World Cup rosters - teams must have 3 players under 22

I heard that rosters for the 2004 World Cup must have 3 players under the age of 22. In that case, who are possibly players for that age group for each country?

Canada - Heatley ? (is he under 22?), Bouwmeetser, Spezza, Nash
US - Dipietro....
Russia - Kovalchuk, Chistov, Zherdev, Ovechkin
Finland - Pitkanen, Lehtonen, T Ruutu
Slovakia - Is Gaborik under 22?
Czech - help me out..

Finland - Pitkanen, Lehtonen, T Ruutu

Probably. All of them could've made the team anyway, even without this somewhat bizarre rule. (What is it good for? Isn't the World Cup supposed to be the only tournament where all the best players in the world play against each other, not a showcase for young talent? I guess it's for marketing purposes, but I think that for example Sweden will have hard time finding three guys under 22 that actually deserve their place...)

I'd like to see a fourth line with both Tuomo and Jarkko Ruutu. Now if only Mikko was healthy ;)

Probably. All of them could've made the team anyway, even without this somewhat bizarre rule. (What is it good for? Isn't the World Cup supposed to be the only tournament where all the best players in the world play against each other, not a showcase for young talent? I guess it's for marketing purposes, but I think that for example Sweden will have hard time finding three guys under 22 that actually deserve their place...)

I'd like to see a fourth line both Tuomo and Jarkko Ruutu. Now if only Mikko was healthy ;)

I thought it was a strange rule, but from my home country's point of view, I like the idea of exposing younger players to high level international tournaments. It lets younger guys get experience without the backlash of taking young players on the team rather than older guys.

I heard that rosters for the 2004 World Cup must have 3 players under the age of 22. In that case, who are possibly players for that age group for each country?

Canada - Heatley ? (is he under 22?), Bouwmeetser, Spezza, Nash
US - Dipietro....
Russia - Kovalchuk, Chistov, Zherdev, Ovechkin
Finland - Pitkanen, Lehtonen, T Ruutu
Slovakia - Is Gaborik under 22?
Czech - help me out..

Heatley will be 23.

US: Dipietro, one of Komisarek, Martin or Hale, and one of the young forwards in the league now i.e. Kesler, Fristche or Brown, or one of the forwards that will be in the league next year, such as O'Sullivan.

I heard that rosters for the 2004 World Cup must have 3 players under the age of 22. In that case, who are possibly players for that age group for each country?

Canada - Heatley ? (is he under 22?), Bouwmeetser, Spezza, Nash
US - Dipietro....
Russia - Kovalchuk, Chistov, Zherdev, Ovechkin
Finland - Pitkanen, Lehtonen, T Ruutu
Slovakia - Is Gaborik under 22?
Czech - help me out..


Zherdev for russia? I don't think Tikhonov is interested in Zherdev

:D

Kova, Ovechkin, Semin

You're forgetting one important fact. Each World Cup roster will have 23 skaters and three goaltenders, with three of the 26 players to be under the age of 22. The teams will dress 18 skaters and two goalies for each game.

So the three players who are under 22 may not even see any ice time.

Is this rule for real? Can someone post a link. If it is, I think its a good idea. It gives the players some exposure and experience, which in the long run is a good thing.

Spezza, Nash, Bouwmeester... Those are the three guys I add to Canada. I would add Fleury too, but Canada is deep in goal, and would probably prefer a guy like Theodore or Luongo, because these guys will be playing in 2006 Turin and 2010 Vancounver for sure.

Is this rule for real? Can someone post a link.

IIHF.com has a small piece of news about it (http://www.iihf.com/news/iihfpr8203.htm). Every newspaper getting their stuff from Associated Press has it, too.

http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1071361744759&call_pageid=968867503640&col=970081593064

Likely to make the teams:

Canada: LW Rick Nash, C Jason Spezza and D Jay Bouwmeester. The team will already have three goalies, which will hurt G Marc-Andre Fleury's chances.

U.S.A.: C Zach Parise, D Mike Komisarek, RW Dustin Brown.

Russia: LW Ilya Kovalchuk, RW Alexander Ovechkhin, LW Stanislav Chistov.

Czech Republic: D Rostislav Klesla, RW Ales Hemsky, RW Milan Michalek.

Sweden: C Alexander Steen, C Robert Nilsson, RW Fredrik Sjostrom.

Finland: G Kari Lehtonen, D Joni Pitkanen, C Tuomo Ruuttu.

Slovakia: RW Marian Gaborik, G Peter Budaj, D Richard Stehlik.

Germany: D Christian Ehrhoff, C Marcel Goc, G Dmitri Patzold.

http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1071361744759&call_pageid=968867503640&col=970081593064

Likely to make the teams:

Canada: LW Rick Nash, C Jason Spezza and D Jay Bouwmeester. The team will already have three goalies, which will hurt G Marc-Andre Fleury's chances.

U.S.A.: C Zach Parise, D Mike Komisarek, RW Dustin Brown.

Russia: LW Ilya Kovalchuk, RW Alexander Ovechkhin, LW Stanislav Chistov.

Czech Republic: D Rostislav Klesla, RW Ales Hemsky, RW Milan Michalek.

Sweden: C Alexander Steen, C Robert Nilsson, RW Fredrik Sjostrom.

Finland: G Kari Lehtonen, D Joni Pitkanen, C Tuomo Ruuttu.

Slovakia: RW Marian Gaborik, G Peter Budaj, D Richard Stehlik.

Germany: D Christian Ehrhoff, C Marcel Goc, G Dmitri Patzold.

Gaborik, Budaj(news flash: born in 1972), & Komisarek will all be 22 or older by the time the world cup rolls around. Yet I do agree with ur Canadian, Czech Republic, Sweden, & Finland picks.

Here's my picks besides the ones I agree with:

U.S.A.- Zach Parise, Ryan Whitney, & Ryan Miller
Russia- Ilya Kovalchuk, Alexander Ovechkin, & Nikolai Zherdev
Slovakia- Richard Stehlik, Tomas Slovak, & Tomas Surovy

Gaborik, Budaj(news flash: born in 1972), & Komisarek will all be 22 or older by the time the world cup rolls around. Yet I do agree with ur Canadian, Czech Republic, Sweden, & Finland picks.

Here's my picks besides the ones I agree with:

U.S.A.- Zach Parise, Ryan Whitney, & Ryan Miller
Russia- Ilya Kovalchuk, Alexander Ovechkin, & Nikolai Zherdev
Slovakia- Richard Stehlik, Tomas Slovak, & Tomas Surovy
Peter Budaj was born in 1982, I'm pretty sure

You guys are ignorant if you think Chistov is gonna make the team over Frolov.

Sweden:
Alexander Steen
Fredrik Sjöström
Tobias Enström or Johan Fransson

Robert Nilsson should not even be close right now

You guys are ignorant if you think Chistov is gonna make the team over Frolov.
Stop moaning I didn't write the stupid article.

Peter Budaj was born in 1982, I'm pretty sure

The book I read it from must have made a mistake.

You guys are ignorant if you think Chistov is gonna make the team over Frolov.

I would like to note that Frolov will be exactly 22 when the World Cup of Hockey Tournament starts, therefore, he obviously won't be picked as someone under the age of 22.