich
• 29 — 6’3″ 225 lb — Goran BEZINA — HC Servette Geneva
• 28 — 5’11″ 185 lb — John GOBBI — HC Servette Geneva
• 27 — 5’11″ 200 lb — Beat GERBER — SC Bern
• 26 — 5’11″ 195 lb — Severin BLINDENBACHER — BK Farjestad
• 26 — 6’2″ 215 lb — Beat FORSTER — HC Davos
• 26 — 6’1″ 170 lb — Felicien DU BOIS — EHC Kloten
• 24 — 6’1″ 198 lb — Philipp FURRER — SC Bern
• 24 — 5’11″ 183 lb — Patrick VON GUNTEN — EHC Kloten
• 23 — 5’11″ 190 lb — Raphael DIAZ — EV Zug
• 21 — 5’11″ 195 lb — Yannick WEBER — Hamilton (AHL) 
• 19 — 6’2″ 203 lb — Lucas SBISA — Lethbridge (WHL jrs)
• 19 — 6’1″ 192 lb — Roman JOSI — SC Bern

Forwards

• 39 — 5’9″ 180 lb — Paul DIPIETRO — EV Zug
• 34 — 6’0″ 210 lb — Thierry PATERLINI — SC Rapperswil-Jona
• 33 — 6’0″ 190 lb — Hnat DOMENICHELLI — HC Lugano
• 33 — 5’8″ 170 lb — Ivo RUETHEMANN — SC Bern
• 33 — 5’11″ 180 lb — Sandy JEANNIN — SC Zurich
• 32 — 5’9″ 185 lb — Martin PLUESS — SC Bern
• 31 — 5’11″ 187 lb — Thomas ZIEGLER — SC Bern
• 31 — 6’5″ 230 lb — Ryan GARDNER — SC Zurich
• 29 — 6’3″ 225 lb — Marc REICHERT — SC Bern
• 27 — 6’1″ 190 lb — Thomas DERUNS — HC Servette Geneva
• 27 — 5’11″ 170 lb — Duri CAMICHEL — EV Zug
• 27 — 6’0″ 190 lb — Thibaut MONNET — SC Zurich
• 26 — 5’10″ 192 lb — Andres AMBUEHL — Hartford (AHL)
• 26 — 6’2″ 205 lb — Raffaele SANNITZ — HC Lugano
• 25 — 6’0″ 190 lb — Romano LEMM — HC Lugano
• 25 — 5’10″ 195 lb — Patrik BAERTSCHI — EV Zug
• 24 — 6’0″ 194 lb — Kevin ROMY — HC Lugano
• 24 — 6’0″ 183 lb — Peter GUGGISBERG — HC Davos
• 23 — 6’3″ 192 lb — Julien SPRUNGER — HC Fribourg-Gotteron
• 23 — 6’2″ 196 lb — Roman WICK — EHC Kloten

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Lucas SBISA, the 2008 1st round selection (# 19 overall) who played 39 games (0 go 7 as) for the Philadelphia Flyers last season, was returned to junior hockey by the Anaheim Ducks in late October. Sbisa had eight games with no points for the Ducks this fall. 

KEVIN ROMY is a Philadelphia Flyers 4th round choice (# 108 overall) from HC Servette Geneva in 2003.

Germany's MARCO STURM takes a break during the 2004 World Cup of Hockey. Sturm, a veteran of over 800 NHL games for the San Jose Sharks and Boston Bruins, has appeared at six major internationals for Germany (32 ga, 9 go 4 as, 13 pts).

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GERMANY PRELIMINARY ROSTER

Goaltenders

• 26 — 6’0″ 200 lb — Dmitri PATZOLD — ERC Ingolstadt
• 24 — 6’0″ 170 lb — Dennis ENDRAS — EV Augsburg
• 24 — 6’0″ 198 lb — Jochen REIMER — EHC Wolfsburg
• 23 — 6’1″ 210 lb — Thomas GREISS — SAN JOSE
• 23 — 6’2″ 187 lb — Youri ZIFFZER — EC Hannover
• 22 — 6’0″ 190 lb — Sebastinen STEFANISZIN — ECD Iserlohn

