Team USA to Compete in IIHF Men's World Championship, April 24-May 10

photo credit. Ron Chenoy



COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Defenseman John-Michael Liles (Indianapolis, Ind./Colorado Avalanche/Michigan State University) has been added to the 2009 U.S. Men’s National Team roster it was announced today by USA Hockey.

The U.S. Men’s National Team will compete at the 2009 International Ice Hockey Federation World Championship in Berne and Zurich-Kloten, Switzerland, April 24-May 10.

Liles skated in 75 games for the National Hockey League’s Colorado Avalanche in 2008-09 and led Avalanche defensemen with 39 points (12-27).
Liles will be making his second IIHF Men's World Championship appearance, having played in all seven games for Team USA at the 2005 IIHF Men's World Championship. Additionally, Liles was a member of the U.S. Olympic Men's Ice Hockey Team at the 2006 Olympic Winter Games in Torino, Italy, and Team USA at the 2004 World Cup of Hockey.

Team USA will face Switzerland on Tuesday (April 21) at 2:15 p.m. EDT in a pre-tournament game before beginning play in the 2009 IIHF Men's World Championship on Saturday, April 25, at 10:15 a.m. EDT against Latvia. The United States will play two additional preliminary-round games against Austria (April 27) and Sweden (April 29) before the qualification round begins.

Click here for the entire roster.

NOTES: All teams in the IIHF Men's World Championship may begin the tournament with 20 skaters and three defensemen, and can add two players after the first three games ... The 2009 U.S. Men’s National Team is under the direction of Brian Burke, general manager; David Poile, associate general manager; and Jim Johannson, assistant executive director for hockey operations at USA Hockey. The U.S. Men's National Advisory Group, which includes Burke, Paul Holmgren (Philadelphia), Johannson, Dean Lombardi (L.A. Kings), Ray Shero (Pittsburgh) and Don Waddell (Atlanta), is charged with leading the selection of players for the U.S. Men's National Team. Tony Rossi, vice president of USA Hockey and its international council chair, oversees all aspects of international competition for USA Hockey … Ron Wilson, head coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs, will serve as the head coach of the 2009 U.S. Men’s National Team and the 2010 U.S. Olympic Men's Ice Hockey Team. Scott Gordon, head coach of the New York Islanders, and Joe Sacco, head coach of the Lake Erie Monsters of the American Hockey League, will serve as assistant coaches for the 2009 U.S. Men's National Team.

Team USA 2009 IIHF Men's World Championship Schedule
April 24-May 10 • Berne and Zurich-Kloten, Switzerland