Sweden, Finland unveil WJC selection camp rosters

Sweden forward Lias Andersson, and Finland forwards Eeli Tolvanen and Kristian Vesalainen, were among the players invited to their country's selection camps for the 2017 IIHF World Junior Championship.
Sweden's camp, which has 26 players, will start Dec. 14 in Kingston, Ontario, and will include pre-tournament games against Slovakia on Dec. 19 and Russia on Dec. 22.

Finland will start camp with 28 players Dec. 12 in Sherbrooke, Quebec, and will include pre-tournament games against Canada on Dec. 19 and Slovakia on Dec. 22.
Andersson (5-foot-11, 198 pounds), who plays for HV 71 in the Swedish Elite League, has four goals and four assists in 22 games. He earned an A rating from NHL Central Scouting on its players to watch list.
"He is a really skilled two-way forward with great moves with the puck," NHL Director of European Scouting Goran Stubb said. "He shows very good attitude, works hard both ways, smooth hands, very effective in the offensive zone as he can both shoot and create scoring chances for linemates."
Andersson played four games against the United States, Finland and Canada at the USA Hockey National Junior Evaluation Camp in Plymouth, Michigan. His three assists were tied for the Sweden lead and his 10 shots on goal were tied for second.
Center Elias Pettersson (6-1, 156), who plays for Timra in Allsvenskan, Sweden's second division, also received an A rating from Central Scouting. He's second on Allsvenskan with 25 points in 24 games.
Defenseman Timothy Liljegren (6-0, 191), an A-rated player who could be the second player picked at the 2017 NHL Draft, was not invited to camp. He has two points in six games for Rogle in the Swedish Hockey League. He missed time early in the season because of mononucleosis.
"I have followed him, but he's in the same situation as many other players," Sweden coach Tomas Monten said. "As I can see it we have the eight defensemen we want to have."
Tolvanen (5-10, 170), a right wing with Sioux City of the United States Hockey League, is third in the USHL with 14 goals and 24 points in 21 games. He's one of four A-rated players invited to Finland camp.
Joining Tolvanen is forward Kristian Vesalainen of HPK and defenseman Miro Heiskanen of HIFK in Liiga, Finland's top professional league, and defenseman Juuso Valimaki, who plays for Tri-City in the Western Hockey League.
Vesalainen (6-3, 207) has no points in seven games with HPK after starting the season with five points in 14 games with Frolunda in the Swedish Elite League.
"He's a big, physical power forward who likes to go straight for the net," Stubb said.
Heiskanen (6-0, 170) has three goals and seven points in 23 games for HIFK. Valimaki (6-1, 204) is tied for second among WHL defensemen with 11 goals and 32 points in 30 games.
"We are trying to adjust to the smaller ice surface during the 10 days of camp," Finland coach Jukka Rautakorpi said. "Our main goal is to prepare for the tournament. That's why we don't have too many extra players."
Four players invited to Sweden camp were first-round NHL draft picks: Forward Joel Eriksson Ek, taken No. 20 by the Minnesota Wild in 2015; defenseman Jacob Larsson (Anaheim Ducks, No. 27, 2015); defenseman Gabriel Carlsson (Columbus Blue Jackets, No. 29, 2015), and forward Alexander Nylander (Buffalo Sabres, No. 8, 2016).
Also invited to Sweden camp is defenseman Rasmus Dahlin, 16, who is eligible for the 2018 draft. The 6-1, 166-pound left-shot defenseman has one goal and one assist in 11 games with Frolunda in the SEL.
"A great talent who I feel can contribute with the puck but also without it," Monten said. "He's a great skater and plays with a fantastic timing in his game."
Finland will have two 2016 NHL first-round picks in camp. Defenseman Olli Juolevi was selected by the Vancouver Canucks at No. 5, and forward Henrik Borgstrom was taken by the Florida Panthers at No. 23.
The United States will unveil its selection camp roster on "NHL Now" on NHL Network at 4 p.m. Monday. Canada
announced its camp roster
Nov. 29. Russia
released its roster Dec. 1
.
The 2017 WJC is Dec. 26 to Jan. 5, 2017. Finland, the defending champion, and Sweden will be in Group A, along with the Czech Republic, Denmark and Switzerland. Sweden lost 8-3 to the U.S. in the bronze-medal game at the 2016 WJC.

