2001 IIHF World Junior Championship

Konstantin Koltsov, first round draft choice of the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1999, leads a Belarusian team which may not be deep in talent but has a burning desire to upset at least one of medal contenders. Russia is at the top of the hit list after the Belarusian teens watched their senior national team blank a Russian side, including several NHLers, 1-0 at the 2000 World Championship last spring. At 19, Koltsov is a regular with AK Bars Kazan of the Russian Superleague. Goalie Vitali Aristau, 17, who saw some action two years ago in Winnipeg as a 15-year-old, has received excellent instruction from Vitaly Erfilov, who was the very first coach of Hall of Fame goalie Vladislav Tretiak,. Defenseman Andrei Maroz also returns from the team in Winnipeg. The new Belarusian coach is Vladimir Melenchuk. The torch carriers from the land, which used to be known as White Russia, also take pride in the fact that Wayne Gretzky's grandfather was Belarusian.