The roster is set the bags are packed and the team arrived Friday night to Krakow for the Division 1/A World championships where they have one goal in mind that is to get promoted back up to the A Pool. Of course Rich Chernomaz and his staff are taking the upcoming week game by game and period by period.
Since being relegated out of the A Pool Switzerland in 2009 Hungary has had the goal of getting back there. There were seasons where it was a bit of a stretch and others were they were just right there. This season looks to be one of those were the team has a really good chance of making. Rich Chernomaz and his staff have been working real hard at putting together a squad that will compete for the gold medal in Krakow.
Heading into this season it looked as if Hungary would have Hetenyi and Sevela battling all season for the number one spot, with Miklos Rajna and Bence Balizs filling out the roster for the international breaks. Of course things always change and a coach can never truly plan ahead. In the offseason Hetenyi had some health issues that sidelined him and Sevela had some personal issues. Both head coach Rich Chernomaz and goalie Gary Clark agree that regardless of who is in net Miklós Rajna or Bence Bálizs they have great seasons behind them and the team has confidence in them.
The defensive end of the team has gone through some turnover in the past year as Tamás Gröschl, Adrián Hüffner and Arnold Varga were left out of the squad with Viktor Tokaji missing the tournament because of an ankle injury. Taking their place was Dániel Kiss and Tyler Metcalfe who was moved from being a forward to being a defenceman. Balázs Gőz was back on the World Championship roster after missing last years.
One position that looks to be not a problem despite a number of players missing. István Bartalis had a knee injury on the last practice before the team made the trip to Krakow, Ladislav Sikorcin has missed his second world championships in a row this time because of ankle injury. István Sofron will have to miss the first two games because of a three game suspension that has carried over from the DEL season. There are also a number of new debutants in the forward unit which includes the 40 year old ex NHL forward Frank Banham and Andrew Sarauer. There is a pair of twenty year olds in Csanád Erdély and Péter Vincze.
The Hungarian Squad
Goalies (2): BÁLIZS Bence (Miskolci Jegesmedvék) RAJNA Miklós (Fehérvár AV19)
Defensmen (7): KISS Dániel (Újpest) ORBÁN Attila, SZIRÁNYI Bence (Fehérvár AV19) POZSGAI Tamás (Dab.Docler), GŐZ Balázs, METCALFE Tyler (Miskolci Jegesmedvék), VAS Márton (Löwen Frankfurt, DEL2)
Forwards (13): BANHAM Frank, BENK András, EREDÉLY Csanád, KOVÁCS Csaba, KÓGER Dániel, MAGOSI Bálint, SARAUER Andrew, VINCZE Péter, (Fehérvár AV19) NAGY Krisztián (Miskolci Jegesmedvék) SEBŐK Balázs (Hokki, FIN2) SOFRON István (Krefeld Pinguine, GER), VAS János (Slavia Praha, CZE) HÁRI János (MODO, SWE)
Coaching Staff
Head Coach: Rich Chernomaz
Assistant Coaches: Gergely Majoross, Tamás Sille, Diego Scandella
Goalie Coach: Gary Clark
World Championships Schedule
Sunday April 19
13:00 Hungary-Japan
16:30 Ukraine-Kazakhstan
20:00 Poland-Italy
Monday April 20
13:00 Kazakhstan-Hungary
16:30 Italy-Ukraine
20:00 Poland-Italy
Tuesday April 21-Off day
Wednesday April 22
13:00 Kazakhstan-Japan
16:30 Italy-Hungary
20:00 Poland-Ukraine
Thursday April 23
13:00 Japan-Italy
16:30 Ukraine-Hungary
20:00 Kazakhstan-Poland
Friday April 24-Off day
Saturday April 25
13:00 Japan-Ukraine
16:30 Italy-Kazakhstan
20:00 Hungary-Poland
Photo: Gábor Ancsin