Eleven members of the Minnesota Wild organization will represent their respective countries at the 2024 IIHF Men’s World Championship in Prague and Ostrava, Czechia from May 10 – 26. Six countries will be represented by a member of the Wild organization, including Austria (center Marco Rossi), Czechia (defenseman David Spacek), Norway (right wing Mats Zuccarello), Slovakia (goaltender Samuel Hlavac), Sweden (defenseman Jonas Brodin, center Joel Eriksson Ek, goaltender Filip Gustavsson, center Marcus Johansson and goaltender Jesper Wallstedt) and the United States (left wing Matt Boldy and Head Coach John Hynes). Fans can visit iihf.com for more information about the 16 competing national teams, tournament schedule and format.
11 Members of Minnesota Wild Organization to Participate in 2024 IIHF Men's World Championship
Rossi, 22, posted 40 points (21-19=40) while playing all 82 games for Minnesota this season, finishing T-4th on the team in goals. Among National Hockey League (NHL) rookies, he ranked second in goals, T-3rd in shots (167) and fifth in points this season. The 5-foot-9, 182-pound native of Feldkirch, Austria, was selected by Minnesota in the first round (ninth overall) of the 2020 NHL Draft and has played in 103 career NHL games in two seasons with the Wild (2022-24), totaling 41 points (21-20=41).
Spacek, 21, tallied 12 points (3-9=12) and 21 penalty minutes (PIM) in 61 games during his debut season with the Iowa Wild of the American Hockey League (AHL) in 2023-24. Prior to his time in Iowa, the 6-foot-0, 191-pound defenseman played two seasons (2021-23) with the Sherbrooke Phoenix of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL), recording 107 points (25-82=107) and 74 PIM. Spacek was originally selected by Minnesota in the fifth round (153rd overall) of the 2022 NHL Draft.
Zuccarello, 36, recorded 63 points (12-51=63) in 69 games for Minnesota this season, leading the team in assists and ranking fourth in total scoring. The 5-foot-8, 181-pound native of Oslo, Norway, reached the 50-assist mark in a season for the second time in his career, trailing only his 55-assist mark set in the 2021-22 campaign. Originally signed by the New York Rangers as a free agent on May 26, 2010, Zuccarello has tallied 636 points (198-438=636) in 835 career NHL games through 14 seasons with the Rangers (2010-19), Dallas Stars (2018-19) and Minnesota (2019-24).
Hlavaj, 22, posted a 3.10 goals-against average (GAA) and a .902 save percentage (SV%) in 28 games with HC Škoda Plzeň of the Czech Extraliga this season. The 6-foot-4, 193-pound native of Martin, Slovakia, spent two seasons with HC Slovan Bratislava (2021-23) of the Slovakia League and recorded a 2.47 GAA, a .912 SV% and one shutout in 27 games. He was signed by Minnesota as a free agent on April 5, 2024.
Brodin, 30, logged 27 points (7-20=27), 142 blocked shots and a plus-22 rating in 62 games for Minnesota this season, leading the team in plus-minus and ranking second among team defensemen in points, T-2nd in goals and third in blocked shots. The 6-foot-2, 195-pound native of Karlstad, Sweden, was originally drafted by Minnesota in the first round (10th overall) of the 2011 NHL Draft, Brodin has compiled 240 points (54-186=240) 1,387 blocked shots and a plus-93 rating in 803 career games over 12 NHL seasons (2012-24), all with the Wild.
Eriksson Ek, 27, set career-high marks in points (30-34=64), goals, assists, shots (267) and plus-minus rating (plus-18) with Minnesota during the 2023-24 season, ranking second on the team in goals and third in points. The 6-foot-3, 205-pound native of Karlstad, Sweden, was selected by the Wild in the first round (20th overall) of the 2015 NHL Draft and has posted 270 points (122-148=270), 1,208 shots and a plus-57 rating in 498 career games through eight NHL seasons (2016-24), all with Minnesota.
Gustavsson, 25, recorded a 20-18-4 record, 3.06 GAA, .899 SV% and three shutouts in 45 games (43 starts) with Minnesota this season. For his career, the 6-foot-3, 203-pound native of Skelleftea, Sweden, owns a 2.73 GAA and a .912 SV% and six shutouts in 111 career games (103 starts) through four NHL seasons with the Ottawa Senators (2020-22) and Minnesota (2022-24). Gustavsson was originally selected by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the second round (55th overall) of the 2016 NHL Draft and was acquired by Minnesota from Ottawa in exchange for goaltender Cam Talbot on July 12, 2022.
Johansson, 33, tallied 30 points (11-19=30) and 112 shots in 78 games with Minnesota this season. The 6-foot-1, 202-pound native of Landskrona, Sweden, has notched 483 points (174-309=483) and 1,388 shots in 911 career games over 14 NHL seasons with the Washington Capitals (2010-17, 2021-23), New Jersey Devils (2017-19), Buffalo Sabres (2019-20), Minnesota (2020-21, 2022-24), and Seattle Kraken (2021-22). Johansson was originally selected by Washington in the first round (24th overall) of the 2009 NHL Draft.
Wallstedt, 21, recorded a 18-15-5 record, 2.70 GAA, .910 SV% and two shutouts in 45 games for the Iowa Wild this season. The 6-foot-3, 214-pound native of Vasteras, Sweden, was twice named Howie’s Hockey Tape/AHL Player of the Week during the 2023-24 campaign. Wallstedt also posted a 3.01 GAA, .897 SV% and one shutout in three starts for Minnesota this season after making his NHL debut on Jan. 10. In two AHL seasons with Iowa, Wallstedt owns a 2.69 GAA and a .909 SV% in 83 career games. He was originally selected by Minnesota in the first round (20th overall) of the 2021 NHL Draft.
Boldy, 23, set career-high marks in points (29-40=69) and assists in 75 games for Minnesota this season, ranking second on the team in points and third in goals and shots (227). The 6-foot-2, 205-pound native of Milford, Massachusetts, was selected by Minnesota in the first round (12th overall) of the 2019 NHL Draft and has recorded 171 points (75-96=171), 595 shots and a plus-23 rating in 203 career games through three NHL seasons (2021-24), all with the Wild.
Hynes, 49, will serve as Head Coach for the United States Men’s National Team at the 2024 IIHF World Championship. The native of Warwick, Rhode Island, recorded a 34-24-5 (.579) record in his first season leading the Wild after being hired by the franchise on November 27, 2023. As an NHL head coach, Hynes owns a 318-279-68 (.529) record in 665 career games through 10 seasons with the New Jersey Devils (2015-19), Nashville Predators (2019-23) and Minnesota (2023-24). Hynes is serving as head coach of the U.S. Men’s National Team for the third time after stints behind the bench in 2016 and 2019. He also led three medal-winning U.S. Under-18 Men’s National Teams at the IIHF Under-18 Men's World Championship, including gold in 2006, silver in 2004 and bronze in 2008. Additionally, he served as an assistant coach for the U.S. National Junior Team that earned gold in the 2004 IIHF World Junior Championship.
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