IIHF World Championships 2012 - Team France Preview

Last year Team France finished off with a 12th place finish. France isn't known for it's great hockey players playing in the NHL, so a 12 place finish in worlds is not bad. Team France has been placed in Group H (Helsinki) for the preliminary rounds this year. Others in the group include Belarus, Canada, Finland, USA, Kazakhstan, Switzerland, and Slovakia. This is a very strong group, arguably even stronger than the other group (on paper). Team France is facing Team USA first tomorrow, (Friday, May 4th) at 12:15. The rest of their schedule for the preliminary rounds are:

Sunday, May 6th at 12:15 vs Kazahkstan

Monday, May 7th at 4:15 vs Canada

Thursday, May 10th at 8:15 vs Finland

Saturday, May 12th at 4:15 vs Switzerland

Monday, May 14th at 4:15 vs Belarus

Tuesday, May 15th at 4:15 vs Slovakia

Other than the return of Coach Dave Henderson, Team France has 15 out of they're 23 players returning. The more noticeable returnees include Sacha Treille who scored 2 goals and 2 assists for 4 points in 6 games, Kevin Hecquefeuille who recorded 1 goal and 3 assists for 4 points in 6 games, and Laurent Meunier who scored 2 goals and 1 assist for 3 points in 6 games as well as both goaltenders (starter and backup) in Christobal Huet and Fabrice Lhenry. Here is Team France's Roster this year along with the player's club:

Coach: Dave Henderson

Forwards:

Pierre-Edouard Bellemare (Skellefta Aik)

Charles Bertrand (Lukko Rauma)

Stephane De Costa (Ottawa Senators)

Teddy De Costa (Gks Tychy)

Julien Desroisiers (Rouen Dragons)

Damien Fleury (Timra Ik)

Anthony Guttig (Dijon Ducs)

Brian Henderson (Angers Ducs)

Laurent Meunier (Straubing Tigers)

Damien Raux (Angers Ducs)

Antoine Roussel (Chicago Wolves)

Sacha Trielle (Sparta Prague)

Yorick Trielle (Sparta Prague)

Defense:

Baptiste Amar (Grenoble Bruleurs De Loups)

Yohann Auvitu (Jyp Jyvaskya)

Vincent Bachet (Amiens Gothiques)

Nicolas Besch (Cracovia Krakow)

Kevin Hecquefeuille (Geneve-Servette)

Antonin Manavian (Rouen Dragons)

Alexandre Rouleau (Grenoble Bruleures De Loups)

Goaltenders:

Florian Hardy (Chamonix Chamois)

Christobal Huet (Fribourg-Gotteron)

Fabrice Lhenry (Rouen Dragons)

My Prediction: Team France will finish around 8th place again, 6th in their Preliminary Division