Penguins at the 2023 World Championship

The Penguins’ season is over, but a handful of their players will be representing their respective home countries in the annual World Championship tournament. It is taking place in Finland and Latvia this year and starting up next week. Here’s the list of players with Pens’ connections.

Team USA

Despite talk from that Jake Guentzel he would don the red, white and blue in a hockey event for a first time, he changed his mind and cited an undisclosed minor injury will prevent him from playing in this tournament. That might have been to Drew O’Connor’s gain that an extra roster spot was opened up.

Nick Bonino and Casey DeSmith will join O’Connor for the Americans.

Team Canada

Only one Penguin player representing the Canadians, and it’s a first timer in Pierre-Olivier Joseph. Absent from the list is Sidney Crosby, who won’t be starting his long summer by playing more hockey.

Crosby participated in the WC’s in 2006 (after his NHL rookie season) and in 2015 (when the Pens were quickly eliminated from the playoffs in the dark days of Mike Johnston). Crosby helped Canada win in 2015, to complete his membership in the rare “Triple Gold” club (Stanley Cup, Olympic Gold, World Championship Gold).

Team Sweden

The recently re-signed Alex Nylander will get some more ice time when he represents his home team this month. There were early reports that Rikard Rakell would join him, but another undisclosed but minor injury had Rakell opt out.

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Looks like the games will be split between ESPN+ and NHL Network if you want to catch some international hockey action and some Penguins still at work.