Lundqvist, Karlsson will lead Sweden at World Cup

Sweden is in a position to avenge its disappointing loss to Canada in the gold medal game at the Sochi Olympics, naming an impressive preliminary roster Wednesday for the World Cup of Hockey.

The Swedish Ice Hockey Association named its first 16 players, consisting of eight forwards, six defensemen, and two goalies.

New York Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist will lead Sweden behind a formidable blue line headlined by Ottawa Senators defenseman Erik Karlsson. Up front, youngsters Filip Forsberg of the Nashville Predators and Gabriel Landeskog of the Colorado Avalanche will complement a solid veteran core.

Here's the initial 16-man roster:

Forwards

F Nicklas Backstrom, Washington Capitals
F Loui Eriksson, Boston Bruins
F Filip Forsberg, Nashville Predators
F Gabriel Landeskog, Colorado Avalanche
F Daniel Sedin, Vancouver Canucks
F Henrik Sedin, Vancouver Canucks
F Alexander Steen, St. Louis Blues
F Henrik Zetterberg, Detroit Red Wings

Defensemen

D Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Arizona Coyotes
D Victor Hedman, Tampa Bay Lightning
D Niklas Hjalmarsson, Chicago Blackhawks
D Erik Karlsson, Ottawa Senators
D Niklas Kronwall, Detroit Red Wings
D Anton Stralman, Tampa Bay Lightning

Goaltenders

G Henrik Lundqvist, New York Rangers
G Jacob Markstrom, Vancouver Canucks

Related: World Cup of Hockey roster announcements schedule

Notable omissions include Dallas Stars defenseman John Klingberg and Buffalo Sabres goalie Robin Lehner.

The tournament begins on Sept. 17, and final 23-man rosters must be announced no later than June 1.