WC: 2015 — Team Latvia

[Namejs]

What is really up with Kulda?

Arturs Kulda is injured, Edgars Kulda has already returned to Latvia after losing his WHL play-off series.

Surprisingly, Armada lost as well, so we're waiting whether Jevpalovs is going to get called up to the Worcester Sharks, which probably is the most likely scenario. If that doesn't happen, he's going to be available as well.

Blugers is not a pro athlete, he's a student. He's not available right now, he's studying. You can't call him up for the entire duration of the training camp and the WC (6+ weeks). It would be unprecedented if someone were to include him in the final roster without testing him first.

There are also a few other CHL players available right now - Golovkovs, probably R. Lipsbergs. Egle from USHL. Most of them wouldn't make the World Champs, but it sure would be interesting to see how they hold up against pro hockey players.

Pujacs is injured and he returned to Riga only to get his injury re-evaluated. He hasn't joined the training camp.

 

[Namejs]

Edgars Kulda joins the team.....Pujacs too....It's getting interesting....interest is also Blugers and Jevpalovs....

Merzlikins
Masalskis
Kalnins/Mustukovs

Pujacs
Bartulis
K.Redlihs
Jerofejevs
Cibulskis
Sotnieks
Galvins
M.Sirokovs/Jass

Abols
Dzerins
Sprukts
Daugavins
Meija
Darzins
M.Redlihs
Karsums
Jevpalovs
Blugers
Indrasis
Saulietis
Brahmanis
Kulda

Karsums - Daugavins - Indrasis
Darzins - Sprukts - M.Redlihs
Kulda - Blugers - Jevpalovs
Abols - Dzerins - Meija
Saulietis, Brahmanis

I love your enthusiasm about our national team, but some of the stuff you're saying is way off.

Karsums is not the type of a player who plays on the 1st line. He's a freight train on ice. He brings energy.

Our new head coach (he's Belarusian/Russian) is an old-school, Soviet-educated guy, who's stuck in the 80s/90s. He's not going to include a 'power forward' on the 1st line.

But, yes, it is a chance for all the soft forwards (be it Indrasis or Brahmanis, etc.)

Also, you included 4 junior-league players in the forward corps. That's not going to happen and they're definitely not going to all play on the same line.

 

[ergi24]

I read that Belavskis is interested Blugers to WC...like the Pujacs...In Europe, do not have much better players than Kulda and Jevpalovs. Karsums is played along with Dynamo Moscow in Daugavins, I think that will play in the first attack...In addition, they played together for the first attack OG...I read Latvian newspapers every day, I have information from newspapers...if not true I'm sorry, I write only what I read in the newspapers.Sportacentrs, lsm, delfi...

 

[Namejs]

I read that Belavskis is interested Blugers to WC...like the Pujacs...In Europe, do not have much better players than Kulda and Jevpalovs. Karsums is played along with Dynamo Moscow in Daugavins, I think that will play in the first attack...In addition, they played together for the first attack OG...I read Latvian newspapers every day, I have information from newspapers...if not true I'm sorry, I write only what I read in the newspapers.Sportacentrs, lsm, delfi...

Well, Blugers father is a member of the board of the Latvian hockey federation and if he has any ties with Belavskis, that might be an entirely different story and you could be right.

There were some rumours last year that his father was trying to pressure the coaches to get his son to be included in the line-up, but they refused. Whenever you have an old-school Russian head coach, there's an increased chance that personal ties and nepotism will affect the selection process.

But if we go by logic and consider how things were done before, it would be unimaginable to include him in the final roster without testing him first. He hasn't shown anything spectacular in NCAA this season. Yes, he's been drafted in the 2nd round by Pittsburgh, but there's a bunch (6-7) of other junior-league players who've had better or similar showings this season across QMJHL, WHL, USHL and MHL. So, to reiterate my point, it just wouldn't make much sense.

Kulda/Blugers/Jevpalovs have 0 pro experience. They are kids. You don't assign a trio of kids to the same line in the World Champs.

But I do agree that our roster depth isn't great and you could plug a couple of them in the line-up. Especially Jevpalovs, who's the first Latvian player to have a 100 point season in the CHL. Abols has also looked competent in the exhibition matches so far. The rest of them have issues with size and physicality, which doesn't help transitioning to pro hockey at all.

