2004 World Cup Of Hockey Rosters
The World Cup of Hockey is a biennial international ice hockey tournament organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) and the National Hockey League (NHL). The tournament features teams from around the world competing against each other for the championship trophy. One of the most memorable editions of this tournament was the 2004 World Cup of Hockey, which featured some of the world's top ice hockey players representing their countries on the grandest stage of all.
Team Canada Roster
Canada's roster for the 2004 World Cup of Hockey was stacked with talent, as one would expect. They were led by future hall of famers Joe Sakic and Mario Lemieux. They also had star players like Martin Brodeur, Scott Niedermayer, and Chris Pronger on defense. On offense, they had plenty of firepower with players like Jarome Iginla, Vincent Lecavalier, and Dany Heatley.
Team USA Roster
The United States had high hopes heading into the tournament, hoping to build on their success in the 1996 World Cup of Hockey where they won the gold medal. Their roster was headlined by players like Mike Modano, Chris Chelios, and Brett Hull. They also had a talented group of forwards in players like Bill Guerin, Jeremy Roenick, and Brian Rolston. Unfortunately, despite their talent, they failed to win a medal, finishing in 6th place.
Team Russia Roster
Russia's roster for the 2004 World Cup of Hockey was filled with some of the most talented players in the world. They were led by Pavel Datsyuk, but also had other star players like Ilya Kovalchuk, Alexei Kovalev, and Sergei Gonchar. Unfortunately, despite their talent, they were eliminated in the semifinals by Finland, losing 2-0.
Team Sweden Roster
Sweden had a strong roster for the 2004 World Cup of Hockey, led by future hall of famer Peter Forsberg. They also had other star players like Mats Sundin, Henrik Zetterberg, and the Sedin twins, Daniel and Henrik. However, despite their talent, they were unable to make it past the semifinals, losing to Canada in a close 5-4 game.
Team Finland Roster
Finland's roster for the 2004 World Cup of Hockey was led by veteran forward Saku Koivu. They also had a strong defensive group, led by players like Kimmo Timonen and Sami Salo. However, what really propelled them to a medal was their goaltending, as Miikka Kiprusoff stood on his head throughout the tournament, including in the semifinals where he shut out Russia. Finland would go on to win the silver medal, losing to Canada in the finals.
Team Czech Republic Roster
The Czech Republic's roster for the 2004 World Cup of Hockey was led by future hall of famer Jaromir Jagr. They also had other talented forwards like Patrik Elias and Martin Havlat. However, their defense was thin and they struggled in goal, leading to a disappointing 5th place finish.
Team Germany Roster
Germany's roster for the 2004 World Cup of Hockey was led by veteran forward Marco Sturm. They also had NHL players like Christian Ehrhoff and Olaf Kolzig on their roster. However, they were overmatched and failed to win a game, finishing in last place.
In conclusion, the 2004 World Cup of Hockey featured some of the most talented hockey players from around the world representing their countries on the grandest stage of all. While Canada ultimately emerged victorious, there were plenty of memorable moments and performances throughout the tournament.