7 Minnesota Wild stars set to dominate the 2025 IIHF World Championship
Photo byThe
Minnesota Wild
will have a strong international presence this spring as seven members of the organization are slated to represent five different nations at the 2025
IIHF
Men's World Championship, taking place from May 9–25 in Stockholm, Sweden, and Herning, Denmark. With a mix of seasoned
NHL veterans
and rising young stars, the Wild's global footprint continues to grow.
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Fans can expect to see familiar faces donning the jerseys of Canada, the United States, Sweden, Czechia, and Slovakia in pursuit of international glory.
Minnesota Wild players to represent five nations at IIHF 2025
Among the most notable names is goaltender
Marc-Andre Fleury
, who at age 40 will make his first appearance for Team Canada at the men's championship. The future Hall of Famer wrapped up his legendary 21-year NHL career this season with 1,051 games played and ranks second all-time in wins. His teammate, Jared Spurgeon, will also join Canada, marking his debut at the tournament. Spurgeon led all Wild defensemen in scoring this season and ranks first in franchise history in plus-minus and time on ice.
Representing the U.S. is
Zeev Buium
, a breakout young defenseman who made his NHL debut in the playoffs this year. Buium, 19, was a standout at the University of Denver with 48 points in 41 games and was a finalist for the
Hobey Baker Award
. He's no stranger to international play, having won back-to-back gold medals at the IIHF World Junior Championships.
Sweden will be represented by long-time Wild defenseman Jonas Brodin and forward Marcus Johansson. Brodin tallied 20 points in 50 games this season and recently helped Sweden win bronze at last year's championship. Johansson also played a key role in Sweden's 2024 bronze medal win, finishing with 12 points and a tournament-best +14 rating.
David Spacek will suit up for Czechia, coming off a strong season in the AHL where he led Iowa defensemen in scoring. He's no stranger to gold, helping Czechia win the 2024 championship.
Samuel Hlavaj, a 6-foot-4 netminder, returns to represent Slovakia after a solid AHL season, including his first professional shutout. He recorded a 2.54 GAA and a .925 SV% for Slovakia in last year's tournament.
The 2025 IIHF Men's World Championship offers a compelling mix of experience and youth from the Minnesota Wild organization. As these players take the ice for their countries, Wild fans will have plenty of reasons to tune in and cheer.
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