Winnipeg Jets goalie Ondrej Pavelec has opted not to play for Team Czech Republic at the upcoming World Hockey Championship in May.
A report on a Czech news website today said that team coach Vladimir Vujtek told reporters that Pavelec is unable to participate because he didn't pass his end-of-season medical with the NHL's Winnipeg Jets due to a knee problem.
Presumably, that referred to Pavelec's knee injury that kept him out between Nov. 21 and Feb. 13.
The Jets said Tuesday that Pavelec did pass his season-ending medical on Monday but, since he'd be starting to train for September's World Cup of Hockey earlier in the summer than usual, he was advised that rest was the best thing for his knee at the moment.