 

[Khokhlach86]

update roster

GK: Jānis KalniņÅ¡ (Acélbikák, Ungārija), Ervīns MuÅ¡tukovs (Aalborg, Dānija), Elvis Merzļikins (Lugano, Å veice); Edgars Masaļskis (Ambri Piotta, Å veice).

DF: KriÅ¡jānis Rēdlihs, Oskars Cibuļskis, Kristaps Sotnieks, Aleksandrs Jerofejevs, MārtiņÅ¡ Porejs (visi Rīgas Dinamo), Renārs Demiters (HK Astana, Kazahstāna), Māris Jass (Orli Znojmo, Čehija), Jānis Andersons (HK Dukla Trencin, Slovākija), Maksims Å irokovs (Red Ice, Å veice), Guntis GalviņÅ¡ (HC Bolzano, Itālija), MārtiņÅ¡ Gipters (HK Liepāja);

FW: Gints Meija, MārtiņÅ¡ Cipulis, Miks IndraÅ¡is, Andris DžeriņÅ¡, Kaspars Saulietis, Lauris DārziņÅ¡, Miķelis Rēdlihs, Gunārs Skvorcovs, Roberts Bukarts (visi Rīgas Dinamo), Rodrigo Ābols, (HK Rīga), Koba Jass (Bili Tygri Liberec, Čehija), Roberts Jekimovs (Atlant, KHL), Edijs Brahmanis (HK Gomel, Baltkrievija), Lauris Bajaruns (Rungsted, Dānija), Armands BērziņÅ¡ (Val Pusteria, Itālija), Kaspars DaugaviņÅ¡ (Maskavas Dinamo, KHL), Jānis Sprukts (Gottéron, Å veice),

 

[Namejs]

Bartulis (KHL), Karsums (KHL) and Jevpalovs (QMJHL) will join the team next week, which is great news.

With Bartulis we should have at least 3 competent defensive pairings (Bartulis, K. Redlihs, Sotnieks, Galvins, Cibulskis + Jerofejevs/Pujacs), as long as no one gets injured.

With the addition of Karsums we should have at least 2 really solid lines, and with the way Abols been playing at center recently, it looks like we might have a solid bottom 6 as well. He's been a real treat to watch on the 4th line in exhibition games so far (along with Bajaruns to an extent).

If Jevpalovs can adapt to this level and to European ice, I actually might start to get a bit excited about this line-up. It's shaping up better than expected.

 

[ergi24]

best news today namejs.......

 

[Rihis]

Very happy about Bartulis addition. Defense looks pretty good.

Excited to see what Jevpalovs can do. I'm just wondering if Jevpalovs plays only wing or center too, because looks like he has taken some faceoffs this season?

 

[ergi24]

hello namejs, where did you read that add Karsums, Bartulis, Jevpalovs? please send me article...thank you

 

[Namejs]

hello namejs, where did you read that add Karsums, Bartulis, Jevpalovs? please send me article...thank you

http://apollo.tvnet.lv/zinas/jauna-latvijas-haizivs-riga-varetu-ierasties-nakamnedel/688166
The part about Jevpalovs is not 100% guaranteed (in case the Sharks organization suddenly decides they don't want him to play in the World Champs for some reason or in case they belatedly call him up to Worcester, which they haven't done yet), but the Latvian hockey federation has already covered his insurance and they're expecting him to join the camp as per the article.

 

[Namejs]

Very happy about Bartulis addition. Defense looks pretty good.

Excited to see what Jevpalovs can do. I'm just wondering if Jevpalovs plays only wing or center too, because looks like he has taken some faceoffs this season?

I think it all depends on whether Belavskis is willing to do the same thing Nolan did by playing Daugavins at center AND whether Girgensons will fully recover from his injury in time.

If we could have something like

Darzins-Sprukts-Redlihs
Karsums-Daugavins-Indrasis
Jevpalovs-Girgensons-Meija
Jekimovs-Abols-Bajaruns
Dzerins, Stals

we'd have a number of balanced lines with scoring threats on each one of them.

Now, if you take out Girgensons and/or Daugavins from the equation, you get a completely different picture. Dzerins probably might jump from being the 13th forward to 2nd line C duty, Berzins makes the line-up (imagine him playing on the 3rd line), and I've suddenly lost all of my enthusiasm just thinking about it.

