Dinamo Riga 2021/22 - From Worst to First?! Sarauj!

[Dofs]

Maybe Zubov leaving isn't as catastrophic as it seemed before. Very good showing against Dynamo Moscow

 

[Rigafan]

Maybe Zubov leaving isn't as catastrophic as it seemed before. Very good showing against Dynamo Moscow

Yes, that was a good game, and vs SKA recently.

When I saw the notification for Riga v D Moscow I already decided to not bother watching

 

[Eye of Ra]

He is also leading forwards in TOI.

Cerveny was never a bad signing anyway, the guy was one of the last Czech NT cuts for a reason. What does seem to be a problem is the fact that Wannstrom is getting scratched while Jelisejevs is playing 17 minutes per game. You know, the guy that is 27 and has a career-high of 3 points.

6 points in 18 games

 

[SoundAndFury]

6 points in 18 games

Meaning what?

 

[Vikz]

So the great player migration has been peaking during last few days. Im not really interested in imports or older Latvian guys - they will be OK and I wish them well. Some might return, some might not. Im interested in where the young and promising guys are going - and there are quite a few surprises.

Kristaps Zile - to Orebro (SHL);
Karlis Cukste - Pelicans (Liiga);
Janis Svanenbergs - Lukko (Liiga).

These are the guys who got the lucky ticket. Top Scandinavian leagues for 20-24 year olds with just few points this season is a great opportunity. That is less true for Zile, who has been a Dinamo and Latvian NT regular for a few years now (and thus should get a better deal), but then again, SHL is better than Liiga so the higher expectations of him did came true.

Nikolajs Jelisejevs - MoDo (Allsvenskan);
Miks Tumanovs - RoKi (Mestis).

Less ideal deals in second tier leagues. Jelisejevs is a bit of a head scratcher, since he was the best scorer on a KHL team. But then again, Allsvenskan is probably just a little worse than some other top European leagues like Extraliga or Liiga, Modo is fighting for a promotion so may very well be on par with lower tier SHL teams, and the fact that he has never been a great player prior to this season may have lovered his value. For Tumanovs, who has just started his transition to adult hockey, Mestis is good.

Overall, for the mid-season when most teams are completely formed, all did well. To whichever team the guys went, it depended on the needs of these exact teams, so luck had a big part in it. Like Zile, who got lucky with one of Orebros d-men to be injured.

Im a big fan of Dinamo, I enjoy watching top level hockey all year round and dont think that KHL is bad or that Dinamo is hurting Latvian hockey. However, i do think that Dinamo did not give Latvian hockey as much as it could, at least in terms of player development. Yeah, Darzins or Indrasis became top level players here, however one could argue that some players have stagnated in the far-too-safe and comfy environment. I would be OK with some young guys not returning and doing great in top European leagues, getting top minutes and PP opportunities, and not sitting behind two lines of imports on the Dinamo roster. And since we are losing year after year, might as well lose with younger local guys and give others chance to become great somewhere else. If at least two of Zile, Cukste, Svanenbergs or Jelisejevs show great results and stay in Europe, i will consider this Dinamo season a success.

 

[Dofs]

however one could argue that some players have stagnated in the far-too-safe and comfy environment.

I think Dinamo not giving a chance to its young players is really the biggest culprit of stagnation. Like you said later, playing 5 minutes behind imports doesn't exactly allow for development. That same Jelisejevs was marinated in the 4th line for how long, till he was finally given a chance?

If at least two of Zile, Cukste, Svanenbergs or Jelisejevs show great results and stay in Europe, i will consider this Dinamo season a success.

I especially agree about Svanenbergs. He really needs to get out. The guy played a good line with Bukarts and Dzierkals last year, but both Bukarts and Dzierkals weren't taken into the team, while again relegating Svanenbergs to 5 minutes/game. Ridiculous. He needs to follow the footsteps of Zabusovs.

Jelisejevs will 90% come back and be given top line minutes and PP time in the team, so I don't think coming back would be bad for his development.

 

[Eye of Ra]

also

mamics to linköping
meija to vita hästen
cibulskis to brynäs

 

[SoundAndFury]

While Jelisejevs goes to MoDo, Shinkaruk goes to HV71. And one is much more surprising than the other, that's an amazing get by HV.

Mamcics going to Linkoping is pretty surprising as well, don't think he can get more than a fringe role there either.

 

[Prntscrn]

Poirier to Djurgården who are in desperate need of centers. Can anyone tell me anything about him?

 

[Vikz]

Poirier to Djurgården who are in desperate need of centers. Can anyone tell me anything about him?

Very fast and pesky forward. Great on breakways and has a good shot. To be honest, I always forgot he was a center, he is not very good on defence and not physical. Decent on the point. To me, because of the way he played, he always looked small on the ice, despite having good size.
Also, very likeable guy with great personality. Wish him all the best.

