WC: 2021 Latvia Roster Talk

[GX]

Even without any fans in the stands, Latvian players still should be eager to join the team for a home tournament. So, we can already see a larger veteran presence on the roster than usual.

Final roster:
G - Janis Kalnins - KHL
G - Matiss Kivlenieks - NHL
G - Ivars Punnenovs - Swiss
D - Uvis Balinskis - Czech
D - Oskars Cibulskis - Czech
D - Ralfs Freibergs - Czech
D - Janis Jaks - AHL
D - Arturs Kulda - Germany
D - Kristians Rubins - AHL
D - Gunars Skvorcovs - KHL
D - Kristaps Sotnieks - KHL
D - Kristaps Zile - KHL
F - Rodrigo Abols - Sweden
F - Oskars Batna - France
F - Maris Bicevskis - Czech
F - Rihards Bukarts - KHL
F - Roberts Bukarts - KHL
F - Lauris Darzins - KHL
F - Kaspars Daugavins - KHL
F - Andris Dzerins - KHL
F - Martins Dzierkals - KHL
F - Miks Indrasis - KHL
F - Martins Karsums - DEL
F - Ronalds Kenins - Swiss
F - Renars Krastenbergs - Austria
F - Rihards Marenis - Sweden3
F - Gints Meija - Austria
F - Mikelis Redlihs - Latvia

Notable players unavailable:
G - Elvis Merzlikins - NHL - 90% not coming due to wife expecting
F - Teodors Blugers - NHL - PO run
F - Rudolfs Balcers - NHL - RFA
F - Zemgus Girgensons - NHL - season injury
D - Karlis Cukste - AHL

Exhibition games:
20.04. Latvia 2-1 OT Slovakia (Karsums, Krastenbergs)
21.04. Latvia 0-1 OT Slovakia
14.05. Latvia 0-3 Swiss
15.05. Latvia 1-2 Swiss

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[GX]

Highlights from yesterday's exhibition vs Slovaks:

 

[Eye of Ra]

No chance for Kirils Tambijevs and Robert Jekimovs? They are dominating in latvian league.

 

[GX]

Tambijevs had/has a groin injury. Jekimovs might have been someone to call up to the camp, but he was rather invisible in the playoffs. Doubt he would've been interesting for a potential bottom 6 role, unlike M.Redlihs, who might be a great energy guy for line 3 or 4.

 

[Eye of Ra]

I see. What about Nikita Jevpalovs and Georgs Golovkovs?

 

[GX]

Yes, Jevpalovs is the guy plenty of fans have raised the question about, as to why he isn't at the camp, there are no answers yet. Concerning Golovkovs, he has been off the national team radar for 3 years, so I have no idea what he theoretically may bring to the plate.

In the meantime, some optimistic news from the federation: On May 15th USA&Canada are organizing a charter flight for their teams from New York, Latvia has reserved 5 spots on the plane.

 

[Namejs]

With Blueger having a break out year in Pittsburgh and him being busy in the NHL play-offs, as well as Girgensons being injured, our list of players at Center looks, well, underwhelming, to say the least.

Abols is the clear cut 1C.

Dzerins has scored 5 goals during the last two years in the KHL. Svanenbergs is 19 and not really ready to contribute yet at this level.

If the AHL season ends earlier than planned, Tralmaks could be a decent option at 2C or 3C, assuming he proves himself by being productive enough over the next few weeks.

I would probably use Daugavins at 2C.

Kenins - Abols - Balcers
Indrasis - Daugavins - Darzins
Rob. Bukarts - Tralmaks - Karsums
Rih. Bukarts - Dzerins/Krastenbergs/Svanenbergs - Dzierkals
M. Redlihs

Freibergs - Kulda
Balinskis - Rubins
Jaks - Cukste
Bartulis(?) and some warm body from the KHL

Merzlikins
Kalnins
Punnenovs/Kivlenieks

If all of them are actually available, it looks pretty good on paper. If Blueger and Girgensons were present, this would be a mouth watering roster for Latvian standards. The older players like Darzins, Karsums, M. Redlihs are probably having their last decent year, while some of the youngs guns are starting to produce.

The harvest hasn't been as good as people expected looking at the AHL numbers for our NCAA alumni, but things weren't looking very promising for Blueger either in his rookie pro year, so I'm cautiously optimistic about Egle and all the other guys.

Definitely a team that can make the play-offs, if the stars align properly and we can avoid injuries and stuff.

And always that little nagging thought of making a deeper run than the QFs. Ever since 1997.

 

[SoundAndFury]

No chance for Kirils Tambijevs and Robert Jekimovs? They are dominating in latvian league.

