Dinamo Riga 2019/20 - Did not make the playoffs (again, probably!)

[Rigafan]

I wonder if Skudra is trying to get himself fired on purpose by starting a kid who hasn't made even Latvian junior teams at any level in goal. Would seem like the only reasonable explanation.

I've reached the point in the season where I just check the scores and think, oh well, next year!

 

[filip85]

I've reached the point in the season where I just check the scores and think, oh well, next year!

OT : Do you post on Slitherine Panzer Corps 2 forum under same username ?

 

[ozo]

Could someone please pull the plug on this "project" or whatever this thing is nowadays? This team is now as pathethic as Medvescak when it was put out of its misery. Sponsor gas money is pumped in, therefore players are signed, games are being played but it feels like it is done for the sake of simply spending resources they have been allocated.

 

[SoundAndFury]

Actually, it's a bit of a shame because this is a pretty good roster, on paper. Especially if it also had a real goalie.

 

[howlman]

How has David Levin looked so far? Had a nice goal in his 2nd game.

Is he going to stick around full time and be offered an actual contract?

 

[SoundAndFury]

How has David Levin looked so far? Had a nice goal in his 2nd game.

Is he going to stick around full time and be offered an actual contract?

I mean he is OHL player playing in the KHL, he is looking like you would expect one to look - not great. He shouldn't really be in the lineup once everyone is healthy but at the same time, with the way season is going, I wouldn't be surprised they will try to force some better/more expensive players out of the club like they did with Berglund and Ullstrom last year and sign him on a league-minimum as cannon fodder.

 

[filip85]

Could someone please pull the plug on this "project" or whatever this thing is nowadays? This team is now as pathethic as Medvescak when it was put out of its misery. Sponsor gas money is pumped in, therefore players are signed, games are being played but it feels like it is done for the sake of simply spending resources they have been allocated.

I don't think it is comparable. Medveščak in KHL had no connection to croatian hockey because there were no Croatian players on roster, while Dinamo Riga's core is always made up of Latvians, so at least NT has benefits from it.

 

[SoundAndFury]

I don't think it is comparable. Medveščak in KHL had no connection to croatian hockey because there were no Croatian players on roster, while Dinamo Riga's core is always made up of Latvians, so at least NT has benefits from it.

At the same time, Dinamo used to be sort of base for the national team. 2008-2014 every worthwhile Latvian player played on it unless they got rich contracts as imports in Russia or tried their luck in NA. Yet now only Latvian NT players on the team are the 5 veterans over 30 years of age so NT hardly benefits anything, really. It's almost just a facade of "hey this is still something Latvian about this team". Yet I think guys like Rubins or Balcers not even playing here this season tells you all you need to know about Dinamo's relevance to Latvian hockey.

Sure, bringing in this all-Canadian defense at the expense of guys like Jaks, Bindulis, Cukste, Balinskis, Rubins was probably the way to be more competitive, in theory, but Russians have this saying "neither meat nor fish" - that's what Dinamo is at the moment. A terrible team in a complete identity crisis. It would be somewhat fine if they were at least somewhat competitive. And yet..

Just for fun, let's build the team of Latvians in Europe not playing for Dinamo:

Kalnins
Punnenovs

Cibulskis-Balinskis
Freibergs-Galvins
Rubins-Cukste
Bindulis-Smons
(Kulda, Bartulis, Podzins?)

Karsums-Daugavins-Balcers
Ro. Bukarts-Abols-Kenins
Smirnovs-Dzerins-Ri. Bukarts
Jevpalovs-Bicevskis-(Jelisejevs, Andersons, Skvorcovs, Razgals, Vigners?)

This is the team that would take the current Dinamo roster to game 7. And I think it illustrates quite nicely the number of Latvian players relevant to the KHL level that Riga brass passed on for one reason or another. I'd say this number is too damn high to have any illusions Riga and Latvian hockey/NT aren't heading in vastly different directions. We are at the point where a point can be made Dinamo's collapse would be beneficial as more attention would turn to the Latvian league which is quietly getting better and better.

 

[SoundAndFury]

Another great game for special teams: -2 on PK and -1 on PP in 30 minutes.

 

[Rigafan]

Could someone please pull the plug on this "project" or whatever this thing is nowadays? This team is now as pathethic as Medvescak when it was put out of its misery. Sponsor gas money is pumped in, therefore players are signed, games are being played but it feels like it is done for the sake of simply spending resources they have been allocated.

While I share your frustrations I really hope if the team ever does leave the KHL they have somewhere to go.

I think a few issues though is that the KHL needs teams like Riga and our owner is pretty friendly with Putin, right? So the money will always be available.

 

[Rigafan]

OT : Do you post on Slitherine Panzer Corps 2 forum under same username ?

Hey! Not too often but yes, that is me. I enjoy some of their games.

 

[vorky]

While I share your frustrations I really hope if the team ever does leave the KHL they have somewhere to go.

