Krejčík and Novotný representing the Czech Republic at Karjala Cup; 4 Slovaks chosen for Deutschland Cup
Czech national team coach Alois Hadamczik announced on Tuesday the roster of the team he will take to the Karjala Cup tournament, which runs November 7 to 10 in Turku, Finland. Defenceman Jakub Krejčík and forward Jiří Novotný are on the main squad, while goaltender Tomáš Pöpperle is among the reserves.
Novotný, the 29-year-old Lev captain, has a wealth of international experience under his belt. He played in both the U18 and U20 World Junior Championships, and has also played in five of the last six World Championships at the elite level, totalling 15 points in 41 games while winning a gold medal and two bronzes. Overall, at the senior men´s level, he has 33 points in 95 games.
Krejčík, a 21-year-old defenceman, played five games in last year´s Euro Hockey Tour and six games at the World Championships. Overall, he has 3 points in 14 games.
The Karjala Cup is the first of four legs of the Euro Hockey Tour, a season-long event in which Europe´s four traditional hockey powers: Finland, Sweden, Russia and the Czech Republic, each host a round-robin tournament. The teams often use it to audition players for bigger international events, such as the IIHF World Championships or Winter Olympics.
Novotný and Krejčík are not the only two Lev players wearing their nations´ colours during the upcoming international break. Four players -- Marcel Hossa, forward Juraj Mikúš, defenceman Juraj Mikuš (two different players) and Michal Sersen -- will play for Slovakia at the Deutschland Cup, which runs November 9 to 11 in Munich, Germany.
Hossa, Mikúš and Sersen were all members of Slovakia´s silver-medal winning team at last spring´s World Championship in Helsinki. Tomáš Surový was also asked, but declined to spend time with his family.
Besides Slovakia and the host Germans, Canada and Switzerland will also participate in that one.
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