2014 IIHF World Championship Preview - Group B

Finland and Russia highlight the competition in Group B. The United States and Switzerland will pose a challenge as usual. The host Belarus will hope to give the home crowd a performance to remember. Latvia looks to build upon a great Olympic appearance. Germany and Italy round out the group.

Note: Most information from the IIHF website. Rosters are early registered ones, so players may be missing.

Teams

Belarus

Goalies:

Name	Club
Vitali Koval	Torpedo Nizhni Novgorod
Kevin Lalande	Dinamo Minsk
Andrei Mezin	Avangard Omsk

Defense:

Name	Club
Vladimir Denisov	Torpedo Nizhni Novgorod
Roman Graborenko	Albany Devils
Kirill Gotovets	Cornell University
Andrei Karev	Yunost Minsk
Dmitri Korobov	Syracuse Crunch
Nikolai Stasenko	Severstal Cherepovets
Ivan Usenko	Dinamo Minsk
Oleg Yevenko	UMass Lowell

Forwards:

Name	Club
Mikhail Grabovski	Washington Capitals
Alexei Kalyuzhny	Dinamo Minsk
Alexander Kitarov	Dinamo Minsk
Konstantin Koltsov	Atlant Mytishi
Andrei Kostitsyn	Traktor Chelyabinsk
Sergei Kostitsyn	Avangard Omsk
Yevgeni Kovyrshin	Severstal Cherepovets
Geoff Platt	Lokomotiv Yaroslavl
Andrei Stas	Dinamo Minsk
Andrei Stepanov	Amur Khabarovsk
Alexei Ugarov	Admiral Vladivostok
Artyom Volkov	Yunost Minsk
Alexei Yefimenko	Dinamo Minsk

World Ranking: 15th
Last Years Result: 14th
Top Threat: Host nation, so they got the home crowd behind them. There roster looks a lot better compared to last year.
Weakness: While they look good on paper, it will still be a challenge for this team to break through to the playoff round.
Predicted Finish: Round Robin

Finland

Goalies:

Name	Club
Mikko Koskinen	Sibir Novosibirsk
Pekka Rinne	Nashville Predators

Defense:

Name	Club
Juuso Hietanen	Torpedo Nizhni Novgorod
Jere Karalahti	Jokerit Helsinki
Ville Lajunen	Farjestad BK
Jyri Mattinen	Assat Pori
Tuukka Mantyla	Metallurg Novokuznetsk
Atte Ohtamaa	Karpat Oulu

Forwards:

Name	Club
Tommi Huhtala	Espoo Blues
Jarkko Immonen	Torpedo Nizhni Novgorod
Olli Jokinen	Winnipeg Jets
Pekka Jormakka	Tappara Tampere
Leo Komarov	Dynamo Moscow
Petri Kontiola	Traktor Chelyabinsk
Jori Lehtera	Sibir Novosibirsk
Iiro Pakarinen	HIFK Helsinki
Jere Sallinen	Orebro HK
Veli-Matti Savinainen	Yugra Khanty-Mansiysk
Petteri Wirtanen	Donbass Donetsk

World Ranking: 2nd
Last Years Result: 4th
Top Threat: Rinne in net, decent all around (nothing overly spectacular).
Weakness: Quite a few players making their World Championship debut. Plus they might need to work on their line changes.
Predicted Finish: Quarter Finals

Germany

Goalies:

Name	Club
Danny au den Birken	Kolner Haie
Philipp Grubauer	Hershey Bears
Rob Zepp	Eisbaren Berlin

Defense:

Name	Club
Sinan Akdag	Alder Mannheim
Torsten Ankert	Kolner Haie
Constantin Braun	Eisbaren Berlin
Franks Hordler	Eisbaren Berlin
Benedikt Kohl	Grizzly Adams Wolfsburg
Justin Krueger	SC Bern
Moritz Muller	Kolner Haie

Forwards:

