Others did not receive invites, bowed out due to injury and contract status
The question asked most at the Buffalo Sabres locker cleanout earlier this week after thoughts about the dismissal of head coach Don Granato and what they were looking for in a new bench boss was whether players were heading to the upcoming IIHF World Championships in Czechia next month.
Players that have bowed out included Alex Tuch, Tage Thompson, Henri Jokiharju, and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen. Tuch played for Team USA at the 2023 IIHF World Championships in Finland and Latvia last May but decided not to go this time around. Thompson was slated to head to Europe but suffered a lower-body injury in the season finale against Tampa Bay that will take a few weeks to heal. Jokiharju and Luukkonen’s non-participation is contract-related, as both Finns are restricted free agents eligible for arbitration this summer.
Peyton Krebs won gold for Canada last year, but his contract is up this summer and did not indicate whether he would be participating. Jack Quinn and Zach Benson both indicated that they did not receive an invitation, and whether they would accept if they did.
Five Sabres are confirmed to be playing for their respective countries next month, winger J-J Peterka for Germany, defensemen Owen Power, Bowen Byram, and forward Dylan Cozens for Canada, and Rasmus Dahlin for Sweden. Peterka was the tournament’s top forward in 2023, which acted as a springboard to a career-best 28 goals this season.
Canada, who defeated Germany for the gold medal last spring will have a good chance to repeat with Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby participating, and Dahlin will be in line to star for Sweden in the NHL 4 Nations Face-Off next February and the 2026 Olympics in Italy.
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