Chara, Kopitar headline Team Europe World Cup roster

Boston Bruins defenseman Zdeno Chara and Los Angeles Kings forward Anze Kopitar will lead a team of Europe's finest at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey.

Team Europe announced its initial 16-player roster Wednesday. With players coming from European countries outsides of the power-houses of Russia, Sweden, Finland, and Czech Republic, general manager Miroslav Satan had his hands full, but his initial 16 looks to be steady.

Forwards

F Mikkel Boedker, Colorado Avalanche (Denmark)
F Leon Draisaitl, Edmonton Oilers (Germany)
F Jannik Hansen, Vancouver Canucks (Denmark)
F Marian Hossa, Chicago Blackhawks (Slovakia)
F Kopitar, Los Angeles Kings (Slovenia)
F Frans Nielsen, New York Islanders (Denmark)
F Tomas Tatar, Detroit Red Wings (Slovakia)
F Thomas Vanek, Minnesota Wild (Austria)
F Mats Zuccarello, New York Rangers (Norway)

Defensemen

D Chara, Boston Bruins (Slovakia)
D Roman Josi, Nashville Predators (Switzerland)
D Dennis Seidenberg, Boston Bruins (Germany)
D Andrej Sekera, Edmonton Oilers (Slovakia)
D Mark Streit, Philadelphia Flyers (Switzerland)

Goaltenders

G Frederik Andersen, Anaheim Ducks (Denmark)
G Jaroslav Halak, New York Islanders (Slovakia)

Related: World Cup of Hockey roster announcements schedule

The only glaring omission appears to be Kopitar's teammate in Los Angeles, forward Marian Gaborik. The 34-year-old has suited up for his native Slovakia on more than a dozen occasions most recently at the 2011 World Championships.

Gaborik is expected to miss the remainder of the regular season as he nurses a knee injury.