The Russian domestic season may be drawing to an end, but Russia's top hockey players are busy preparing for the upcoming World Championships in Canada in May. Vyacheslav Bykov's side held a final training session just outside Moscow, before flying off to

Expectations were high last year, when the championships were held in Moscow, where Russia could only finish third. Now head coach Bykov is doing everything he can to get a squad hungry for gold together to win the title in the old enemy's back yard.

In order to bolster his team, Bykov’s gone to America to see which NHL players are interested, but so far only three have said they'll play.

Nevertheless, as past experience has shown, it's better to have players who want to play, rather than stars who won't give 100 per cent.

“Denis Grebenshikov, Ilya Bryzgalov and Ilya Kovalchuk will all join up with the squad. We will speak with other Russians in the NHL and then see if they are any better than their counterparts who are based in the Russian Superleague,” Bykov said.

With so few NHL players agreeing to play so far, and the absence of those players involved in the play-off final between Lokomotiv and Salavat Yulaev, Bykov has named an experimental line-up.

However, it's likely most of the 27 selected for the preliminary squad won't be making the trip to Canada.

“The friendlies against Austria and Italy as well as the final leg of the Euro Tour will give me the chance to decide on what squad to take to the World Championships. After the two friendlies we may lose a few players, as I’ve invited a number of newcomers to the squad to gain experience,” the head coach explained.

Russia's last victory at the World Championships was way back in 1993 in Munich. Every year that passes the desire to win gold increases, but so do the expectations.