Defensemen

• 30 — 6’3″ 198 lb — Michael BAKOS — ERC Ingolstadt
• 28 — 6’1″ 210 lb — Dennis SEIDENBERG — FLORIDA
• 27 — 6’3″ 230 lb — Christoph SCHUBERT — ATLANTA
• 27 — 6’2″ 200 lb — Christian EHRHOFF — VANCOUVER
• 26 — 6’1″ 203 lb — Sebastien OSTERLOH — Eint. Frankfurt
• 25 — 6’1″ 204 lb — Alexander SULZER — NASHVILLE
• 24 — 5’11″ 180 lb — Frank HOERDLER — Eisbaeren Berlin
• 24 — 5’11″ 180 lb — Jens BAXMANN — Eisbaeren Berlin
• 24 — 6’1″ 200 lb — Steffen TOELZER — EV Augsburg
• 24 — 6’2″ 180 lb — Benedict SCHOPPER — EV Krefeld
• 23 — 5’10″ 172 lb — Robert DIETRICH — Milwaukee (AHL)
• 23 — 6’0″ 205 lb — Nikolai GOC — EC Hannover
• 23 — 5’10″ 195 lb — Moritz MUELLER — EC Koeln
• 23 — 6’1″ 190 lb — Andy REISS — EC Hannover
• 23 — 6’3″ 205 lb — Justin KRUEGER — Cornell Univ.
• 21 — 6’3″ 205 lb — Korbinian HOLZER — EG Dusseldorf
• 20 — 6’4″ 214 lb — Denis REUL — ERC Mannheim

Forwards

• 32 — 6’1″ 200 lb — Jochen HECHT — BUFFALO
• 31 — 6’1″ 194 lb — Marco STURM — BOSTON
• 28 — 6’0″ 187 lb — Michael HACKERT — ERC Mannheim
• 28 — 5’10″ 176 lb — Michael WOLF — ECD Iserlohn
• 26 — 6’1″ 202 lb — Marcel GOC — NASHVILLE
• 26 — 5’10″ 170 lb — Alexander BARTA — EHC Hamburg
• 25 — 5’8″ 176 lb — Yannic SEIDENBERG — ERC Mannheim
• 25 — 5’11″ 176 lb — Manuel KLINGE — EC Kassel
• 24 — 6’1″ 202 lb — Marcus KINK — ERC Mannheim
• 24 — 6’1″ 196 lb — Andre RANKEL — Eisbaeren Berlin
• 24 — 5’11″ 182 lb — Kai HOSPELT — EHC Wolfsburg
• 24 — 5’10″ 179 lb — Uli MAURER — EV Augsburg
• 22 — 6’2″ 176 lb — Philipp GOGULLA — Portland (AHL)
• 22 — 5’11″ 187 lb — Felix SCHUETZ — Portland (AHL)
• 22 — 5’11″ 170 lb — Alexander WEISS — Eisbaeren Berlin
• 21 — 6’3″ 196 lb — Constantin BRAUN — Eisbaeren Berlin
• 21 — 6’4″ 212 lb — Marcel MUELLER — EC Koeln
• 21 — 6’7″ 243 lb — Elia OSTWALD — EHC Hamburg
• 21 — 6’1″ 180 lb — Frank MAUER — ERC Mannheim
• 20 — 6’1″ 180 lb — Thomas OPPENHEIMER — Eintr. Frankfurt

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The recent return of defenseman ALEXANDER SULZER from the Milwaukee Admirals of the American Hockey League to the Nashville Predators has to be encouraging for both Germany and head coach UWE KRUPP.

Sulzer, who has reasonable size, has also improved on his point-per-game totals in each of his three seasons in the minors :

• 32 pts, 7 go 25 as, 61 ga — 07-08 — Milwaukee (AHL)
• 34 pts, 8 go 26 as, 48 ga — 08-09 — Milwaukee (AHL)
• 10 pts, 1 go 9 as, 10 ga —– 09-10 — Milwaukee (AHL)

In his second stint with the Predators this season, Sulzer currently has one assist from seven games for Nashville. Sulzer, 25, made his NHL debut with a pair of games last season.

MIROSLAV SATAN holds aloft the trophy for Slovakia's triumph at the 2002 IIHF World Championships in Sweden. Slovakia defeated Russia 4-3 in the gold medal match. Satan, who has appeared at 12 major international tournaments for Slovakia (78 ga, 37 go 33 as, 70 pts), is currently out of contract.

