The 2024 IIHF World Championships are set to begin on Friday, with six Blackhawks players representing their respective countries at the annual international tournament. Connor Bedard (Canada), Seth Jones (USA), Philipp Kurashev (Switzerland), Petr Mrazek (Czechia), Lukas Reichel (Germany), and Alex Vlasic (USA) will be competing in the 16-day event, hosted in Mrazek’s homeland of the Czech Republic, spanning Prague and Ostrava.
During the preliminary round, which runs from May 10-21, all 16 participating teams will play seven games, with the top eight advancing to the knockout stage. The tournament will culminate in the gold medal game on Sunday, May 26. Fans can watch select action on NHL Network throughout the competition.
The United States is set to send two Blackhawks players to compete in the World Championships: Seth Jones and Alex Vlasic. Jones has represented Team USA at three previous World Championships and was named captain for his second consecutive appearance in 2019. He has a total of five appearances at this level and has recorded four goals and 16 assists across those tournaments. This will be Vlasic’s first time playing on an international stage but he was previously part of the American U18 team that won gold at the U-18 World Junior Championship in 2019. Both players will bring valuable experience and skills to their respective national teams.