I see. What about Nikita Jevpalovs and Georgs Golovkovs?

In the bigger picture, none of them should be close to this team if nothing disastrous happens.

On unrelated note, it really sucked for Zemgale to lose Tambijevs and Begovs for PO. That's pretty much Crosby and Malkin of the Latvian league. Pretty much killed their tittle hopes.

Regarding Namejs' post, Karsums and Cukste had terrible seasons, feels like they are penciled into positions just because they played in the leagues where their terribleness is not so easy to follow. I mean Jaks/Cukste over the old guys? Well, Jaks shoots right which is somewhat of a bonus but other than that... Not a fan.

Tralmaks is also a complete wild card. Hopes that he can be 2C at this level are optimistic, to say the least. The guy has been playing wing for Providence so far and that's unlikely to change so I have nothing against having him on the team and I understand how tough is the center situation for Latvia but playing him against the opposition's top-6 at center seems like a recipe for disaster.

Dzerins, goals or no goals, is still a pretty solid player so having him on the team over Krastenbergs or Svanenbers is a no-brainer.

Also there is 50/50 chance, at least, that Pittsburg drops out in the first round and Blugers can make the team so I'd hope for that. Pens lose in the first round and Oilers win, easy quarter-finals for Latvia

 

[Namejs]

We've seen enough of Karsums to know that he's making the team. He might get dropped to the 4th line, but he's definitely better than all the other options. And unlike Darzins, he can actually play in the bottom 6.

As for Cukste, I agree to a point, but there's not a whole lot of other options available. The choice is between a prospect with some upside and between well-known KHL bums. Sure, you could argue in favor of experience, but that's a pretty marginal decision.

Jaks has been very solid internationally and with Galvins gone from the camp, he's most likely making the team as someone who can contribute offensively or on the 2nd PP unit.

Dzerins is definitely making the team, we simply don't have anyone else at C.

Also, Merzlikins is likely going to miss the WCH due to his wife being against him traveling to Latvia. Not a huge loss since Kalnins is still an above average 1st goalie at this level, but still not the best news. Punnenovs/Kivlenieks are pretty decent back-ups as well, so not too big of a worry overall, as long as Kalnins doesn't get injured.

 

[SoundAndFury]

Karsums will make the team, no doubt, but while Dzierkals and Bukarts are the players I would definitely have in the lineup for every game, Karsums isn't.

Regarding Cukste, even if you want to go for the younger guy, why not Zile? I just don't see what he brings other than the fact he was drafted.

And if that's true about Merzlikins, that's what people call "not a good look".

 

[JohnWillow]

Karsums will make the team, no doubt, but while Dzierkals and Bukarts are the players I would definitely have in the lineup for every game, Karsums isn't.

Regarding Cukste, even if you want to go for the younger guy, why not Zile? I just don't see what he brings other than the fact he was drafted.

And if that's true about Merzlikins, that's what people call "not a good look".

Namejs did not tell the extra details as his explanation looks pretty bad on why Merzlikins not coming.

His wife is pregnant and Elvis did not want to left his wife alone in the States, he would come to WC if his mom would get to the US to take care of his pregnant wife, but it is not likely.

 

[Namejs]

Karsums will make the team, no doubt, but while Dzierkals and Bukarts are the players I would definitely have in the lineup for every game, Karsums isn't.

Regarding Cukste, even if you want to go for the younger guy, why not Zile? I just don't see what he brings other than the fact he was drafted.

And if that's true about Merzlikins, that's what people call "not a good look".

Well, I am somewhat biased against players based in Dinamo Riga. I think it severely inflates their value, while the opposite is usually true for middling rookies based in AHL/ECHL. They usually improve as time goes on after making the switch to pro hockey. And they usually don't get a good first look or a whole lot of ice time in the AHL, which makes their stats look piss poor on paper.

But, once again, I don't have a strong opinion on this, you could call it a hunch, if you will.

 

[RAlfie35]

I believe that the only realistic NHL player Latvia might have a chance on (if Merzlikins declines as previous post suggested) is Rudolfs Balcers from San Jose. He usually is more than happy to represent the national team but he is an RFA next year which could be a curveball.

 

[Namejs]

Still no word on Balcers or any of our AHL guys.

I guess we have to wait until May 15th. It would be a bit of a letdown if we ended up without any NHL players.

 

[Namejs]

+ Kivlenieks
"Ongoing talks with Balcers"
Rubins with a ticket in his pocket, but a Marlies game on May 20th
Jaks joining the camp at an unknown date

Basically, a bunch of unanswered question marks.