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SLOVAKIA PRELIMINARY ROSTER

Goaltenders

• 30 — 6’0″ 205 lb — Jan LASAK — HK Kosice
• 27 — 6’1″ 200 lb — Peter BUDAJ — COLORADO
• 24 — 5’11″ 179 lb — Jaroslav HALAK — MONTREAL
• 20 — 6’0″ 192 lb — Jaroslav JANUS — Erie (OHL jrs)

Defensemen

• 33 — 5’10″ 188 lb — Lubomir VISNOVSKY — EDMONTON
• 33 — 6’1″ 210 lb — Jaroslav OBSUT — Spartak Moscow
• 32 — 6’9″ 258 lb — Zdeno CHARA — BOSTON
• 32 — 6’3″ 215 lb — Richard LINTNER — Dynamo Minsk
• 30 — 6’0″ 214 lb — Peter SMREK — Severstal Cherepovets 
• 26 — 6’4″ 236 lb — Milan JURCINA — WASHINGTON
• 24 — 6’2″ 223 lb — Andrej MESZAROS — TAMPA BAY
• 24 — 6’2″ 200 lb — Ivan BARANKA — Spartak Moscow
• 23 — 6’7″ 245 lb — Boris VALABIK — ATLANTA
• 23 — 6’0″ 197 lb — Andrej SEKERA — BUFFALO
• 22 — 6’8″ 231 lb — Vladimir MIHALIK — Norfolk (AHL)

Forwards

• 37 — 6’3″ 224 lb — Jozef STUMPEL — Barys Astana
• 37 — 5’10″ 180 lb — Zigmund PALFFY — HK 36 Skalica
• 35 — 6’0″ 200 lb — Pavol DEMITRA — VANCOUVER
• 35 — 6’1″ 195 lb — Miroslav SATAN — no club
• 33 — 6’0″ 200 lb — Richard ZEDNIK — Lokomotiv Yaroslavl
• 33 — 6’0″ 185 lb — Lubos BARTECKO — SC Bern
• 32 — 6’4″ 216 lb — Michal HANDZUS — LOS ANGELES
• 30 — 6’1″ 210 lb — Marian HOSSA — CHICAGO
• 30 — 5’11″ 183 lb — Ladislav NAGY — Severstal Cherepovets
• 30 — 5’9″ 197 lb — Peter SEJNA — SC Zurich
• 29 — 6’1″ 205 lb — Branko RADIVOJEVIC — Spartak Moscow
• 29 — 6’2″ 202 lb — Martin CIBAK — Spartak Moscow
• 29 — 5’11″ 192 lb — Juraj KOLNIK — HC Servette Geneva
• 28 — 6’0″ 196 lb — Marcel HOSSA — Dynamo Riga
• 27 — 6’1″ 200 lb — Marian GABORIK — NY RANGERS
• 27 — 6’3″ 203 lb — Tomas KOPECKY — CHICAGO 
• 27 — 5’10″ 185 lb — Marek SVATOS — COLORADO
• 24 — 6’0″ 205 lb — Stefan RUZICKA — Spartak Moscow
• 24 — 6’2″ 194 lb — Peter OLVECKY — Milwaukee (AHL)
• 22 — 6’2″ 200 lb — Juraj MIKUS — Manchester (AHL)
• 19 — 5’10″ 176 lb — Tomas TATAR — Grand Rapids (AHL)

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One familiar Slovak name left off this roster released in August would be veteran goalie ROSTISLAV STANA of Kontinental Hockey League club Severstal Cherepovets.

Stana, a one-time Washington Capital, has appeared at nine majors for Slovakia and played in a dozen contests. The 29-year-old did play two games (1.92 avg) at the 2009 IIHF World Championships in Switzerland last spring.

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The list of 60 players on the Czech Republic Olympic preliminary roster as announced this past October by head coach VLADIMIR RUZICKA, who was the captain of his nation’s gold medal squad at the 1998 Nagano Games:

CZECH REPUBLIC PRELIMIINARY ROSTER

Goaltenders

• 44 — 6’2″ 180 lb — Dominik HASEK — HC Pardubice
• 33 — 6’0″ 205 lb — Tomas VOKOUN — FLORIDA
• 26 — 6’3″ 196 lb — Miroslav KOPRIVA — HC Kladno
• 25 — 5’8″ 168 lb — Lukas MENSATOR — HC Karlovy Vary
• 23 — 6’3″ 220 lb — Ondrej PAVELEC — ATLANTA
• 23 — 5’11″ 190 lb — Marek SCHWARZ — HC Mlada Boleslav
• 23 — 6’0″ 160 lb — Jakub STEPANEK — HC Vitkovice
• 22 — 6’1″ 190 lb — Alexander SALAK — Rochester (AHL)

