Pavelec wants more

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This article was published 27/04/2013 (3622 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

HE was one of the NHL’s busiest goaltenders this season, cramming 44 games into a stretch of 97 days. And Ondrej Pavelec wants more.

The Winnipeg Jets goaltender confirmed Friday he’ll soon be leaving for Stockholm, Sweden to play for his native Czech Republic at the IIHF World Hockey Championship.

“I spoke to the coach a few weeks ago and told him if we were out of the playoffs I would like to go,” said Pavelec. “I don’t feel like it’s over right now, to be honest. I just don’t want to go home and do nothing. I want to keep playing and this is a chance to keep playing.”

Pavelec would likely have been joined by more of his Jets teammates at the tournament — which runs May 3-18 in Helsinki, Finland and Stockholm — if not for a recent rash of injuries that made for an overcrowded infirmary.

— Evander Kane, who played for Canada last year, finished the season with an assortment of hurts that will need attention.

— Zach Bogosian missed the last three games of the year with a suspected concussion. Asked Friday if he would be available for Team USA if he passed protocol, the big defenceman said: “I haven’t really thought about it. I want to make sure my situation is taken care of before… obviously, my first commitment would be to be healthy for the Winnipeg Jets.”

— Swedish defenceman Toby Enstrom, who was twice injured this year but at one point led all rearguards in scoring, is recovering from a back injury that kept him out since April 9.

“No world championships. Out of the question,” said Enstrom.

— Centre Jim Slater, who was practising with the team at the end of the season after recovering from a broken finger, played for the Americans last year but might not get an invite this spring.

Jets captain Andrew Ladd would figure to be in Canada’s plans. A Team Canada spokesman said Friday its roster will be announced in the coming days. Rookie D-man Jacob Trouba has been invited to the U.S. camp.

ed.tait@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @WFPEdTait