Today the Ice Hockey Federation Of Russia released their 29 man roster for the upcoming 2012 Canada-Russia Challenge. In addition to the Number One Overall 2012 NHL Draft Pick, Nail Yakupov, two Tampa Bay Lightning picks will be playing for Team Russia: G Andrei Vasilevski and D Nikita Nesterov.
Vasilevski was selected 19th overall by the Lightning during the First Round of the 2012 NHL Draft held in Pittsburgh. His last outing (before attending the 2012 Lightning Development Camp) was the 2012 World Juniors where he backstopped Russia to a Silver Medal. His final numbers were a 4-2 W/L Record, 2.62 GAA and a .935 SV%.
Nesterov was selected 148th overall during the Fifth Round of the 2011 NHL Draft in Minnesota. Last Season he played for Traktor Chelyabinsk of the KHL and Belie Medvedi Chelyabinsk of the MHL. All together he played 51 games where he netted 11 G 20 A 19 +/- and 70 PIM. He also played on Team Hedman during the 2012 Development Camp, where he along with Vladislav Namestnikov, Slater Koekkoek, and Cedric Paquette won the 3-on-3 Tournament.
The Canada-Russia Challenge is the annual celebration of the 1972 Summit Series. It is scheduled to take place in Yaroslavl, Russia (2 Games Aug 9-10) and Halifax, N.S. (2 Games Aug 13-14).
Click below for the full rosters:
Canada
Russia
#beRELENTLESS
– Jim Courteau
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