CHL Announces Russian Roster for the 2008 ADT Canada Russia Challenge

Toronto, ON – The Canadian Hockey League today announced the Russian Selects roster that will compete in the 2008 ADT Canada Russia Challenge beginning Monday November 17 in Sydney, NS.  Last season, eight players from the 2007 Russian Selects roster helped the Russian National Junior Team win a bronze medal at the 2008 World Junior Hockey Championships in the Czech Republic.

Russian Selects Roster

Forwards:
Egor Dubrovskiy
Sergey Plotnikov
Evgeny Dadonov
Anatoly Nikontsev
Nikita Klyukin
Dmitry Kagarlitsky
Vadim Ermolaev
Pavel Chernov
Alexey Potapov
Vitaly Menshikov
Alexander Komaristyy
Artem Yarchuk

Defencemen:
Alexander Ostroukhov
Mikhail Pashnin
Vasily Tokranov
Dinar Khafizullin
Andrey Marygin
Igor Golovkov
Alexander Osipov
Andrey Konev

Goaltenders:
Sergey Gayduchenko
Alexander Pechurskiy

Staff:
Alexey Kochetkov – General Manager
Sergey Nemchinov – Head Coach
Vladimir Popov – Coach
Alexander Borodin – Doctor
Valery Balabanov – Masseur
Igor Papkov – Equipment Manager

In addition to the 22 players making the trip from Russia, the Selects will call upon Russian CHL Import players to compete in their respective regional games.  Sergey Ostapchuk of the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies leads all QMJHL rookies in scoring with 22 points followed closely behind by Dmitri Kugryshev of the Quebec Remparts who has 19 points.  Dmitry Kulikov of the Drummondville Voltigeurs leads rookie defencemen in scoring with 17 points.  Andrei Loktionov of the Windsor Spitfires and Evgeny Grachev of the Brampton Battalion are amongst the rookie leaders in OHL scoring with 18 and 16 points respectively.

QMJHL Games Only:
Dmitry Kulikov (Drummondville Voltigeurs)
Yuri Cheremetiev (Halifax Mooseheads)
Dmitri Kugryshev (Quebec Remparts)
Sergey Ostapchuk (Rouyn-Noranda Huskies)

OHL Games Only:
Evgeny Grachev (Brampton Battalion)
Sergey Korostin (Peterborough Petes)
Andrei Loktionov (Windsor Spitfires)

The ADT Canada Russia Challenge is an important part of the selection process for both Russia and Canada’s National Junior Team before their final selection camps for the 2009 World Junior Hockey Championships that will be hosted in Ottawa, ON.  Canada has won four straight gold medals defeating Sweden in the 2008 tournament hosted in the Czech Republic.  Canada beat Russia in the gold medal game three straight years from 2005-2007.   

All six games of the 2008 ADT Canada Russia Challenge will be broadcast nationally on Rogers Sportsnet and the two QMJHL-hosted games will be broadcast on RDS.

2008 ADT Canada Russia Challenge - Schedule of Games:

Game 1 – Monday, November 17 in Sydney, NS
Game 2 – Wednesday, November 19 in Saint John, NB
Game 3 – Thursday, November 20 in Guelph, ON
Game 4 – Monday, November 24 in St. Catharines, ON
Game 5 – Wednesday, November 26 in Swift Current, SK
Game 6 – Thursday, November 27 in Prince Albert, SK