Defensmen

• 36 — 6’1″ 190 lb — Frantisek KABERLE — HC Kladno
• 35 — 6’2″ 207 lb — Roman HAMRLIK — MONTREAL
• 35 — 6’0″ 210 lb — Jaroslav SPACEK — MONTREAL
• 33 — 6’1″ 203 lb — Radek MARTINEK — NY ISLANDERS
• 33 — 6’4″ 230 lb — Filip KUBA — OTTAWA
• 32 — 6’4″ 250 lb — Pavel KUBINA — ATLANTA
• 32 — 5’11″ 190 lb — Marek ZIDLICKY — MINNESOTA
• 31 — 6’3″ 229 lb — Jan HEJDA — COLUMBUS
• 31 — 6’2″ 205 lb — Michal ROSIZVAL — NY RANGERS
• 31 — 6’1″ 214 lb — Tomas KABERLE — TORONTO
• 30 — 6’3″ 226 lb — Martin SKOULA — PITTSBURGH
• 30 — 6’2″ 200 lb — Karel RACHUNEK — Dynamo Moscow
• 30 — 6’4″ 220 lb — Petr CASLAVA — IK Timra
• 27 — 5’11″ 183 lb — Miroslav BLATAK — Salavat Yulayev Ufa
• 27 — 6’2″ 210 lb — Zbynek MICHALEK — PHOENIX
• 26 — 6’3″ 205 lb — Lukas KRAJICEK — TAMPA BAY
• 25 — 6’3″ 225 lb — Michal BARINKA — HC Vitkovice
• 25 — 5’11″ 203 lb — Ondrej NEMEC — HC Karlovy Vary
• 23 — 6’1″ 225 lb — Roman POLAK — ST. LOUIS

Forwards

• 38 — 6’1″ 205 lb — Martin RUCINSKY — Sparta Prague
• 37 — 6’3″ 229 lb — Jaromir JAGR — Avangard Omsk
• 37 — 5’9″ 179 lb — Martin STRAKA — HC Plzen
• 34 — 6’2″ 198 lb — Vaclav PROSPAL — NY RANGERS
• 34 — 5’11″ 180 lb — Petr CAJANEK — SKA St. Petersburg
• 33 — 6’0″ 190 lb — Milan HEJDUK — COLORADO
• 33 — 6’1″ 195 lb — Patrik ELIAS — NEW JERSEY
• 33 — 6’0″ 190 lb — Petr SYKORA — MINNESOTA
• 33 — 5’10″ 176 lb — Jaroslav HLINKA — HC Linkoping
• 33 — 6’0″ 185 lb — Jaroslav BEDNAR — Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod
• 32 — 6’2″ 200 lb — Radek DVORAK — FLORIDA
• 31 — 5’11″ 192 lb — Jan BULIS — Atlant Mytischy Moscow
• 30 — 6’1″ 225 lb — Ales KOTALIK — NY RANGERS
• 30 — 6’0″ 198 lb — Petr HUBACEK — HC Vitkovice
• 29 — 5’10″ 185 lb — Tomas ROLINEK — Metallurg Magnitogorsk
• 29 — 5″10″ 179 lb — Jan MAREK — Metallurg Magnitogorsk 
• 29 — 6’4″ 200 lb — Josef VASICEK — Lokomotiv Yaroslavl 
• 29 — 5’10″ 183 lb — Zbynek IRGL — Lokomotiv Yaroslavl
• 28 — 6’2″ 217 lb — Martin HAVLAT — MINNESOTA
• 28 — 6’0″ 200 lb — Martin ERAT — NASHVILLE
• 27 — 5’11″ 198 lb — Tomas PLEKANEC — MONTREAL
• 26 — 6’0″ 192 lb — Ales HEMSKY — EDMONTON
• 26 — 6’2″ 185 lb — Jiri NOVOTNY — Atlant Mytischy Moscow
• 25 — 6’2″ 225 lb — Milan MICHALEK — OTTAWA
• 25 — 6’1″ 192 lb — Tomas FLEISCHMANN — WASHINGTON
• 25 — 5’9″ 183 lb — Jiri HUDLER — Dynamo Moscow
• 25 — 6’1″ 210 lb — Jakub KLEPIS — Avangard Omsk
• 24 — 6’1″ 214 lb — Rostislav OLESZ — FLORIDA
• 24 — 5’11″ 187 lb — Roman CERVENKA — Slavia Prague
• 24 — 5’11″ 192 lb — Marek KVAPIL — HC Vitkovice
• 23 — 6’0″ 177 lb — David KREJCI — BOSTON
• 22 — 6’6″ 228 lb — Michal HANZAL — PHOENIX
• 21 — 6’1″ 185 lb — Michael FROLIK — FLORIDA