 

[Dofs]

Very fast and pesky forward. Great on breakways and has a good shot. To be honest, I always forgot he was a center, he is not very good on defence and not physical. Decent on the point. To me, because of the way he played, he always looked small on the ice, despite having good size.
Also, very likeable guy with great personality. Wish him all the best.

Would also add that he really likes his penalty box

 

[Rigafan]

I do agree one issue with Dinamo Riga is that the core of Team Latvia don't really need to try. They know Dinamo will come with a KHL contract offer, because who else can they sign? But they again the recruitment in general since, what, 2012 has been disgusting. Maybe its the budget? But you can't use that excuse forever.

 

[ozo]

I do agree one issue with Dinamo Riga is that the core of Team Latvia don't really need to try. They know Dinamo will come with a KHL contract offer, because who else can they sign? But they again the recruitment in general since, what, 2012 has been disgusting. Maybe its the budget? But you can't use that excuse forever.

You can't pay more to subpar local player to improve things in current market. That said, global geopolitics might end Dinamo in coming days.

 

[SoundAndFury]

I'd tend to disagree, Dinamo signed A LOT of good players over the years. Robinson, Genoway, Videll, etc. Even guys like Gormley or Berglund are having reasonably successful careers elsewhere. I hate to say this but I think the biggest issue year after year was the lack of "process" - constant coaching changes, a bunch of random new guys every year, no real winning expectations. Even this year, the season started fine (all things considered), Zubov leaves, it all goes to shit. The roster was once again fine especially seeing how Severstal manage to squeeze blood from a stone, pretty much. And that's the difference: one team has an established coach it believes in, everyone buys in and they expect to make the playoffs. I still believe Dinamo had undoubtedly the better roster on paper but none of the other things.

Of course, money was an issue as well many of those years.

 

[Jussi]

Looks like this might have been the last season in the KHL, based on comments coming from Latvia.

 

[filip85]

Looks like this might have been the last season in the KHL, based on comments coming from Latvia.

Ministre Muižniece rosinās izmaiņas Sporta likumā, izņem Rīgas "Dinamo" reklāmu

 

[Jussi]

Ministre Muižniece rosinās izmaiņas Sporta likumā, izņem Rīgas "Dinamo" reklāmu

Exactly that.

 

[chauron]

Let’s leave together with Jokerit

 

[Rigafan]

I think it would be quite sad. Sports/Politics shouldn't mix and sports shouldn't be used as political weapons. We should be able to use sports as an escape from all the crap that is going on.

It would be interesting in a way to see what happens to Dinamo and where we may end up.

 

[Urbanskog]

It's unfortunate that the alternative for Dinamo in the KHL is basically just the Latvian domestic league, which is and will always remain a low-level competition. Merging national leagues with Estonia and Lithuania is not really something that would particularly improve the level of competition either. Naturally, the Belarusian league would be off the table too.

 

[SoundAndFury]

It's unfortunate that the alternative for Dinamo in the KHL is basically just the Latvian domestic league, which is and will always remain a low-level competition. Merging national leagues with Estonia and Lithuania is not really something that would particularly improve the level of competition either. Naturally, the Belarusian league would be off the table too.

Finnish league would be a good alternative but it would require 1) budget somehow collected locally; 2) huge cooperation from the Finnish league/teams. But logistically it's definitely semi-viable.

 

[Rcknrollkillnmachine]

Finnish league would be a good alternative but it would require 1) budget somehow collected locally; 2) huge cooperation from the Finnish league/teams. But logistically it's definitely semi-viable.

This should be an option for Dinamo Riga as well as including a team from Tallinn and Vilnius to compete albeit the latter two would start from Mestis.

Pipe dreams aside Dinamo should leave the KHL along with Jokerit.

 

[Rigafan]

It would probably be wise for Riga to start on Metsis. Where would the money come from? Unless some of the bigger Latvian/Finnish companies got involed.

Hesburger for example!

 

[SoundAndFury]

It would probably be wise for Riga to start on Metsis. Where would the money come from? Unless some of the bigger Latvian/Finnish companies got involed.

But playing in Mestis wouldn't attract any viewers while playing in Liiga probably would. And ticket revenue is a very legitimate money source for a Liiga-sized budget. I would go as far as saying that it's probably possible to make that kind of team profitable long-term (much like Zagreb managed to survive in EBEL). Just the downside is that it would require someone crazy enough to make the starting investment.

 

[filip85]

But playing in Mestis wouldn't attract any viewers while playing in Liiga probably would. And ticket revenue is a very legitimate money source for a Liiga-sized budget. I would go as far as saying that it's probably possible to make that kind of team profitable long-term (much like Zagreb managed to survive in EBEL). Just the downside is that it would require someone crazy enough to make the starting investment.

Isn't EBEL league little too dislocated for Riga ? The longest trip Olimpija, for example, ever made in league competition was to Oswiecim during 2003/2004. season in Interliga. I know all clubs (and all were pro clubs + Medvescak as semi-pro) said that trip to Poland were heavy burden for their budgets, despite Polish club made Interliga better undoubtedly.