Latvia and Switzerland WJC Rosters

Here's a look at the prelim rosters for the Latvia and Switzerland teams for the upcoming World Junior Hockey Championships.

Latvia

Latvia barearly escaped relegation last year with a winless first round last year. A big turnaround in the relegation round with 7-1 wins over Germany and Kazakhstan helped them stay up in the Top Division while sending Germany and Kazakhstan down to this year's U20 Division 1 Tournament. Several strong players that play outside of Latvia make up the team include 2 USA Based goalies in Ermics Raimonds and Vasilijevs Dainis who both play in the US Junior Leagues.

Elsewhere on the forwards, a group of players that play for Dinamo Junior's include Roberts Bukarts that play for Latvia's top team in Dinamo Riga that play in the KHL and numerous players that play for the Dinamo Junior Team which is in the Belarus League, other national repsertented include a player for Switzerland in Kennis Rolands, Leitans Edijs who plays for the Sudbury Wolves of the OHL. In all, 30 players will be looking to make the roster and a good crop of them that plays for Dinamo Junior's which is in the top Belarus league.

For Latvia, the passion of the national team is huge, but with the size of the nation. Their goal is to simply avoid relegation. It's always a tough task and it's even going to be harder with them playing Canada in the opening game.

Latvia Roster

Goalies

Vasiljvs Dainis, USA

Ermics Raimonds, USA

Kalnins Janis, Liepajas Metalurgs

Gudlevskis Kristers, Ozolnieki-Juniors


Defensemen

Alberts LLisko, Sweden

Janis Smits, Sweden

Janis Bullitis, Dinamo Juniors (LAT, BLR Extraliga)

Ralfs Freibergs, Dinamo Juniors (LAT, BLR Extraliga)

Karlis Kalvitis, USA

Rolands Gritans

Martins Jakovlevs, Dinamo Juniors (LAT, BLR Extraliga)

Eriks Sevcenko, Dinamo Juniors (LAT, BLR Extraliga)

Kauss Gvido, Dinamo Juniors (LAT, BLR Extraliga)

Martins Porejs, Dinamo Juniors (LAT, BLR Extraliga)


Forwards

Roberts Bukarts, Dinamo Riga (LAT, KHL)

Rolands Vignrs, France

Raimonds Vilkoits, Dinamo Juniors (LAT, BLR Extraliga)

Gunars Skvorcovs, Liepajas Metalurgs (LAT)

Arturs Mickvics, Liepajas Metalurgs (LAT)

Juris Upitis, Dinamo Juniors (LAT, BLR Extraliga)

Mikus Indrasis, Dinamo Juniors (LAT, BLR Extraliga)

Elvis Veldeze, Ozolnieki Juniors (LAT)

Maris Bicevskis, Dinamo Juniors (LAT, BLR Extraliga)

Kennis Rolands, Switzerland

Vladimirs Borovkovs, Dinamo Juniors (LAT, BLR Extraliga)

Rolands Cinks, Dinamo Riga (LAT, KHL)

Edgars Ulescenko, Kladno Praga

Leitans Edijs, Sudbury Wolves (OHL)

Elvijs Biezais, Dinamo Juniors (LAT, BLR Extraliga)


Switzerland

For Switzerland, they back up in the top level after winning promotion in the U20 Division 1 Tournament by winning all 5 games against Belarus, France, Slovenia, Poland and Estonia by scoring 31 goals in the 5 games and are looking to get the Swiss Junior Teams like the Senior teams where they have been a regular in the major events for about a decade now. After being relegated in 2008 when the tournament was in Czech Republic, the Swiss went winless in the 1st round, a lone win against Denmark wasen't enough to keep them from droping down the Division 1.

Just like most teams, the roster will have around 30 players to eventullay cut down to normal roster of 20-23 players before leaving for Saskatchewan, Canada for the World Juniors which start's up on December 27 where Switzerland will open up the tournament on December 27 against the U.S.A.

For a majority of the players, the Swiss roster is coming from the top 2 leagues in Switzerland. The NLA which is the top league in the country and the NLB which is the 2nd division.


Switzerland Roster

Goalies

Benjamin Conz, HC Geneve-Servette (SUI, NLA)

Matthias Mischler, SC Bern Futures (SUI, NLA)

Remo Trub, GCK Lions (SUI, NLB)

Sandro Zurkirchen, EV Zug (SUI, NLA)


Defensemen

Luca Camperchioli, GCK Lions (SUI, NLB)

Giacomo Casserini, Ambri-Piotta (SUI, NLA)

Kevin Fey, HC Ajoie (SUI)

Jannik Fischer, EV Zug (SUI, NLA)

Patrick Geering, ZSC Lions (SUI, NLA)

Roman Josi, SC Bern (SUI, NLA)

Luca Sbisa, Lethbridge Hurricanes (WHL)

Dominik Schlumpf, Shawinigan Cataractes (QMJHL)

Lukas Stoop, HC Davos (SUI, NLA)

Ramon Untersander, HC Davos (SUI, NLA)


Forwards

Benjamin Antonietti, HC Geneve-Servette (SUI, NLA)

Chris Baltisberger, GCK Lions (SUI, NLB)

Oliver Baur, HC La Chaux-de-Fonds (SUI, NLB)

Alain Berger, Oshawa Generals (OHL)

Nils Berger, Innisfil Lakers (GMHL)

Jeffrey Fuglister, Kloten Flyers (SUI, NLA)

Nicolas Gay, EHC Basel (SUI, NLB)

Gaetan Haas, EHC Beil (SUI, NLA)

Mauro Jorg, HC Lugano (SUI, NLA)

Michael Loichat, EV Zug (SUI, NLA)

Pascal Marolf, EHC Basel (SUI, NLB)

Ryan Mc Gregor, GCK Lions (SUI, NLB)

Nino Niederreiter, Portland Winterhawks (WHL)

Inti Pestoni, HC Ambri-Piotta (SUI, NLA)

Sven Ryser, GCK Lions (SUI, NLB)

Reto Schappi, GCK Lions (SUI, NLB)

Tristan Scherwey, SC Bern (SUI, NLA)

Tim Weber, MODO Hockey (SWE, Elite League)