Michal Jordan Makes Czech Team for World Championship

After attending the team’s training camp and playing in a handful of exhibition games, Checkers defenseman Michal Jordan has earned a spot on the Czech Republic squad at the upcoming world championship.

Jordan, who just completed his fourth season in Charlotte, was one of eight defensemen and the only AHL-based player on the final roster announced Sunday. The tournament in Minsk, Belarus, will mark Jordan’s first time representing his country at the senior level, though he has appeared in a handful of youth and junior competitions, most recently serving as team captain at the 2010 World Junior Championship. The tournament could be an important one for Jordan, who is planning to keep his options open as a restricted free agent. The 23-year-old, who is the Checkers’ all-time leader in games played by a defenseman, did not play an NHL game this past season. One year prior, he played his first five games with the Hurricanes and made his first appearance at the AHL’s All-Star Classic.

This year’s World Championship begins Friday as the Czechs take on rival Slovakia. Other notable names in the Czech setup include assistant coach Jaroslav Spacek, who played his final 34 NHL games with Carolina two seasons ago, and forward Jakub Petruzalek, a former Hurricanes prospect who played seven games with the ECHL Checkers in 2006-07.