Artem Anisimov will not join Chicago Blackhawks teammate Artemi Panarin on Team Russia’s roster for the 2016 World Championships as he will have surgery, reports Igor Eronko of the Sport-Express.The tournament will be played from May 6 through 22 in Moscow and Saint Petersburg, Russia.
There are no reports of what the surgery is, but Anisimov did miss time at the end of the regular-season due to an upper-body injury.
Anisimov, 27, scored a career-high 20 goals and 42 points in his first season with Chicago after he was acquired in an offseason trade from the Columbus Blue Jackets. He added three goals in seven postseason games.
Anisimov has played in the last four world championships, registering three goals and 12 points in 37 games. He tallied a goal and three assists in last year’s tournament when the Russians fell 2-1 to Canada in the gold-medal game. He has won two gold medals (2012 and 2014) and one silver (2015) at the world championships.
The Yaroslavl, Russian native was among the 16 players named to Russia’s initial roster for the World Cup of Hockey, which will take place Sept. 17 through Oct. 1 in Toronto.
*Post will be updated.