Team Russia roster announced for 2013 SUBWAY Super Series

Press Release

Toronto, ON – The Canadian Hockey League today announced the roster for Team Russia that will compete in the 2013 SUBWAY® Super Series which begins Monday November 18 in Gatineau, Quebec.

A team of 22 Russian players will arrive in Canada this weekend and compete throughout the six-game series including 2014 NHL Draft prospects such as goaltender Igor Shesterkin, defenceman Vladislav Gavrikov, and forward Vladimir Tkachyov who all received ‘B ratings’ in NHL Central Scouting’s latest Players to Watch list.  The club also features defenceman Pavel Koledov who was a member of the Russian National Junior Team that won bronze at the 2013 IIHF World Junior Championship, and Calgary Flames seventh round pick Rushan Rafikov.

An additional 10 Russian-born CHL players will also compete in various games of the series including top 2014 NHL Draft prospect Ivan Barbashev of the Moncton Wildcats and Los Angeles Kings prospect and CHL Rookie of the Year Valentin Zykov of the Baie-Comeau Drakkar.  Fellow Drakkar forward Denis Gorbunov will also compete in the QMJHL games along with Viktor Baldaev of the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies.  In the OHL, a trio of Russin players will compete including Carolina Hurricanes prospect Sergey Tolchinsky, and 2014 NHL Draft prospects Nikolay Goldobin of the Sarnia Sting and Alexander Mikulovich of the Niagara IceDogs.  Three WHL players will also compete for Russia including Florida Panthers prospect Alexander Delnov of the Seattle Thunderbirds, top 2014 NHL Draft prospect Nikita Scherbak of the Saskatoon Blades, and Rinat Valiev of the Kootenay Ice.

Team Russia’s 32 players includes two goaltenders, 11 defencemen, and 19 forwards.  17 of the players are 1994-born, 14 of the players were born in 1995, with one born in 1996.  Head coach Mikhail Varnakov, a former Soviet hockey star, returns to the bench for the second straight season.

The 2013 SUBWAY® Super Series takes place from November 18-28 and marks the 11^th straight year that teams of CHL players have competed against Team Russia in preparation for the 2014 IIHF World Junior Championship to be played this season in Sweden.  Last season, Team Russia captured their second SUBWAY® Super Series title since 2010 and later edged Canada 6-5 in overtime of the Bronze Medal Game of the 2013 IIHF World Junior Championship played in Ufa, Russia, with a roster that included five CHL players and an additional 17 players from this series.

2013 SUBWAY® Super Series Team Russia:

Goaltenders:
Ivan Nalimov (SKA-1946, St. Petersburg)
Igor Shesterkin (Spartak, Moscow)

Defencemen:
Alexei Bereglazov (Stalnye Lisy, Magnitogorsk)
Vladislav Gavrikov (Loko Yaroslavl)
Pavel Koledov (Loko Yaroslavl)
Kirill Maslov (Loko Yaroslavl)
Rushan Rafikov (Loko Yaroslav)
Mark Skutar (Kuznetskie Medvedi, Novokuznetsk)
Mikhail Tikhonov (VMF-Karelia, St. Petersburg)
Kirill Vorobyev (Krasnaya Armia, Moscow)

Forwards:
Alexander Barabanov (VMF-Karelia, St. Petersburg)
Alexei Baskov (Omskie Yastrebi, Omsk)
Georgi Busarov (Dizel, Penza)
Vladimir Butuzov (Sibirskie Snayperi, Novosibirsk)
Eduard Gimatov (Avto, Ekaterinburg)
Sergei Kuptsov (Almaz Cherepovets)
Ivan Petrakov (Loko Yaroslavl)
Igor Rudenkov Chaika Nizhny Novgorod)
Ildar Shiksatdarov (The Red Army)
Nikolai Skladnichenko (Kuznetskie Medvedi, Novokuznetsk)
Vladimir Tkachyov (Omskie Yastrebi, Omsk)
Kirill Voronin (Loko Yaroslavl)

QMJHL players on Team Russia:
Viktor Baldaev (Rouyn-Noranda Huskies)
Ivan Barbashev (Moncton Wildcats)
Denis Gorbunov (Baie-Comeau Drakkar)
Valentin Zykov (Baie-Comeau Drakkar)

OHL players on Team Russia:
Nikolay Goldobin (Sarnia Sting)
Aleksandar Mikulovich (Niagara IceDogs) – Oshawa game only
Sergey Tolchinsky (Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds)

WHL players on Team Russia:
Alexander Delnov (Seattle Thunderbirds) – Red Deer game only
Nikita Scherbak (Saskatoon Blades) – Red Deer game only
Rinat Valiev (Kootenay Ice)

Staff:
Head Coach – Mikhail Varnakov
Assistant Coach – Igor Averkin
Assistant Coach – Vladislav Krutskih
General Manager – Alexei Kochetkov
Doctor – Alexander Borodin
Physiotherapist – Artem Timofeev
Equipment Manager – Alexander Rezepov


 (Nathan can be reached at nathanfournier@mainehockeyjournal.com)