 

[Chileiceman]

I think it all depends on whether Belavskis is willing to do the same thing Nolan did by playing Daugavins at center AND whether Girgensons will fully recover from his injury in time.

If we could have something like

Darzins-Sprukts-Redlihs
Karsums-Daugavins-Indrasis
Jevpalovs-Girgensons-Meija
Jekimovs-Abols-Bajaruns
Dzerins, Stals

we'd have a number of balanced lines with scoring threats on each one of them.

Now, if you take out Girgensons and/or Daugavins from the equation, you get a completely different picture. Dzerins probably might jump from being the 13th forward to 2nd line C duty, Berzins makes the line-up (imagine him playing on the 3rd line), and I've suddenly lost all of my enthusiasm just thinking about it.

I don't know much about Bajaruns or Jekimovs, but I've always like Dzerin's game and I would put him in the line-up ahead of them.

Also, if Girgensons is ready to go, I'd rather he take Sprukts place in your line-up. His offensive game was decent this year on an unimaginably bad Sabres team. Sprukts is done. But both Darzins and Redlihs showed they have gas in the tank this year and played well for Riga. They don't shoot the puck enough and try to be too fancy, so maybe they would benefit from playing with a talented NHL (north-south) style guy in Girgensons.

I love Rodrigo Abols. I caught a bit of the game yesterday against France and he looked good. He was very good down the stretch for Riga. Maybe they could put him with Meija and Dzerins again. I can't believe he hasn't got more attention for the NHL draft. Hopefully if he puts in a good WC here some folks will take notice. Even just making the roster at his age is impressive.

 

[Belizarius]

Abols was very good in worlds U18 last year. Saw him during this tournament and he was interesting. His lack of production probably hurt his draft stock, though.

 

[Namejs]

I don't know much about Bajaruns or Jekimovs, but I've always like Dzerin's game and I would put him in the line-up ahead of them.

Also, if Girgensons is ready to go, I'd rather he take Sprukts place in your line-up. His offensive game was decent this year on an unimaginably bad Sabres team. Sprukts is done. But both Darzins and Redlihs showed they have gas in the tank this year and played well for Riga. They don't shoot the puck enough and try to be too fancy, so maybe they would benefit from playing with a talented NHL (north-south) style guy in Girgensons.

I love Rodrigo Abols. I caught a bit of the game yesterday against France and he looked good. He was very good down the stretch for Riga. Maybe they could put him with Meija and Dzerins again. I can't believe he hasn't got more attention for the NHL draft. Hopefully if he puts in a good WC here some folks will take notice. Even just making the roster at his age is impressive.

At this level Dzerins is a decent, serviceable depth forward, but offensively his contribution is going to be limited. I think he hasn't scored in the World Champs yet despite having played 30 games for the national team. That's a ridiculous stat. He does have 8 goals in the KHL this season, but if he's your 2nd line center, you're in trouble.

Also, Bajaruns and Jekimovs are wingers. Bajaruns has size (6'5", 210 lbs) and is better suited to a 4th line role than Dzerins, while Jekimovs is a good, speedy skater, he brings energy, can hold on to the puck and can actually score some goals. He's had a terrible season, but that usually means the players are extra-motivated in the post-season, because they are showcasing themselves on the European market when playing for their national team. That's also why I didn't exclude Stals, who could be a nice depth forward as well.

The reason Sprukts is on the 1st line is because they've played together with Darzins and Redlihs for several years in a row. They have really good chemistry. Sprukts isn't done, he just overrated himself when leaving Riga Dinamo a few years back now. He essentially burnt down all the bridges and he's been struggling the past couple of years because teams like Lokomotiv or CSKA wouldn't give him the ice time and attention that he thought they would. Combine that with a series of injuries and what you get is the illusion that he's "done". If he were to return to Riga Dinamo, he would easily have a 30+ point season in the KHL.

Also, my point was that there is no clear 1st line. They wouldn't be on the ice for 25 minutes or anything. And I don't really get the point of assigning a North-South guy to a European-style 1st line, it would only make them less productive. Girgensons is not a playmaker. He's a really good 3rd liner and ideally he should probably play together with guys like Kenins (if he was available). Kenins-Girgensons-Jevpalovs could be an awesome North American 3rd line.