I think a few issues though is that the KHL needs teams like Riga and our owner is pretty friendly with Putin, right? So the money will always be available.

Just a few things

1. Look at the league´s table with TV demand (revenue sharing 2019-20). Jokerit with a big lead, followed by Dinamo Riga, and then SKA with a huge gap.

2. Dinamo Riga is the league´s co-founder, having ownership in the league (1/34 of shares). Savickis is the KHL Board member. So, a strong position. Another strong club is Jokerit, who is even not a co-owner of the league, but has the Board member. Medvescak, Slovan had neither a Board member nor being the co-owners.

So, Dinamo Riga is just fine.

 

[SoundAndFury]

So, Dinamo Riga is just fine.

If you actually looked at the KHL standings in 5 years or so, it isn't. Or at least the meaning of your "fine" is vastly different than that of an actual hockey fan.

 

[Rigafan]

Just a few things

1. Look at the league´s table with TV demand (revenue sharing 2019-20). Jokerit with a big lead, followed by Dinamo Riga, and then SKA with a huge gap.

2. Dinamo Riga is the league´s co-founder, having ownership in the league (1/34 of shares). Savickis is the KHL Board member. So, a strong position. Another strong club is Jokerit, who is even not a co-owner of the league, but has the Board member. Medvescak, Slovan had neither a Board member nor being the co-owners.

So, Dinamo Riga is just fine.

Hey vorky,

I understand this and how important Riga is for the league, plus their connections but as SoundAndFury states, as an actual hockey team Riga have been terrible for the past few years and nothing seems to be changing.

As a fan its nice that the money is given and the name 'Dinamo Riga' is playing games on TV and in the arena so I can go an watch but after the first 10 games the season becomes pointless.

 

[SoundAndFury]

Well, at least guys on the team still care more than guys on Kunlun do.

 

[Rigafan]

Well, at least guys on the team still care more than guys on Kunlun do.

We could probably win the Batlic League next season

 

[SoundAndFury]

We could probably win the Batlic League next season

I don't know, healthy Liepaja seems like a tough team to beat

 

[SoundAndFury]

So Dinamo went from a team that has 5 Latvians on the roster to a team that has 5 imports on the roster in a matter of months. This season... I hope they at least keep the core of this team for next year and stop stupid experiments. Get a good goalie, good first line and PP quarterback. It's not that hard.

 

[aonb]

So Dinamo went from a team that has 5 Latvians on the roster to a team that has 5 imports on the roster in a matter of months. This season... I hope they at least keep the core of this team for next year and stop stupid experiments. Get a good goalie, good first line and PP quarterback. It's not that hard.

Yeah i agree. And i love Bukarts bros so far. I hope they stick with a team

 

[Rigafan]

So Dinamo went from a team that has 5 Latvians on the roster to a team that has 5 imports on the roster in a matter of months. This season... I hope they at least keep the core of this team for next year and stop stupid experiments. Get a good goalie, good first line and PP quarterback. It's not that hard.

Looking at the history this is could end up the worst for the team so far as I'm not confident of 3 more wins!

I don't understand what the process is once the money is made available to these people? Like you said, spend on a GOOD goalie first then force on the rest, that at least gives you a chance.

Sandis needs to put his skates back on!

 

[SoundAndFury]

Looking at the history this is could end up the worst for the team so far as I'm not confident of 3 more wins!

I don't understand what the process is once the money is made available to these people? Like you said, spend on a GOOD goalie first then force on the rest, that at least gives you a chance.

Sandis needs to put his skates back on!

This definitely was the worst team in history, whatever the record ends up saying... Maybe the 17/18 team was similar in terribleness but it had a couple of bright spots in the 2nd part of the season as well (Kalnins emerging, still a career year for Indrasis), this year is just a lost cause completely.

And this year comes down to Skudra as far as I can understand. He holds the title of GM and Proskryakov-Galimov was his Torpedo goalies so bringing those two in is definitely on him.

 

[Rigafan]

This definitely was the worst team in history, whatever the record ends up saying... Maybe the 17/18 team was similar in terribleness but it had a couple of bright spots in the 2nd part of the season as well (Kalnins emerging, still a career year for Indrasis), this year is just a lost cause completely.

And this year comes down to Skudra as far as I can understand. He holds the title of GM and Proskryakov-Galimov was his Torpedo goalies so bringing those two in is definitely on him.

Do you know why Sandis was on the bench the other game? According to all websites he isn't employed by the team again?

 

[SoundAndFury]

Do you know why Sandis was on the bench the other game? According to all websites he isn't employed by the team again?

He still works for Torpedo, probably just went back to Latvia during the holidays and made a familiarity visit to Dinamo as well.

 

[SoundAndFury]

Nalimov going for some record here, I think he was pulled in all but 1 game this season.

 

[Caser]

Nalimov going for some record here, I think he was pulled in all but 1 game this season.

6 games played, pulled in 2 of those, so not sure where you've seen the record.

Upd.: and actually was returned back in goal in today's game.