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PETR SVOBODA, who, as a member of the Philadelphia Flyers, scored the lone goal in the 1-0 victory over Russia which gave the Czech Republic the 1998 gold medal, is acting as a consultant to Olympic teammate Ruzicka.

United States center MIKE MODANO reacts to a puck that has beaten Kazakhstan netminder VITALY KOLESNIK for a goal at the 2006 Winter Olympic Games in Turin, Italy. The US defeated Kazakhstan 4-1 in round-robin play. Modano, 39, is a three-time Olympian and has appeared at nine major international tournaments (57 ga, 14 go 27 as, 41 pts).

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The 34 players who were invited to the United States’ pre-Olympic camp in Woodbridge, Illinois this past August:

UNITED STATES PRELIMINARY ROSTER

Goaltenders

• 35 — 5’11″ 201 lb — Tim THOMAS — Boston
• 29 — 6’2″ 175 lb — Ryan MILLER — Buffalo
• 23 — 6’1″ 223 lb — Jonathan QUICK — Los Angeles

Defensemen

• 36 — 5’10″ 194 lb — Brian RAFALSKI — Detroit
• 30 — 6’1″ 211 lb — Rob SCUDERI — Los Angeles
• 29 — 6’2″ 219 lb — Brooks ORPIK — Pittsburgh
• 28 — 6’3″ 210 lb — Ron HAINSEY — Atlanta
• 28 — 6’1″ 200 lb — Paul MARTIN — New Jersey
• 27 — 6’4″ 243 lb — Mike KOMISAREK — Toronto
• 26 — 6’3″ 206 lb — Tom GILBERT — Edmonton
• 26 — 6’3″ 210 lb — Ryan WHITNEY — Anaheim
• 26 — 6’0″ 217 lb — Tim GLEASON — Carolina
• 24 — 6’1″ 198 lb — Ryan SUTER — Nashville
• 22 — 6’0″ 218 lb — Jack JOHNSON — Los Angeles
• 21 — 6’4″ 236 lb — Erik JOHNSON — St. Louis

Forwards

• 39 — 6’3″ 212 lb — Mike MODANO — Dallas
• 34 — 6’1″ 205 lb — Jamie LANGENBRUNNER — New Jersey
• 33 — 5’10″ 190 lb — Chris DRURY — NY Rangers
• 30 — 6’4″ 220 lb — Ryan MALONE — Tampa Bay
• 29 — 5’11″ 202 lb — Scott GOMEZ — Montreal
• 25 — 6’0″ 212 lb — David BOOTH — Florida
• 25 — 6’0″ 208 lb — Dustin BROWN — Los Angeles
• 25 — 5’11″ 190 lb — Zach PARISE — New Jersey
• 25 — 6’3″ 225 lb — David BACKES — St. Louis
• 25 — 5’11″ 190 lb — Joe PAVELSKI — San Jose
• 24 — 5’11″ 188 lb — Ryan CALLAHAN — NY Rangers
• 24 — 6’4″ 257″ lb — Dustin BYFUGLIEN — Chicago
• 23 — 6’3″ 205 lb — Paul STASTNY — Colorado
• 22 — 5’11″ 194 lb — T. J. OSHIE — St. Louis
• 22 — 5’11″ 180 lb — Phil KESSEL — Toronto
• 22 — 6’2″ 208 lb — Bobby RYAN — Anaheim
• 21 — 5’10″ 178 lb — Patrick KANE — Chicago
• 21 — 6’1″ 200 lb — Kyle OPOSO — NY Islanders

Pittsburgh Penquin and Stanley Cup champion SIDNEY CROSBY will be making his Olympic debut this February in Vancouver.

