Team Europe at the 2016 World Cup will be comprised of the best European-born players, not counting the ones from the Czech Republic, Finland, Russia or Sweden.
Think of it as a leftovers squad, even if the organizers would probably prefer you didn’t.
Today, Team Europe announced its first 16 players, and here they are:
G Frederik Andersen, Anaheim Ducks (Denmark)
G Jaroslav Halak, New York Islanders (Slovakia)
D Zdeno Chara, Boston Bruins (Slovakia)
D Roman Josi, Nashville Predators (Switzerland)
D Dennis Seidenberg, Boston Bruins (Germany)
D Andrej Sekera, Edmonton Oilers (Slovakia)
D Mark Streit, Philadelphia Flyers (Switzerland)
F Mikkel Boedker, Colorado Avalanche (Denmark)
F Leon Draisaitl, Edmonton Oilers (Germany)
F Jannik Hansen, Vancouver Canucks (Denmark)
F Marian Hossa, Chicago Blackhawks (Slovakia)
F Anze Kopitar, Los Angeles Kings (Slovenia)
F Frans Nielsen, New York Islanders (Denmark)
F Tomas Tatar, Detroit Red Wings (Slovakia)
F Thomas Vanek, Minnesota Wild (Austria)
F Mats Zuccarello, New York Rangers (Norway)
Seven countries -- Denmark, Slovakia, Switzlerland, Germany, Slovenia, Austria and Norway -- are represented on that list.
As you can see, it’s a veteran-laden group with no shortage of big-game experience. Hossa, Kopitar, and Chara have all figured prominently on Stanley Cup-winning teams in the past five years.
There’s also a dose of youth, with Draisaitl, 20, and 25-year-olds Tatar and Josi.
Team Europe names first 16 players to World Cup of Hockey 2016 roster: https://t.co/yPpD5HLV96 #WCH2016 pic.twitter.com/1S0J2GF8Oc
— NHLPA (@NHLPA) March 2, 2016
Team Europe, like the other seven teams in the tournament, will announce its full 23-man roster no later than June 1.
Candidates to be added to Team Europe include Tobias Rieder, Antoine Roussel, Michael Raffl, Mikhail Grabovski, and Christian Ehrhoff.