Name	Club
Alexander Barta	EHC Red Bull Munchen
Leon Draisaitl	Prince Albert Raiders
Kai Hospelt	Alder Mannheim
Markus Kink	Alder Mannheim
Frank Mauer	Alder Mannheim
Marcel Noebels	Adirondack Phantoms
Thomas Oppenheimer	Hamburg Freezers
Daniel Pietta	Krefeld Pinguine
Matthias Plachta	Alder Mannheim
Tobias Rieder	Portland Pirates
Felix Schutz	Admiral Vladivostok
Yannic Seidenberg	EHC Red Bull Munchen
Alexander Weiss	Kolner Haie

World Ranking: 11th
Last Years Result: 9th
Top Threat: Grubauer in net, Hospelt on offense, plus a few young guys (most notably Draisaitl)
Weakness: Weaker squad compared to last year (especially on defense).
Predicted Finish: Round Robin

Kazakhstan

Goalies:

Name	Club
Alexei Ivanov	Spartak Moscow
Pavel Poluektov	Nomad Astana
Vitali Yeremeyev	Barys Astana

Defense:

Name	Club
Yevgeni Blokhin	Barys Astana
Kevin Dallman	SKA St. Petersburg
Anton Kazantsev	Yermak Angarsk
Artemi Lakiza	Barys Astana
Alexei Litvinenko	Barys Astana
Roman Savchenko	Barys Astana
Maxim Semyonov	Barys Astana
Alexei Vasilchenko	Traktor Chelyabinsk

Forwards:

Name	Club
Nikolai Antropov	Barys Astana
Andrei Gavrilin	Barys Astana
Vadim Krasnoslobodtsev	Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod
Fyodor Polishchuk	Barys Astana
Konstantin Pushkaryov	Barys Astana
Mikhail Rakhmanov	Barys Astana
Konstantin Romanov	Barys Astana
Andrei Spiridonov	Nomad Astana
Roman Starchenko	Barys Astana
Dmitri Upper	Barys Astana
Talgat Zhailauov	Barys Astana

World Ranking: 17th
Last Years Result: 1st (Division I Group A)
Top Threat: On the bright side, new uniforms!
Weakness: No chance of staying up.
Predicted Finish: Relegated

Latvia

Goalies:

Name	Club
Kristers Gudlevskis	Tampa Bay Lightning
Edgars Masalskis	HK Poprad
Ivars Punnenovs	Rapperswil-Jona Lakers

Defense:

Name	Club
Guntis Galvins	AIK Stockholm
Janis Jaks	HK Riga
Maris Jass	Pirati Chomutov
Arturs Kulda	Salavat Yulaev Ufa
Rodrigo Lavins	Dinamo Riga
Georgijs Pujacs	Dinamo Riga
Jekabs Redlihs	Dinamo Riga
Agris Saviels	Rodovre Might Bulls
Kristaps Sotnieks	Dinamo Riga

Forwards:

Name	Club
Armands Berzins	Beybarys Atryau
Martins Cipulis	Dinamo Riga
Kaspars Daugavins	Geneve-Servette HC
Andris Dzerins	Dinamo Riga
Zemgus Girgensons	Buffalo Sabres
Miks Indrasis	Dinamo Riga
Koba Jass	Bili Tygri Liberec
Ronalds Kenins	ZSC Lions
Roberts Lipsbergs	Seattle Thunderbirds
Gints Meija	Dinamo Riga
Aleksandrs Nizivijs	Dinamo Riga
Mikelis Redlihs	Lokomotiv Yaroslavl
Juris Stals	HK Poprad
Herberts Vasiljevs	Krefeld Pinguine

World Ranking: 10th
Last Years Result: 11th
Top Threat: Gudlevskis. That is all.
Weakness: At the end of the day, it's still Latvia. May put a scare into teams but not expected to go far.
Predicted Finish: Round Robin

Russia

Goalies:

Name	Club
Sergei Bobrovski	Columbus Blue Jackets
Semyon Varlamov	Colorado Avalanche
Andrei Vasilevski	Salavat Yulayev Ufa

Defense:

Name	Club
Maxim Chudinov	SKA St. Petersburg
Denis Denisov	CSKA Moscow
Alexander Kutuzov	Sibir Novosibirsk
Yevgeni Medvedev	Ak Bars Kazan
Dmitri Orlov	Washington Capitals
Andrei Zubarev	Salavat Yulayev Ufa

