Filip Mesar of the Kitchener Rangers and Servac Petrovsky of the Owen Sound Attack have been named to Slovakia’s preliminary roster for the 2023 World Juniors that get underway in Moncton, N.B. and Halifax, N.S. on Boxing Day.
A first round (26th overall) pick by the Montreal Canadiens this past summer, Mesar has 22 points (10-12–22) through 17 games with the Rangers this season. The 18-year-old from Spisska Bela, Slovakia was selected by the Rangers with the ninth overall pick of the 2021 CHL Import Draft. Mesar played in two games with Slovakia’s National Junior Team at the 2021 World Juniors and also earned silver with his home country in the 2022 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, recording eight points (2-6–8) in five games.
Petrovsky, from Vely Saris, Slovakia returns to Slovakia’s National Junior Team after recording three points (2-1–3) in four games in August’s tournament. The sixth round pick of the Minnesota Wild in the 2022 NHL Draft has 28 points (14-14–28), including a league-leading three hat tricks, in 27 games with Owen Sound this season. He comes off a 28-goal campaign with the Bears in 2021-22.
Slovakia looks for improved results from their tournament showing this past summer as they failed to advance to the quarter-finals for the first time since 2000.
Slovakia’s tournament begins on December 27th against Finland.
Team Slovakia’s preliminary roster for the 2023 #WorldJuniors@HockeySlovakia pic.twitter.com/pSPdqzNWA7
— Matej Deraj (@MatoDeraj) December 14, 2022