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The 46 players who were invited to attend the pre-Olympic orientation camp this past August in Calgary :

CANADA PRELIMINARY ROSTER

Goaltenders

• 37 – 6’2″ 215 lb — Martin BRODEUR — New Jersey
• 30 – 6’3″ 205 lb — Roberto LUONGO — Vancouver
• 25 – 6’2″ 180 lb — Jean-Marc FLEURY — Pittsburgh
• 25 – 6’1″ 185 lb — Cam WARD — Carolina
• 21 – 6’4″ 220 lb — Steve MASON — Columbus

Defensemen

• 36 – 6’1″ 194 lb — Scott NIEDERMAYER — Anaheim
• 35 – 6’6″ 214 lb — Chris PRONGER — Philadelphia
• 33 – 5’11″ 190 lb — Dan BOYLE — San Jose
• 32 – 5’11″ 193 lb — Stephane ROBIDAS — Dallas
• 29 – 6’0″ 213 lb — Francois BEAUCHEMIN — Toronto
• 29 – 6’3″ 225 lb — Robin REGEHR — Calgary
• 26 – 6’4″ 212 lb — Jay BOUWMEESTER — Calgary
• 26 – 61″ 209 lb — Dan HAMHUIS — Nashville
• 26 – 6’1″ 196 lb — Duncan KEITH — Chicago
• 24 – 6’3″ 218 lb — Brent SEABROOK — Chicago
• 24 – 6’3″ 214 lb — Dion PHANEUF — Calgary
• 24 – 6’5″ 219 lb — Brent BURNS — Minnesota
• 24 – 6’4″ 234 lb — Shea WEBER — Nashville
• 24 – 6’1″ 204 lb — Mike GREEN — Washington
• 22 – 6’4″ 209 lb — Marc STAAL — NY Rangers
• 19 – 6’0″ 211 lb — Drew DOUGHTY — Los Angeles

Forwards

• 34 – 5’9″ 177 lb — Martin ST. LOUIS — Tampa Bay
• 33 – 6’2″ 189 lb — Ryan SMYTH — Los Angeles
• 33 – 6’1″ 228 lb — Shane DOAN — Phoenix
• 32 – 6’1″ 207 lb — Jarome IGINLA — Calgary
• 32 – 5’11″ 190 lb — Andy MCDONALD — St. Louis
• 30 – 6’4″ 230 lb — Joe THORNTON — San Jose
• 30 – 6’2″ 220 lb — Patrick MARLEU — San Jose
• 30 – 6’0″ 205 lb — Dan CLEARY — Detroit
• 30 – 6’0″ 205 lb — Brendan MORROW — Dallas
• 29 – 6’4″ 223 lb — Vincent LECAVLIER — Tampa Bay
• 29 – 6’0″ 195 lb — Simon GAGNE — Philadelphia
• 28 – 6’4″ 220 lb — Dany HEATLEY — San Jose
• 27 – 6’1″ 199 lb — Patrick SHARP — Chicago
• 26 – 6’3″ 215 lb — Jason SPEZZA — Ottawa
• 26 – 5’9″ 188 lb — Derek ROY — Buffalo
• 25 – 6’4″ 218 lb — Rick NASH — Columbus
• 25 – 6’4″ 205 lb — Eric STAAL — Carolina
• 24 – 6’4″ 220 lb — Ryan GETZLAF — Anaheim
• 24 – 6’3″ 206 lb — Corey PERRY — Anaheim
• 24 – 6’3″ 200 lb — Jeff CARTER — Philadelphia
• 24 – 5’11″ 195 lb — Mike RICHARDS — Philadelphia
• 22 – 5’11″ 200 lb — Sidney CROSBY — Pittsburgh
• 21 – 6’4″ 220 lb — Jordan STAL — Pittsburgh
• 21 – 6’2″ 210 lb — Jonathan TOEWS — Chicago
• 21 – 6’4″ 220 lb — Milan LUCIC — Boston

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Philadelphia Flyers wing SIMON GAGNE has been on the long-term injury list, having undergone abdominal and hip surgery in early November. Gagne, who has struggled with injuries the past few seasons, was expected to miss six to eight weeks. Whether or not the two-time Olympian can regain game shape in time is a question the Canadian coaching staff will have to ponder before submission of their Olympic roster due December 31.