Prospect Info: 2022 224th Overall Pick | LW Klavs Veinbergs

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If someone told Veinbergs last summer he would become Latvian champion, make the Latvian senior world championship team (made only 3 appearances, but still) and get drafted, I doubt he would believe it.

 

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google translated:

Nine world championship debutants are included in the Latvian national team. The youngest among them is the 19-year-old center Klavs Veinbergs. He missed the U20 championship due to injury, he is playing in his position for only the second year and is considering the continuation of his career in America.

In December, the Latvian U20 national team went to the world championship in the first division, which took place in Denmark, without the then 18-year-old center forward Klavs Veinbergs. While the others were doing their first practice, he had an X-ray that revealed a fracture in his foot - the metatarsal bone. "It was not pleasant - it was the most anticipated moment of my year," said Weinberg about the missed junior championship. At the same time, it gave the attacker a valuable lesson: he should pay more attention to his health. Because the fracture that was detected on December 1 actually occurred several weeks earlier.

On November 9, Weinberg was called up to "Dinamo" Riga, and in one of the first training sessions he was hit in the leg by a puck thrown from the blue line by Kristaps Sotnieks. "I tried to avoid it, but it hit me on the outside of my foot. I stepped aside, but I thought it was just a bruise. I kept training," Veinbergs recalled. On November 15, in Dynamo's home game against "Admiral" Vladivostok, he was announced as the 13th forward, but did not play on the field. Returning to HK "Rīga", he played six more matches. "Every time the pain increased minimally, but it was nothing so bad that I couldn't bear it. However, when I went to the U20 national team, when I was climbing the stairs, I felt that it was significantly worse."

Due to the injury, he had to miss a month and a half, and the striker himself admits that he used the time effectively. Also - to rest from hockey. "I think he had reconsidered his life, and the continuation of the season went in a different direction," said HK "Rīga" head coach Raimonds Vilkoits, who also works in Harija Vītoliņš's coaching staff in the Latvian national team, about Weinberg's return to the lineup.

Veinbergs went scoreless in the first three games after the injury while still recovering, but went on to score six times in ten games. The successful run also continued in the ranks of "Zemgales"/LLU, adding to the home team after the end of the HK "Rīga" season - at the end of the Latvian championship season. In ten playoff games, Veinbergs scored four goals - the same as MVP Edgars Kulda, but only their teammates Robert Yekimov and Alexander Novikov had more, five each.

The next day after winning the Latvian title, Veinbergs received a text message from Artas Ābola that after one day off he should be at the "Daugava" ice hall at 8:45 a.m. to join the training camp of the Latvian national team. "It's a pleasant surprise, because I didn't expect an invitation. But it's a pleasure that I can be here and I can prove myself," said the center forward.

For the first time, Veinbergs was tried in the center forward position in the Jelgava U17 team. Two seasons followed in the Latvian championship under Oļeg Sorokin, who saw him as a power forward. When the next step in his career followed again, i.e. changing teams and joining HK "Riga", Wilcoit already told Weinberg in a conversation before the season that he would return to the center of attack.

"He's big, strong and has a pretty high work capacity," Wilcoit explained his vision. "He plays well in defense, but in attack he knows how to tie together his teammates and find a finish - as a connecting force. Speaking before the season, I didn't try to convince him - I just told him how I see him on the field."

Latvian national team coaches have always disliked taking risks with young players when there are more experienced alternatives. Especially with center forwards. The previous center to make his World Cup debut shortly after his 19th birthday was Rodrigo Abols in 2015. Before him – Zemgus Girgensons in 2013.

His 1st goal with the national team

 

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The Lincoln Stars took him in the 9th round of the USHL draft back in May

 

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google translated:

Klāvs Veinbergs ... plans to play outside his homeland next season. He was drafted by the Lincoln Stars of the USHL, the top junior league in the United States, and the move will help him get closer to his goal of playing in the NCAA in 2023.

It was from the coaching staff of the "Stars" that Veinbergs learned about the interest of NHL teams. "We talked a month ago, and I was told that there was interest from five teams. It was nice. After that, I didn't hear anything and I didn't even watch the draft. Yes, I had a little hope that I could choose, but I didn't follow it."

"A team that is always one of the strongest. Two Stanley Cups in a row before a surprising loss to Columbus, made it to the finals this season. Could have been four titles... An organization that knows what it's doing," Veinbergs shared about the Lightning

A return to North America is expected after (the World Junior Championship in August) to try on the Stars jersey. Before the USHL draft, two teams showed interest in the forward, but the Jelgava player himself hoped for the "Stars": "I saw that they had good results last season, and I also heard good reviews." Lincoln, Nebraska has a population of just under 300,000, making it the USHL's largest city.

At the same time, paperwork is in progress to be able to transfer to the NCAA next season and begin studies. "You have to submit educational documents, and you have to prove that you have been an amateur all your career and have not received money. The teams I have played in have to admit it, but I have to go through many questions myself and come to a final conclusion," said Veinbergs

Latvia was promoted up a level to replace Russia in the WJC so Veinbergs will play next month in Edmonton with the Latvian national junior team. Their first game is Aug. 9th vs Finland