Elite League stars named to Great Britain Roster

Photo: Dean Woolley

Great Britain Head Coach Peter Russell has named his team for next month’s World Championship in Latvia.

Countries can select a 28-player roster for this year’s tournament and Russell has announced an initial 27, with one player to be added in the coming days

Five players - David Clements, Jordan Hedley, Lewis Hook, Ciaran Long and Josh Tetlow - are named in a full World Championship squad for the first time after previously representing GB as a junior, while Sam Jones gets a first-ever Great Britain call-up.

GB are in Group A - based in the Olympic Sports Centre - where they will come up against Russia, Slovakia, Denmark, Belarus, Sweden, Czech Republic and Switzerland between 22nd May and 1st June.

Group B consists of hosts Latvia, as well as Canada, Finland, Germany, Italy, Kazakhstan, Norway and the USA. Matches will be held at Arena Riga.

Head Coach, Pete Russell, said: “As with any Great Britain squad, the coaching staff had many difficult decisions to make concerning this year’s team.

“A number of core GB players are unavailable for selection and we will miss those players for sure, but I still feel we have some great depth across our roster.

“Once again, this is the pinnacle of any player's career and it will be a massive honour for them to step onto the ice against some of the best teams in the world.

“Much of this has been made possible by the Elite Series and I would like to thank the Elite League once again for their assistance and providing an opportunity for British players to get competitive hockey under their belt this season.

"The squad has a good mixture of experience and fantastic young talent, but I do want to give a special mention to two players - Joe Hazeldine and Josh Waller - who just missed out. They are exciting prospects for the future and their day will come - and what I will say is that if anyone has to pull out, they will be on the plane.”

GB roster (players listed by their Elite Series/NIHL Cup club or current club if playing in Europe) 

Netminders
Ben Bowns - Nottingham Panthers
Jordan Hedley - Coventry Blaze
Jackson Whistle - Nottingham Panthers

Defence
David Clements - Coventry Blaze
Dallas Ehrhardt - Manchester Storm
Mark Garside - Nottingham Panthers
Sam Jones - Sheffield Steelers
Evan Mosey - EHC Freiburg
Ben O’Connor - Sheffield Steeldogs
David Phillips - Sheffield Steelers
Josh Tetlow - Nottingham Panthers

Forwards
Ollie Betteridge - Nottingham Panthers
Brendan Connolly - Sheffield Steelers
Ben Davies - Manchester Storm
Robert Dowd - Sheffield Steelers
Sam Duggan - Coventry Blaze
Luke Ferrara - Coventry Blaze
Mike Hammond - Coventry Blaze
Lewis Hook - Nottingham Panthers
Liam Kirk - Sheffield Steelers
Robert Lachowicz - Nottingham Panthers
Ben Lake - Manchester Storm
Ciaran Long - Manchester Storm
Matthew Myers - Sheffield Steelers
Brett Perlini - Nottingham Panthers
Jonathan Phillips - Sheffield Steelers
Ross Venus - Coventry Blaze