The Euro Ice Hockey Challenge will bring together the national teams of Slovenia, Austria, Italy and France, whose members include several players in the American NHL league.
Among them are two Slovenian players, Anže Kopitar and Jan Muršak, and three members of the Austrian national team: Thomas Vanek (Buffalo Sabres), Andreas Nödl (California Hurricanes), and Michael Grabner (New York Islanders).
Anže Kopitar, a member of the LA Kings, who won Stanley Cup earlier this year, will join the national team of Slovenia for the first time after 2008. Before that year, he played for his national team at four world championships.