Dinamo Riga 18/19 - Yes, Still a KHL team!

[Rigafan]

Any young Latvian players threatening to have a break out?

Kristaps Zile has managed to work his way into the first team. He seems to be on the right path so far
Kristaps Zile at eliteprospects.com

 

[SoundAndFury]

Artis Abols has joined the coaching staff. On one hand, great news, he's a solid coach. On the other, he is now an assistant of his former assistant. I don't really know how such power dynamic works but it doesn't seem ideal.

 

[Rigafan]

dinamorigaofficial

Riga doing a kind of drive and talk with their new import signings. Just thought its interesting to hear the players talk and see who they are. They're all calling for the playoffs!

Just look for the 'Braucam uz Dinamo' videos

 

[HockeyBeherit]

Riga doing a kind of drive and talk with their new import signings. Just thought its interesting to hear the players talk and see who they are. They're all calling for the playoffs!

I loved this series last year. I love the part in the beginning, where Armands talks in Latvian and the exports just stare awkwardly.

However, I'm kinda excited for Maione signing. Loved watching him dominate the Finnish league last season, I really do think he has the potential to be a top KHL defenceman. Really skilled with the puck, not too bad in D zone. Scored 39 points in 60 games in mediocre KalPa last season, while being solid +17, winning the "Norris trophy of Finland". Let us hope this will transfer into KHL.

Hopefully there will be Maione jerseys in Arena Riga next season. I'm going to want one.

 

[Rigafan]

I loved this series last year. I love the part in the beginning, where Armands talks in Latvian and the exports just stare awkwardly.

I noticed that straight away too! They look so awkward waiting for the English to kick in, ha!

 

[powerplaymaker]

Any scouting reports on Karl Stollery, who just joined Jokerit?

I saw a few games from him last season, but not enough to see the full picture here.

Thanks

 

[SoundAndFury]

Any scouting reports on Karl Stollery, who just joined Jokerit?

I saw a few games from him last season, but not enough to see the full picture here.

Sort of the jack of all trades, master of none. Good passer but not the greatest shot offensively, not a terrible skater but doesn't outright fly either. Not a huge liability defensively but you probably have something better to send over the boards in the last minute. He will eat 20 minutes per night if needed but he won't be the one making a great difference while playing them. Probably better than Lundin at this point and a solid 2nd pair option, just don't expect too much.

 

[EXTRAS]

How did martins dzierkals look in his first few games?

 

[SoundAndFury]

How did martins dzierkals look in his first few games?

Well I was hesitant to answer you right away but now after seeing him some more I can say with confidence, he looks good.. as a bottom 6 forward in the KHL. As an NHL prospect, I think he has no chance.

The thing which stands out the most with him is he loves being on the puck and loves making plays but is very limited at it. His skating is bad-ish (average for a KHL level), stickhandling/deking isn't anything to write home about either. Basically, he has to either redefine himself as a player and work on some specific skill to become an NHLer (extremely unlikely) or become an ok yet unspectacular KHL player which he is on the way to.

 

[Kshahdoo]

Riga is good this year, considering the team's budget and everything. Very tough team to play against. Totally unexpected to me. At least so far.

 

[malkinfan]

So they wont be selling off Videll and company midway through the season? I dont follow sponsorship business with the foreign teams

 

[SoundAndFury]

Yeah it certainly is nice that the job in the offseason is paying off at least so far. This team was bound to be not tragic (as I wrote in my season preview) because it certainly has some solid pieces (center depth most importantly) and players who are proven in their roles but at the same time overachieving to this extent is a nice surprise.

So they wont be selling off Videll and company midway through the season? I dont follow sponsorship business with the foreign teams

Well historically Riga has never sold its leaders if playoffs were anywhere in sight so hopefully, it will be the case this year as well (if the playoffs are indeed in sight at that point). The bigger question to me is how long can Videll score over PPG and Gudlevskis save >93% of shots.

This team is solid though and won't crash and burn. Which is great and all that Riga fans could have hoped for before the season.

 

[Kshahdoo]

It was just a little bit over 6k attendees in 10300 arena vs Dinamo Moscow. Is the team not very popular in Riga?

 

[SoundAndFury]

It was just a little bit over 6k attendees in 10300 arena vs Dinamo Moscow. Are the team not very popular in Riga?

