By Kara Yorio - SportingNews








Players to watch
More than 200 NHL players are playing for club teams in Europe, according to the International Ice Hockey Federation. A look at some of the most familiar names in unfamiliar uniforms:

Austria

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Jason Krog (free agent), Villach

Czech Republic

Patrik Elias (Devils), Znojemsti Orli
Milan Hejduk (Avalanche), Pardubice
Jaromir Jagr (Rangers), Kladno
Ziggy Palffy (free agent), Slavia Prague
Tomas Vokoun (Predators), Znojemsti Orli

Finland

Michael Nylander (Rangers), Karpat Oulu

France

Steve Reinprecht (Flames), Mulhouse

Germany

Mike York (Oilers), Iserlohn

Italy

Rico Fata (Penguins), Asiago

Latvia

Sergei Zholtok (Predators), Riga 2000

Poland

Krzysztof Oliwa (Devils), Podhale Nowy Targ

Russia

Pavel Datsyuk (Red Wings), Moscow Dynamo
Sergei Gonchar (Bruins), Mettalurg Magnitogorsk
Ilya Kovalchuk (Thrashers), AK Bars Kazan
Garth Snow (free agent), St. Petersburg
Petr Sykora (Mighty Ducks), Mettalurg Magnitogorsk

Slovakia

Pavol Demitra (free agent), Dukla Trencin
Marian Gaborik (Wild), Dukla Trencin
Marian Hossa (Senators), Dukla Trencin
Richard Zednik (Canadiens), Zvolen

Slovenia

Manny Malhotra (Blue Jackets), ZM Olimpija

Sweden

Zdeno Chara (Senators), Farjestad
Peter Forsberg (Avalanche, unsigned), MoDo
Miikka Kiprusoff (Flames), Timra
Mike Knuble (Flyers), Linkoping
Sheldon Souray (Canadiens), Farjestad
Henrik Zetterberg (Red Wings), Timra

Switzerland

Dany Heatley (Thrashers), Bern
Kim Johnsson (Flyers), Ambri-Piotta
Olli Jokinen (Panthers), Kloten
Rick Nash (Blue Jackets), Davos
Alex Tanguay (Avalanche), Lugano
Joe Thornton (Bruins), Davos


Tournaments to watch

World junior (under-20) championships, Grand Forks, N.D., and Thief River Falls, Minn., December 25, 2004-January 4, 2005

Women's world championship, Linkoping and Norrkoping, Sweden, April 2-9, 2005

Under-18 world championship, Ceske Budejovice and Plzen, Czech Republic, April 14-24, 2005

World championship, Vienna and Innsbruck, Austria, April 30-May 15, 2005

Memorial Cup, London, Ontario, May 21-30, 2005

Websites to feed the hockey hungry
The International Ice Hockey Federation: iihf.com.
American Hockey League: theahl.com.
Prospects: hockeysfuture.com.
NCAA: ncaa.org/sports/icehockey.
European leagues: eurohockey.net.
Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (English): lhjmq.qc.ca/lang_en.
Ontario Hockey League: ontariohockeyleague.com.
Western Hockey League: whl.ca. United States Hockey League: ushl.com.
The NHL Players' Association (lists members playing in Europe): nhlpa.com.