Panthers winger Jack Skille will play for Team USA at the IIHF World Championships April 29-May 15 in Slovakia.
Winger David Booth and goaltender Scott Clemmensen are among the Florida Panthers who have said they will not participate.
Booth, who played in all 82 games for the Panthers this season, said he is playing through some injuries and needs a break.
Clemmensen, who played for Team USA the past two summers, will not be playing because of family commitments. Clemmensen and his wife Olivia are expecting their second child in the coming weeks.
Defenseman Dmitry Kulikov said he would return and play for Russia, saying he enjoyed his experience last summer. Vokoun, who led Czech Republic to the Gold last summer, will not play because of his pending free agency.
Former coach Pete DeBoer will be an assistant for Team Canada.
-- Panthers equipment manager Chris Scoppetto will be going to Worlds as well working with Skille and Team USA.
Does any US network cover the Worlds? If ESPN put it on, it would get higher ratings than Versus NHL games just because so many more people get ESPN.
Posted by: Puckbubba | April 13, 2011 at 05:44 PM
If it was, it would be ESPN2 or NHL network...Speaking of which, ESPN2 is rumored to be what ESPN is offering the NHL for next season...I think the NHL has learned their lesson with espn and says no way.
Posted by: SAME OLD PANTHERS! | April 13, 2011 at 08:53 PM
I would take having hockey back on in a heartbeat. ESPN2 is good enough for me.
Posted by: OMFG_Ginn | April 14, 2011 at 01:14 PM