 

[Namejs]

Abols was very good in worlds U18 last year. Saw him during this tournament and he was interesting. His lack of production probably hurt his draft stock, though.

I've followed him for a couple of years. He has improved significantly. The last time I was so excited watching a young, undrafted, unsigned (in the NHL) Latvian player was when I saw Indrasis. Indrasis is softer and not good enough defensively, but Abols genuinely looks like the real deal.

If he doesn't get drafted, he will probably earn a contract in a couple of years anyway. Abols is definitely going to be playing a full KHL season in 15/16.

 

[Chileiceman]

At this level Dzerins is a decent, serviceable depth forward, but offensively his contribution is going to be limited. I think he hasn't scored in the World Champs yet despite having played 30 games for the national team. That's a ridiculous stat. He does have 8 goals in the KHL this season, but if he's your 2nd line center, you're in trouble.

Also, Bajaruns and Jekimovs are wingers. Bajaruns has size (6'5", 210 lbs) and is better suited to a 4th line role than Dzerins, while Jekimovs is a good, speedy skater, he brings energy, can hold on to the puck and can actually score some goals. He's had a terrible season, but that usually means the players are extra-motivated in the post-season, because they are showcasing themselves on the European market when playing for their national team. That's also why I didn't exclude Stals, who could be a nice depth forward as well.

The reason Sprukts is on the 1st line is because they've played together with Darzins and Redlihs for several years in a row. They have really good chemistry. Sprukts isn't done, he just overrated himself when leaving Riga Dinamo a few years back now. He essentially burnt down all the bridges and he's been struggling the past couple of years because teams like Lokomotiv or CSKA wouldn't give him the ice time and attention that he thought they would. Combine that with a series of injuries and what you get is the illusion that he's "done". If he were to return to Riga Dinamo, he would easily have a 30+ point season in the KHL.

Also, my point was that there is no clear 1st line. They wouldn't be on the ice for 25 minutes or anything. And I don't really get the point of assigning a North-South guy to a European-style 1st line, it would only make them less productive. Girgensons is not a playmaker. He's a really good 3rd liner and ideally he should probably play together with guys like Kenins (if he was available). Kenins-Girgensons-Jevpalovs could be an awesome North American 3rd line.

If there is no 1st line, then why are you calling the line with Girgensons and Kenins be a 3rd line? They'd probably lead the team in scoring if they played together. I think Girgs could completment Darzins and Redlihs by adding an element that would be lacking on that line otherwise. It's good to have balance. But you are right that Sprukts already has chemistry with them.

It would be so sweet if Vancouver got knocked out and Kenins could join. Latvia would have a pretty solid top-9.

 

[Namejs]

If there is no 1st line, then why are you calling the line with Girgensons and Kenins be a 3rd line? They'd probably lead the team in scoring if they played together. I think Girgs could completment Darzins and Redlihs by adding an element that would be lacking on that line otherwise. It's good to have balance. But you are right that Sprukts already has chemistry with them.

It would be so sweet if Vancouver got knocked out and Kenins could join. Latvia would have a pretty solid top-9.

Because they would be the 3rd line - shutting down the top lines of big 8 teams, while providing some secondary scoring.

Kenins and Girgensons have already played together and, no, they didn't lead the team in scoring. I think you're overrating their offensive capabilities just because they're currently playing in the NHL, which is a typical mistake of NHL-only American hockey fans. I've seen the majority of their NHL games, in case you're wondering. Girgensons shouldn't be on the 1st line. Not only because of the type of a player he is, but also because if he did recover from injury, he still hasn't played a single game in a long time, so he's bound to be in a bit of a slump in terms of his form.

Also, obviously, a two-way power forward without great scoring instincts is not going to be a key player on the big ice and especially not on a team led by an old-school Soviet coach, who favors an East-West game.

 

[Chileiceman]

Because they would be the 3rd line - shutting down the top lines of big 8 teams, while providing some secondary scoring.

