HELSINKI – Following the 5-2 defeat against Finland, Swiss national coach Sean Simpson announced that Nashville Predators defenceman Roman Josi will join the team.

Josi will travel to Helsinki in the next few days and might play his first game of the 2012 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship on Saturday against France.

The Nashville Predators lost to the Phoenix Coyotes in the second round of the Stanley Cup play-offs on Monday.

It was the first NHL season for the defenceman, who had 5 goals and 11 assists in 62 games. It will be the third World Championship for the 21-year-old.

By adding Josi to its roster later this week the Swiss national team will have its roster filled, which means that unregistered forward Michael Liniger will have to leave the team.

MARTIN MERK