WJC: 2012 WJC Division I (General Discussion)

[Latgale_fan]

http://www.usahockey.com/Tournament/TournamentStandingTab.aspx?EventID=2708&AgeDivisionID=1949

Well our hockey is improving.If we are better then teams like CZ or Slovakia we shouldnt have problems to send Russia's little brother down.
BTW Your are right Canadian Junior Leagues are the best how many players Latvia Have there?

big deal, we won Slovakia U17 last year too and U16 this year
I'm only joking... but only time we've met in U20 elite, 2009 Latvia - Germany 7:1...

 

[Latgale_fan]

I think the main problem are missing prospects born in 1994. May be in the 2012 draft, no German player will be drafted. (May be Niederberger, the stats of Uvira and Latta are not really impressive.)

Certainly it's different with our 1994. I believe honestly that it's the best year Latvia has EVER HAD. At least at the moment, as evidenced by 5 1994 guys already in this roster. Of course, they are still young and inexperienced so we might get relegated but I expect not only Girgensons, but also Bļugers and Lipsbergs to leave their mark here...

If they continue to progress (and Girgensons isn't yet in NHL, though I hope), in 2014 we might have an incredible U20 team... with Girgensons, Bļugers, Lispbergs, Jevpalovs at the age of 20 + Jeļisējevs from MHL who got cut, plus Semjonovs who's tearing up Swedish U18 Elite, also best 95 Rihards Bukarts and maybe also best 96 Haralds Egle, both insanely talented.... Just have to hope that progress doesn't stop and we could compete big time.

 

[ozo]

Semjonovs who's tearing up Swedish U18 Elite,

I've heard some scary rumours that he might become a Swede in near future thus making him ineligeble for our NT. Has he ever represented our youth NT at any tournament?

 

[Tronador]

I agree that it could happen, that no German player will be drafted 2012, but I don't think that '94 is such a bad year. Guys like Dominik Tiffels, Marvin Cüpper, Artem Klein and Marcel Kurth should at least be considered.

Therefore, while I agree that next years WJC-Team will be weaker, I think it is not certain that they will be relegated, and actually I don't think their chances to stay in the top division are too bad.

How are they ranked actually?

Any other notable prospects born in 1993? After their weak season in Canada, Uvira and Latta won't be picked during next year`s draft. In comparison to last year, we really would have luck, if one German player will be choosen. That is my prediction.

 

[Maverick41]

How are they ranked actually?

Any other notable prospects born in 1993? After their weak season in Canada, Uvira and Latta won't be picked during next year`s draft. In comparison to last year, we really would have luck, if one German player will be choosen. That is my prediction.

Sorry, I don't really have a ranking for these guys, although I'd say that Kurth and Cüpper have the best chances at being drafted. Here you can find some more names who could be considered for the 2012 draft, although realistically most of them have almost no chance to be drafted, and some have been passed over once or twice already.

As far as 1993 born prospects go, from the top of my head these players are worth mentioning (Some were on the team this year):
Max Meirandres, Alexander Ackermann, Huba Sekesi, Henry Haase, Stephan Kronthaler, Manuel Kindl, Daniel Fischbuch, Andreas Pauli, Christian Kretschmann, Kilian Keller and Leonhard Pföderl.
Mind you, none of them are anything special, but they play at a solid level. Some have already played in the DEL.

Next year's team will definitely lack high end talent except for Rieder, but the depth should be pretty good. It will be interesting to see, if any players born in 95 like Frederik Tiffels, Dominik Kahun or Leon Draisaitl will get a chance to make next year's team.

 

[Tronador]

By the way, eliteprospects published a rumour, that Patrick Klöpper will go to Sweden...

 

[Latgale_fan]

I've heard some scary rumours that he might become a Swede in near future thus making him ineligeble for our NT. Has he ever represented our youth NT at any tournament?

LHF should work and do sth about this (as much as they can). Anyway, his father is former Latvian NT player and even if he speaks only Swedish and Russian, they still should try to get every talent to play for Latvia. He's not as good as to crack any Swedish roster so, as concerns playing for other country, he doesn't gain much (though, you never know- if he trains hard might be the same case as with Podziņš after 2 years that a bigger NT also wants him).

He hasn't played for Sweden in official tournaments, I don't see how TV-Pucken or how it's called, a U16 tournament where Sweden's regions compete counts. He's also said in an interview that if Latvia wanted him to play, he might play, so it's all up to LHF.

At the moment he looks like a talent of Edgars Kļaviņš calibre, good to play J20 Superelit next year but who knows how productive he'd be there. Also has a few games in Division 1 already. I don't see him being better than Z, Bļugers, Lipsbergs, Jevpalovs and Bukarts at the moment, maybe at Jeļisējevs level but he's a good talent.

 

[ozo]

LHF should work and do sth about this (as much as they can). Anyway, his father is former Latvian NT player and even if he speaks only Swedish and Russian, they still should try to get every talent to play for Latvia. He's not as good as to crack any Swedish roster so, as concerns playing for other country, he doesn't gain much (though, you never know- if he trains hard might be the same case as with PodziņÅ¡ after 2 years that a bigger NT also wants him).

He hasn't played for Sweden in official tournaments, I don't see how TV-Pucken or how it's called, a U16 tournament where Sweden's regions compete counts. He's also said in an interview that if Latvia wanted him to play, he might play, so it's all up to LHF.

At the moment he looks like a talent of Edgars KļaviņÅ¡ calibre, good to play J20 Superelit next year but who knows how productive he'd be there. Also has a few games in Division 1 already. I don't see him being better than Z, Bļugers, Lipsbergs, Jevpalovs and Bukarts at the moment, maybe at Jeļisējevs level but he's a good talent.

Maybe getting drafted by Dinamo Riga could go a long way towards convincing him, that he should come "home".

 

[Tronador]

Eliteprospects also published a rumour about Artem Klein, going to Sweden....