ST. LOUIS - St. Louis Blues President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Doug Armstrong announced today that Blues forward Vladimir Sobotka will join Team Czech Republic at the 2017 IIHF World Championships in Cologne, Germany and Paris, France.

Team Czech Republic is currently 2-1 in Group B and will take on Team Norway on Thursday.

Sobotka, 29, signed a three-year extension with the Blues on April 6 after spending three seasons with Omsk Avangard of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). The 5-foot-10, 197-pound forward dressed in one 2016-17 regular season game and all 11 postseason games for the Blues, totaling seven points, including three goals and four assists, and a plus-4 rating.

Overall, Sobotka has appeared in eight NHL seasons, accumulating 124 points (36 goals, 88 assists) and 282 penalty minutes.

The World Championships will mark the second international competition for Sobotka this season. Previously, the Trebic native represented the Czech Republic at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey, posting one assist in three tournament games.

Sobotka joins defenseman Colton Parayko as the only two Blues that have committed to playing in the World Championships thus far.