Wilson Will Coach U.S. at World Championships

Mighty Duck Coach Ron Wilson has agreed to coach the U.S. team in the World Championships beginning Sunday in Vienna, Austria, and said he expects to be named coach of the World Cup team, perhaps as soon as today.

“I think it’s safe to say I’m the coach,” said Wilson, who received a message that Lou Lamoriello, general manager of the U.S. World Cup team, is trying to reach him. Lamoriello was Wilson’s coach at Providence College and Wilson has been considered the favorite for that job.

The World Cup, which replaces the Canada Cup, starts in August and will include most of the NHL’s stars. The coach of that team will have a leg up on the job as U.S. Olympic coach in 1998.

Paul Kariya is expected to play for Canada in both the World Championships and the World Cup.

“I always love playing for my country,” Kariya said.

Wilson said Teemu Selanne will play for Finland in the World Cup, but there’s only “an outside chance” he will play in the World Championships because of sore knees. Goalie Mikhail Shtalenkov and winger Valeri Karpov will play for Russia in the tournament that begins this week, and Wilson has nominated goalie Guy Hebert and winger Joe Sacco for the U.S. team.