Team Russia Roster Announced for 2016 CIBC Canada Russia Series

Toronto, ON – The Canadian Hockey League today announced the roster for Team Russia that will compete in the 2016 CIBC Canada Russia Series which begins on Monday November 7 in Prince George, BC.

A team of 23 Russian players including three goaltenders, eight defencemen, and 12 forwards will travel across Canada as part of the 14th annual series playing six games against CHL competition from November 7-17 in preparation for the 2017 IIHF World Junior Championship hosted by Toronto and Montreal.

Team Russia features several players with NHL affiliations including Philadelphia Flyers first round pick German Rubtsov, Calgary Flames prospect Pavel Karnaukhov, and Nashville Predators prospect Konstantin Volkov.  The roster also includes 17-year-old forward Klim Kostin who is a top prospect for the 2017 NHL Draft.  Team Russia is led once again by head coach Valery Bragin making his fifth appearance and third straight year behind the bench at this event.  In his tenure as head coach of the Russian National Junior Team the program has earned World Junior gold (2011 in Buffalo), and three silver medals (2016 in Finland, 2015 in Toronto, 2012 in Calgary).

An additional 10 Russian-born CHL players will compete in various games of the series including four from the WHL, four OHL, and two QMJHL players.  The WHL players competing in Prince George on November 7 and Edmonton on November 8 include 2017 NHL Draft top prospects Artem Minulin of the Swift Current Broncos and Nikita Popugaev of the Moose Jaw Warriors.  Washington Capitals prospect Dmitry Zaitsev of the Warriors and New York Rangers prospect Sergey Zborovskiy of the Regina Pats will also compete.  In the OHL, Montreal Canadiens prospect Mikhail Sergachev of the Windsor Spitfires and Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Nikita Korostelev of the Sarnia Sting will compete in North Bay on November 10 and Hamilton on November 14, while Minnesota Wild prospect Dmitry Sokolov of the Sudbury Wolves and Artur Tyanulin of the Ottawa 67’s will only compete in North Bay.  In the QMJHL, a pair of Gatineau Olympiques will compete in Chicoutimi on November 15 and Baie-Comeau on November 17 including Predators prospect Yakov Trenin and Columbus Blue Jackets prospect Vitalii Abramov.

Team Russia has captured three series victories in 2014, 2012, and 2010.

2016 CIBC Canada Russia Series – Team Russia:

Most recent club team listed in brackets

Goaltenders:
Anton Krasotkin (HK Ryazan – VHL)
Vladislav Sukhachev (Chelmet Chelyabinsk – VHL)
Konstantin Volkov (SKA-1946 St. Petersburg –  MHL)

Defencemen:
Artem Chmykhov (CSKA Moscow – KHL)
Grigory Dronov (Metallurg Magnitogorsk – KHL)
Timur Fatkullin (Metallurg Novokuznetsk – KHL)
Kamil Fazylzyanov (Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk – KHL)
Ruslan Petrishchev (Toros Neftekamsk – VHL)
Alexander Shchemerov (Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg – KHL)
Artem Volkov (Dynamo Balashikha – KHL)
Egor Zaitsev (Dynamo Balashikha – VHL)

Forwards:
Denis Alexeev (HK Ryazan – VHL)
Kirill Belyaev (Yugra Khanty-Mansiysk – KHL)
Nikita Dynyak (Dynamo St. Petersburg – VHL)
Pavel Karnaukhov (Zvezda Chekhov – VHL)
Klim Kostin (Dynamo Moscow – KHL)
Roman Krikunenko (HK Ryazan – VHL)
Danila Kvartalnov (CSKA Moscow – KHL)
Nikita Li (Spartak Moscow – KHL)
German Rubtsov (Vityaz Podolsk – KHL)
Kirill Urakov (Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod – KHL)
Alexander Volkov (SKA-Neva St. Petersburg – VHL)
Danil Yurtaykin (HK Ryazan – VHL)

WHL players on Team Russia:
Artem Minulin (Swift Current Broncos)
Nikita Popugaev (Moose Jaw Warriors)
Dmitry Zaitsev (Moose Jaw Warriors)
Sergey Zborovskiy (Regina Pats)

OHL Players on Team Russia:
Nikita Korostelev (Sarnia Sting)
Mikhail Sergachev (Windsor Spitfires)
Dmitry Sokolov (Sudbury Wolves)
Artur Tyanulin (Ottawa 67’s)

QMJHL Players on Team Russia:
Vitalii Abramov (Gatineau Olympiques)
Yakov Trenin (Gatineau Olympiques)

Staff:
Head Coach – Valery Bragin
Assistant Coach – Oleg Bratash
Assistant Coach – Yury Babenko
Goalie Coach – Vladimir Kulikov
Video Coach – Vladislav Krutskikh
General Manager – Alexei Kochetkov
Doctor – Alexander Kostyukov
Doctor – Valery Egorov
Physiotherapist – Artem Timofeev
Equipment Manager – Alexander Rezepov
Media Manager – Petr Tereshchenkov

The 2016 CIBC Canada Russia series is supported by title sponsor and Official Bank of the CHL, CIBC, and CHL associate sponsors Cooper Tire, autoTRADER.ca and Sherwin-Williams.  All games will be broadcast nationally on Sportsnet and TVA Sports.

2016 CIBC Canada Russia Series Schedule:
Game 1 – Monday November 7 at Prince George, BC
Game 2 – Tuesday November 8 at Edmonton, AB
Game 3 – Thursday November 10 at North Bay, ON
Game 4 – Monday November 14 at Hamilton, ON
Game 5 – Tuesday November 15 at Chicoutimi, QC
Game 6 – Thursday November 17 at Baie-Comeau, QC

For event information including how to purchase tickets please visit www.chlcanadarussia.ca.