As for lines, it looks like Indrasis is centering the 3rd line with Karsums/Redlihs. I like that. We clearly needed someone to switch to center.

The 4th line looks pretty awful so far, but hoping Balcers and Tralmaks will force bums like Marenis and Batna out of the roster.

 

[GX]

Current camp practice lines:
Lauris Dārziņš – Rodrigo Ābols – Ronalds Ķēniņš
Roberts Bukarts – Andris Džeriņš – Kaspars Daugaviņš
Mārtiņš Karsums – Miks Indrašis – Miķelis Rēdlihs
Rihards Marenis – Oskars Batņa – Renārs Krastenbergs
Rihards Bukarts – Māris Bičevskis – Mārtiņš Dzierkals

Ralfs Freibergs – Uvis Balinskis
Oskars Cibuļskis – Roberts Mamčics
Artūrs Kulda – Kristaps Zīle
Gunārs Skvorcovs – Kristaps Sotnieks

Jānis Kalniņš, Ivars Punnenovs, Gustavs Grigals

 

[Namejs]

No Balcers, no Merzlikins.

Jaks, Rubins, Kivlenieks are all joining the camp on May 15th.

Not the best roster, but it looks like everyone's missing key players anyway.

We might even lose some points against CanSwestan, but steal some against Canada, it's going to be a crapshoot.

I'm getting some 1997 vibes all of a sudden.

 

[SoundAndFury]

A bit of a shame to not have the best players in the home event.. Did Tralmaks even get an invite?

 

[ozo]

A bit of a shame to not have the best players in the home event.. Did Tralmaks even get an invite?

Without any fans in the arena, this tournament feels as much "home" as if it was taking place on the dark side of the moon.

 

[GX]

Missing only three NHL/impact players still sounds like a fairy tale roster for a WC.

 

[Namejs]

Missing only three NHL/impact players still sounds like a fairy tale roster for a WC.

You're forgetting Girgensons.

We're missing the entire forward core. The backbone of our shutdown line in Girgensons, replaced by a soft-ish winger Indrasis. By far the two most skilled forwards in Blueger and Balcers. Replaced by Dzerins and M. Redlihs.

We're still a gritty little bunch of eager beavers, but we're missing that diamond coating that could penetrate pretty much any other team this year.

It's going to be business as usual and we can make the play-offs, but that dream scenario and a deep Switzerland-, or Germany-like run does not look realistic anymore.

 

[Namejs]

New lines at the today's practice
Bukarts Jr. - Abols - Dzierkals
Bukarts - Dzerins - Daugavins
Karsums - Indrasis - Redlihs
Darzins - Bicevskis - Kenins

I have no idea what the thought process is behind this, but this will not do against Canada. You need a shutdown line or two, this is an even spread. I don't remember us ever having such a setup.

It might help running up the score against Italy, but I'm not sure if putting Darzins on the 4th line with Bicevskis is a good idea.

 

[SoundAndFury]

but I'm not sure if putting Darzins on the 4th line with Bicevskis is a good idea.

Yeah that's just a bizarre combo I mean Kenins and Darzins on the same line - big fan. But what does Bicevskis do to them I'm not really sure.

 

[Namejs]

I feel a little underwhelmed by these two last exhibition games against the Swiss. I might be getting old, but I don't really feel like there's much of a shot at making the play-offs with a showing like this.

It might be a coincidence, but all the leading Riga Dinamo players looked quite miserable for the most part. It's as if they have merged with that mockery of a hockey team and become one, and brought that cancer into the national team.

Darzins has lost an edge and doesn't look like a top 6 player at this level anymore. Dzierkals looks like he's lacking confidence. He gets to the right spots and earns some chances just to choke and do some pee wee bullshit when it counts. Indrasis lacks speed and spark. Most of the forwards looked asleep early in the game.

The entire team lacked chemistry, there were very few crisp passes, there was literally no movement in the offensive zone and almost no scoring chances in the first part of the game today.

We're lacking strength in our top lines. Only Kenins and Batna were winning their puck battles along the boards, and Batna is not skilled enough to be anywhere near our top 6.

With the way our older players are looking right now, I'm thinking they should have gambled on Tralmaks and maybe even some other younger guys.

Also, Cibulskis should be scratched from the team, several major mistakes right near our goal crease, which is way too much for someone who doesn't really provide anything in the offensive zone.

On the plus side, Jaks and Rubins are definitely an improvement over Mamcics/Sotnieks or whoever - they both looked better than their stats show. And we did improve as the game went on.

 

[SoundAndFury]

Yeah, it pains me to say but Darzins looks done.