SWEDEN WJC SELECT CAMP ROSTER

GOALTENDERS:Filip Gustavsson, Lulea, SWE (Pittsburgh Penguins); Felix Sandstrom, Brynas, SWE (Philadelphia Flyers); Adam Werner, Farjestad, SWE (Colorado Avalanche)
DEFENSEMEN: David Bernhardt, Djurgarden, SWE (Philadelphia Flyers); Gabriel Carlsson, Linkoping, SWE (Columbus Blue Jackets); Lucas Carlsson, Brynas, SWE (Chicago Blackhawks); Rasmus Dahlin, Frolunda Jr., SWE-JR (2018 draft eligible); Kristoffer Gunnarsson, Frolunda, SWE (2017 draft eligible); Oliver Kylington, Stockton, AHL (Calgary Flames); Jacob Larsson, Frolunda, SWE (Anaheim Ducks); Jacob Moverare, Mississauga, OHL (Los Angeles Kings)
FORWARDS: Filip Ahl, Regina, WHL (Ottawa Senators); Lias Andersson, HV 71, SWE (2017 draft eligible); Rasmus Asplund, Farjestad, SWE (Buffalo Sabres); Jonathan Dahlen, Timra, SWE-2 (Ottawa Senators); John Dahlstrom, Medicine Hat, WHL (Chicago Blackhawks); Jonathan Davidsson, Djurgarden, SWE (2017 draft eligible); Joel Eriksson Ek, Farjestad, SWE (Minnesota Wild); Carl Grundstrom, Frolunda, SWE (Toronto Maple Leafs); Fredrik Karlstrom, AIK Jr., SWE-JR (Dallas Stars); Jens Looke, Timra, SWE-2 (Arizona Coyotes); Alexander Nylander, Rochester, AHL (Buffalo Sabres); Sebastian Ohlsson, Skelleftea, SWE (2017 draft eligible); Elias Pettersson, Timra, SWE-2 (2017 draft eligible); Tim Soderlund, Skelleftea, SWE (2017 draft eligible); Andreas Wingerli, Skelleftea, SWE (2017 draft eligible)

FINLAND WJC SELECT CAMP ROSTER

GOALTENDERS:Karolus Kaarlehto, Tuto, FIN-2 (2017 draft eligible); Markus Ruusu, JYP 2, FIN-2 (Dallas Stars); Veini Vehvilainen, JYP, FIN (2017 draft eligible)
DEFENSEMEN:Miro Heiskanen, HIFK, FIN (2017 draft eligible); Olli Juolevi, London, OHL (Vancouver Canucks); Otto Leskinen, Kalpa, FIN (2017 draft eligible); Jesper Mattila, Boston College, H-EAST (2017 draft eligible); Jarkko Parikka, Ilves, FIN (2017 draft eligible); Juho Rautanen, Jokerit, RUS (2017 draft eligible), Vili Saarijarvi, Mississauga, OHL (Detroit Red Wings); Robin Salo, Sport, FIN (2017 draft eligible); Urho Vaakanainen, JYP, FIN (2017 draft eligible); Juuso Valimaki, Tri-City, WHL (2017 draft eligible)
FORWARDS:Kasper Bjorkqvist, Providence, H-EAST (Pittsburgh Penguins); Henrik Borgstrom, Denver, NCHC (Florida Panthers); Jouka Juhola, Assat Jr., FIN-JR (2017 draft eligible); Otto Koivula, Ilves, FIN (New York Islanders); Janne Kuokkanen, London, OHL (Carolina Hurricanes); Joona Luoto, Tappara Jr., FIN-JR (2017 draft eligible); Julius Mattila, Boston College, H-EAST (2017 draft eligible); Julius Nattinen, Windsor, OHL (Anaheim Ducks); Petrus Palmu, Owen Sound, OHL (2017 Draft eligible); Aapeli Rasanen, Sioux City, USHL (Edmonton Oilers); Arttu Ruotsalainen, Assat, FIN, (2017 draft eligible); Eeli Tolvanen, Sioux City, USHL (2017 draft eligible); Teemu Vayrynen, TPS, FIN (2017 draft eligible); Kristian Vesalainen, HPK, FIN (2017 draft eligible); Aaro Vidgren, Lukko, FIN (2017 draft eligible)