Forwards:

Name	Club
Artyom Anisimov	Columbus Blue Jackets
Nikolai Kulyomin	Toronto Maple Leafs
Yevgeni Kuznetsov	Washington Capitals
Andrei Loktionov	Carolina Hurricanes
Alexander Ovechkin	Washington Capitals
Sergei Plotnikov	Lokomotiv Yaroslavl
Vadim Shipachyov	SKA St. Petersburg
Viktor Tikhonov	SKA St. Petersburg
Danis Zaripov	Metallurg Magnitogorsk

World Ranking: 4th
Last Years Result: 6th
Top Threat: Good goaltending, some offensive weapons.
Weakness: As usual, defense is suspect.
Predicted Finish: Silver Medal

Switzerland

Goalies:

Name	Club
Leonardo Genoni	HC Davos
Reto Berra	Colorado Avalanche

Defense:

Name	Club
Eric Blum	Kloten Flyers
Robin Grossmann	HC Davos
Roman Josi	Nashville Predators
Mathias Segar	ZSC Lions Zurich
Yannick Weber	Vancouver Canucks

Forwards:

Name	Club
Andreas Ambuhl	HC Davos
Sven Bartschi	Abbotsford Heat
Damien Brunner	New Jersey Devils
Luca Cunti	ZSC Lions Zurich
Denis Hollenstein	Geneve-Servette HC
Simon Moser	Milwaukee Admirals
Kevin Romy	Geneve-Servette HC
Thomas Rufenacht	HC Lugano
Reto Schappi	ZSC Lions Zurich
Reto Suri	EV Zug

World Ranking: 7th
Last Years Result: 2nd
Top Threat: Good defense, same offensive core.
Weakness: Berra didn't have a good year, so goaltending may be a question mark.
Predicted Finish: Quarter Finals

United States of America

Goalies:

Name	Club
Connor Hellebuyck	UMass Lowell
David Leggio	Hershey Bears
Tim Thomas	Dallas Stars

Defense:

Name	Club
Danny DeKeyser	Detroit Red Wings
Matt Donovan	New York Islanders
Jake Gardiner	Toronto Maple Leafs
Seth Jones	Nashville Predators
Jake McCabe	Buffalo Sabres
Connor Murphy	Phoenix Coyotes
Jeff Petry	Edmonton Oilers
Jacob Trouba	Winnipeg Jets

Forwards:

Name	Club
Justin Abdelkader	Detroit Red Wings
Johnny Gaudreau	Calgary Flames
Jimmy Hayes	Florida Panthers
Kevin Hayes	Boston College
Tyler Johnson	Tampa Bay Lightning
Colin McDonald	New York Islanders
Andy Miele	Phoenix Coyotes
Peter Mueller	Kloten Flyers
Brock Nelson	New York Islanders
Drew Shore	Florida Panthers
Craig Smith	Nashville Predators
Tim Stapleton	Ak Bars Kazan
Vince Trocheck	Florida Panthers
Tommy Wingels	San Jose Sharks

World Ranking: 6th
Last Years Result: 3rd
Top Threat: A very good (and young) defense core that will get better with experience, some offensive weapons.
Weakness: Goaltending is pretty iffy.
Predicted Finish: Quarter Finals

Schedule

May 9
Switzerland - Russia
Belarus - USA

May 10
Kazakhstan - Germany
Finland - Latvia
USA - Switzerland

May 11
Germany - Latvia
Belarus - Kazakhstan
Finland - Russia

May 12
Switzerland - Belarus
Russia - USA

May 13
Germany - Finland
Kazakhstan - Latvia

May 14
Switzerland - Germany
Russia - Kazakhstan

May 15
USA - Latvia
Finland - Belarus

May 16
USA - Kazakhstan
Finland - Switzerland

May 17
Latvia - Russia
Belarus - Germany
Switzerland - Kazakhstan

May 18
USA - Finland
Russia - Germany

May 19
Kazakhstan - Finland
Latvia - Belarus

May 20
Germany - USA
Latvia - Switzerland
Russia - Belarus