Gaborik, Chara, Halak on Slovakian roster

Norway, Latvia also name short lists

Last Updated: Tuesday, December 29, 2009 | 1:15 PM ET

By Chris Iorfida, CBC Sports

Montreal Canadiens goalie Jaroslav Halak, left, and New York Rangers sniper Marian Gaborik are expected to help lead Slovakia at the Olympics. (Graham Hughes/Canadian Press)

NHL-leading goal scorer Marian Gaborik, Norris Trophy winner Zdeno Chara and Montreal Canadiens standout goalie Jaroslav Halak are among the selections to the Slovakian Olympic hockey team roster.

A dozen players, a lion's share of the total number of Slovakians playing in the league, made it from the NHL to the 23-man roster for the upcoming Vancouver Games.

Gaborik, in his first year with the New York Rangers after several with Minnesota, is tied with Alexander Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals with 26 goals.

Chara ended Nicklas Lidstrom's three-year hold on the Norris as top defenceman with a 50-point campaign with the Boston Bruins last season, with a plus-23 rating. He has averaged over 25 minutes in recent games this season due to a series of Boston injuries.

Halak helped lead Montreal to a recent four-game winning streak, stopping at least 40 shots in each victory.

Chicago Blackhawks forward Marian Hossa, who has scored 345 goals in 791 career NHL games, is another unsurprising choice. Hossa's teammate, Tomas Kopecky, also made the cut.

Edmonton Oilers defenceman Lubomir Visnovsky is included, while Vancouver Canucks forward Pavol Demitra made it onto the list despite the fact he hasn't played a meaningful game this season due to injuries.

Other NHLers included defencemen Andrej Meszaros (Tampa Bay), Andrej Sekera (Buffalo) and Milan Jurcina, who was traded on Monday from Washington to Columbus.

Peter Budaj of the Colorado Avalanche is the other NHL goalie from Slovakia.

There are also players on the roster familiar to NHL fans who are now back in Europe, namely, forwards Miroslav Satan, Jozef Stumpel and Ziggy Palffy.

The majority of the non-NHLers compete in the Continental Hockey League (KHL) in Russia.

Veteran Colorado forward Marek Svatos and big Atlanta defenceman Boris Valabik were not on the roster for the team, which will be coached by Jan Filc.

Defencemen Karlis Skrastins of the Dallas Stars and Oskars Bartulis of the Philadelphia Flyers lead Latvia's Olympic hockey squad announced Tuesday by coach Olegs Znaroks.

Los Angeles Kings forward Raitis Ivanans is not on the preliminary 23-man roster.

Also missing is Sandis Ozolinsh, the veteran NHL defender who is currently playing with Dinamo Riga.

Skrastins, goalies Edgars Masalskis and Sergejs Naumovs, defenceman Rodrigo Lavins, and forward Aleksandrs Nizivijs will be playing in their third consecutive Olympics.

Nineteen out of the 23 Olympic players were on the team that reached the quarter-finals of the 2009 IIHF World Championship.

Norway also announced its roster. Philadelphia Flyers defenceman Ole-Kristian Tollefsen and forward Patrick Thoresen, who used to play for Philadelphia before returning to Europe, are on the lineup for the Vancouver Olympics.

Canada will make its announcement Wednesday morning from Saskatoon. Finland, the Czech Republic, Germany and Switzerland are expected to announce their rosters earlier in the day.

The last announcement will come from the United States, during Friday's Winter Classic outdoor game from Boston.