GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Seven current and former Grand Rapids Griffins will take part in the 2023 IIHF World Championship, which begins today and runs through May 28 in Tampere, Finland, and Riga, Latvia. The list includes Jonatan Berggren, Carter Mazur and Jussi Olkinuora, who all suited up for the Griffins during the 2022-23 campaign.

Here is the breakdown, by country, of the Griffins alumni who are competing in the tournament (seasons in Grand Rapids):

Canada – Joe Veleno (2019-22)
Denmark – Assistant coach Andreas Lilja (2009-10)
Finland – Jussi Olkinuora (2022-23)
Germany – Moritz Seider (2019-20)
Slovenia – Jan Drozg (2021-22)
Sweden – Jonatan Berggren (2021-23)
USA – Carter Mazur (2022-23)

Olkinuora was named MVP of the 2022 World Championship when he led Finland to the gold medal. He also helped Finland earn its first-ever men’s hockey gold medal at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. Seider will make his fourth World Championship appearance, after earning a spot on the All-Star Team in 2021. Veleno, a 2020 IIHF World Junior Championship gold medalist, will make his debut for Canada’s senior team. Berggren, Drozg and Mazur will all suit up in their first World Championship.

The 2023 IIHF World Championship consists of 16 countries divided into two groups. The complete schedule can be found here.

Photo by Jonathan Kozub/Manitoba Moose