Kenins and Girgensons have already played together and, no, they didn't lead the team in scoring. I think you're overrating their offensive capabilities just because they're currently playing in the NHL, which is a typical mistake of NHL-only American hockey fans. I've seen the majority of their NHL games, in case you're wondering. Girgensons shouldn't be on the 1st line. Not only because of the type of a player he is, but also because if he did recover from injury, he still hasn't played a single game in a long time, so he's bound to be in a bit of a slump in terms of his form.

Also, obviously, a two-way power forward without great scoring instincts is not going to be a key player on the big ice and especially not on a team led by an old-school Soviet coach, who favors an East-West game.

I probably watched 20 Riga games this year, and a ton of other KHL games over the last few seasons. I cheer for Latvia in international competitions. I am far from an NHL-only "American (I'm Canadian)" hockey fan. Obviously I wouldn't know as much as the person in Latvia about Latvian players, but I'm trying to learn.

Zemgus is 21 years old. He just put up 30 points in 60 games on the worst scoring team in the league. He's only going to get better. He is a well rounded player. He was a first liner with the Sabres playing with Ennis and Moulson. He can oplay up and down the line-up. To say he is best suited to a shutdown role is underrating him. Now Kenins, I can see in that role, even though he's been playing well offensively with Horvat and Hansen in Vancouver. But even in the NLA he was never a big time scorer.

 

[Namejs]

I probably watched 20 Riga games this year, and a ton of other KHL games over the last few seasons. I cheer for Latvia in international competitions. I am far from an NHL-only "American (I'm Canadian)" hockey fan. Obviously I wouldn't know as much as the person in Latvia about Latvian players, but I'm trying to learn.

Zemgus is 21 years old. He just put up 30 points in 60 games on the worst scoring team in the league. He's only going to get better. He is a well rounded player. He was a first liner with the Sabres playing with Ennis and Moulson. He can oplay up and down the line-up. To say he is best suited to a shutdown role is underrating him. Now Kenins, I can see in that role, even though he's been playing well offensively with Horvat and Hansen in Vancouver. But even in the NLA he was never a big time scorer.

I'm a fan of Girgensons and the Sabres. I saw like 90%+ of those 60 games he played this season. He is not a complete player and there is no reason to assume that he will definitely keep getting better. He was a first liner, because the Sabres are a historically bad team. It is not very hard to pick up points when playing along Ennis and Moulson, as evidenced by Johan Larsson's showing late in the season after he took Girgensons spot due to his injury.

Zemgus has looked very underwhelming on the powerplay and in the long-term he's probably not going to be on either of the PP units for the Sabres. With Eichel or McDavid AND Reinhart joining the team next season, he is going to drop to 3rd line C duty, unless he gets moved to the wing. He is most likely going to be a really good career 3rd liner. That's what he does best, and I'm not underrating him, I'm just being objective.

Kenins is similar, except that he's actually the better playmaker between the two of them and obviously he's not as dominating physically/along the boards/etc. He's been playing well offensively, because he's on the same line with Horvat, who's probably going to be a top 6 guy for the Canucks in the near future. Girgensons is no Horvat and Kenins is no Ennis.

 

[ergi24]

Indrasis out, he is injury, Girgensons out - injury, Pujacs will be fine...oh Latvia, Latvia, my heart bleeds ((((

Karsums - Daugavins - Jevpalovs
Darzins - Sprukts - M. Redlihs
Abols - Dzerins - Meija
Saulietis - Kulda - Bajaruns
Berzins, Skvorcovs/Bukarts/Jekimovs/Brahmanis...

 

[Namejs]

Indrasis out, he is injury,

Incorrect.

Girgensons out - injury

Still undecided at this point.

Pujacs will be fine...

He's injured.

 

[ergi24]

Indrasis out, he is injury,
Incorrect???
http://apollo.tvnet.lv/zinas/indrasis-visticamakais-pasaules-cempionata-nespeles/688334

 

[ergi24]

Indrasis

http://www.diena.lv/sports/hokejs/i...l-varetu-izlaist-pasaules-cempionatu-14094269

 

[ergi24]

it is necessary to believe in Kenins and Girgensons...

Karsums - Girgensons - Daugavins
Darzins - Sprukts - M. Redlihs
Kenins - Dzerins - Jevpalovs
Kulda - Abols - Meija
Saulietis, ?

 

[ergi24]

Jerofejevs is ok. stads