Weekday, 3rd game in 4 days, the team just had 2 brutal losing seasons and carries the reputation of a Russian project. Things will pick up if they keep winning but 6k, under those circumstances, is a step forward as it is compared to the last season.

 

[Rigafan]

It was just a little bit over 6k attendees in 10300 arena vs Dinamo Moscow. Is the team not very popular in Riga?

It's what SoundAndFury says. The team has had a VERY BAD previous 2 seasons. Who wants to pay to sit and watch the team lose night after night. We are still early in the season, if we continue to play hard the attendance will probably end up around 8k average at the end.

 

[Milos Krasic]

Gudlevskis was a very good signing. Glad he went to Riga.

 

[Rcknrollkillnmachine]

Good win against Kunlun. Riga will be interesting to watch this season.

 

[SoundAndFury]

Well historically Riga has never sold its leaders if playoffs were anywhere in sight so hopefully, it will be the case this year as well (if the playoffs are indeed in sight at that point). The bigger question to me is how long can Videll score over PPG and Gudlevskis save >93% of shots.

Well Videll is still scoring but Gudlevskis is crashing down to Earth big time. Yanked for the 2nd game in a row.

 

[SoundAndFury]

So to the surprise of many a goalie with barely above .900 career Sv% in the AHL doesn't quite cut it as a starter. Once an NT hero will have to settle into a backup role as he is being outplayed hard by Bilyalov. To all those people who really welcomed Gudlevskis' signing lets just face it, he's not that good. His AHL numbers have indicated it and sometimes AHL/goalies are a weird animal but I feel at this point evidence is pretty conclusive.

I can dream that maybe they can get Kalnins back for next season. Realistically though, there are a lot of good Russian goalies struggling to find a job on the market so that definitely seems like a way to go. Or maybe they can just extend Bilyalov but if Kazan doesn't wish him back.

 

[BalticWarrior]

So to the surprise of many a goalie with barely above .900 career Sv% in the AHL doesn't quite cut it as a starter. Once an NT hero will have to settle into a backup role as he is being outplayed hard by Bilyalov. To all those people who really welcomed Gudlevskis' signing lets just face it, he's not that good. His AHL numbers have indicated it and sometimes AHL/goalies are a weird animal but I feel at this point evidence is pretty conclusive.

I can dream that maybe they can get Kalnins back for next season. Realistically though, there are a lot of good Russian goalies struggling to find a job on the market so that definitely seems like a way to go. Or maybe they can just extend Bilyalov but if Kazan doesn't wish him back.

Gudļevskis has been garbage for quite a while, i dont think that was a secret.

 

[Rigafan]

Dinamo Riga (along with Torpedo) will play a warm up game against Team Great Britain in Coventry, Feb 6th

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

I am flying to Riga in a few weeks to attend the game vs Traktor. Does anyone have any suggestions which hotels to look at, or have any other tips for me? It will be my first time visiting Riga

 

[TheWhiskeyThief]

I am flying to Riga in a few weeks to attend the game vs Traktor. Does anyone have any suggestions which hotels to look at, or have any other tips for me? It will be my first time visiting Riga

Ibis Hotel is centrally located and the 11 tram line that takes you to the Arena is around the corner. The old town is a 5 minute walk.

 

[Garl]

Well, hat-trick from Videll and Riga has beaten SKA in St Petersburg!

 

[Rigafan]

I am flying to Riga in a few weeks to attend the game vs Traktor. Does anyone have any suggestions which hotels to look at, or have any other tips for me? It will be my first time visiting Riga

For the price of the hotel you could get your own nice apartment on Airbnb in the centre, worth checking out if you don't mind using it.

Don't worry about seating in the arena, all seats are good with a nice view, I usually sit on the balcony for the nice view of the ice.

Take the bus from the airport to the centre, the stop is right outside the terminal across the car park, costs a few euro and then you can probably just walk to the hotel/airbnb you booked

Try to take Baltic taxi only if you can, they are big company and salaried drivers, others might give you an unplanned tour of the city to make a few extra euros - this doesn't bother me but some it might

You can walk to Arena riga and back from the centre in like 15 mins, or take a taxi

Riga is small city so you can easily see a lot just wandering around, the zoo is fun if you take the tram to it. Old town is great to see but to eat/drink dont just stay there as its more expensive, pick an avenue walk down it and find something else!

The railway museum across the bridge from old town is interesting

Check out the 'Central Markets' some refer to it as 'Russian markets' but either way its worth alook

Eat at Lido to try latvian food