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.
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