The ECHL is represented by 29 former players and three coaches in the 2016 International Ice Hockey Federation World Championships, which begin today in Moscow and St. Petersburg, Russia. It marks the 11th time in the last 14 years that at least 25 former ECHL players have participated in the tournament. There is at least one former ECHL player on 13 of the 16 teams, led by Belarus and Hungary, which both have five players with ECHL ties on its roster. Denmark, Germany and the United States both have three former ECHL players. Two players who played in the ECHL in 2015-16 are taking part with Benjamin Dieude-Fauvel, who played with Evansville, Rapid City and Kalamazoo representing France and Toledo defenseman Ralfs Freibergs representing Latvia. In addition, current ECHL linesman Judson Ritter is serving as a linesman during the tournament while former ECHL officials Tim Mayer and Fraser McIntyre will also work games during the tournament. Belarus (5 players, 2 coaches) – Assistant coach Craig Woodcroft (Columbus, 1994-95), assistant coach Andrei Mezin (Roanoke, 1993-94), Artem Demkov (Elmira, 2011-13), Kirill Gotovets (Indy, 2014-15), Kevin Lalande (Las Vegas, 2007-09), Charles Linglet (Alaska, 2003-05 and Las Vegas, 2005-06) and Geoff Platt (Atlantic City, 2004-05) Canada (1) – Cam Talbot (Greenville (2010-11) Denmark (3) – Sebastian Dahm (Johnstown, 2008-09 and Alaska, 2009-10), Morten Madsen (Texas, 2007-08) and Kirill Starkov (Elmira, 2007-08) Finland (1) – Mikko Koskinen (Utah, 2009-10) France (2) – Benjamin Dieude-Fauvel (Elmira, 2011-13 and Quad City, 2014-15) and Laurent Meunier (Florida, 2002-03) Germany (3 players, 1 coach) – Assistant coach Geoff Ward (Arkansas, 1999-00), Darryl Boyle (Alaska, 2010-11), Marcel Noebels (Trenton, 2012-13) and Timo Pielmeier (Bakersfield, 2009-10 and Elmira, 2010-12) Hungary (5) – Jesse Dudas (Charlotte, 2008-09 and Orlando, 2012-13); Daniel Koger (Cincinnati, 2011-12; South Carolina, 2011-13; Bakersfield, 2012-13; Florida, 2012-13; Toledo, 2013-14 and Elmira, 2013-14); Gergo Nagy (Kalamazoo, 2014-15) and Andrew Sarauer (Johnstown, 2008-09; Reading, 2009-11 and Las Vegas, 2012-13) Latvia (2) – Ralfs Freibergs (Ontario, 2014-15 and Toledo, 2015-16) and Vitalijs Pavlovs (Colorado, 2014-15) Norway (2) – Morten Ask (Toledo, 2003-04 and Las Vegas, 2003-05) and Ole-Kristian Tollefsen (Dayton, 2004-05) Slovakia (1) – Marek Viedensky (San Francisco, 2012-13) Switzerland (1) – Robert Mayer (Cincinnati, 2009-10) United States (3) – Mike Condon (Ontario, 2012-13 and Wheeling, 2013-14); Matt Hendricks (Florida, 2004-05) and Chris Wideman (Elmira, 2012-13) About the ECHLBegan in 1988-89 with five teams in four states, the ECHL has grown into a coast-to-coast league with 28 teams in 21 states and one Canadian province for its 28th season in 2015-16. There have been who have started their career in the ECHL have gone on to play in the National Hockey League, including 30 who made their NHL debuts in the 2015-16 season. The ECHL has affiliations with 25 of the 30 NHL teams in 2015-16, marking the 19th consecutive season that the league had affiliations with at least 20 teams in the NHL. Further information on the ECHL is available on its website at ECHL.com as well as on Twitter and Facebook.