WC: General Talk '12 — Latvia

[Helpoing]

A few days ago LHF released the roster for exhibition games (6 EIHC games, 2 friendlies with France; 6 games out of 8 will take place in Latvia).

Goalkeepers:
Edgars Masaļskis (Yugra Khanty-Mansiysk, KHL),
Māris Jučers (Dinamo Rīga, KHL),
MārtiņÅ¡ Raitums (Beybaris, Kazakhstan),
Ervīns MuÅ¡tukovs (Odense, Denmark),
Jānis KalniņÅ¡ (Liepājas Metalurgs, Latvia),
Kristers Gudļevskis (HK Rīga, MHL);

Defensemen:
Guntis GalviņÅ¡ (Dinamo Rīga, KHL),
KriÅ¡jānis Rēdlihs (Dinamo Rīga, KHL),
Jēkabs Rēdlihs (Dinamo Rīga, KHL),
Oskars Cibuļskis (Dinamo Rīga, KHL),
Kristaps Sotnieks (Dinamo Rīga, KHL),
Rodrigo LaviņÅ¡ (Dinamo Rīga, KHL),
Arvīds Reķis (Dinamo Rīga, KHL),
Jānis Andersons (Dinamo Rīga, KHL),
MārtiņÅ¡ Jakovļevs (HK Rīga, MHL),
MārtiņÅ¡ Porejs (HK Rīga, MHL),
Georgijs Pujacs (Avangard Omsk, KHL),
Māris Jass (Slovan Bratislava, Slovakia),
Aleksandrs Jerofejevs (Slovan Bratislava, Slovakia),
Artūrs Kulda (St. John's IceCaps, AHL),
Oskars Bārtulis (Adirondack Phantoms, AHL),
Atvars Tribuncovs (Gomel, Belarus);

Forwards:
MārtiņÅ¡ Karsums (Dinamo Rīga),
Jānis Sprukts (Dinamo Rīga, KHL),
Miķelis Rēdlihs (Dinamo Rīga, KHL),
Māris Bičevskis (Dinamo Rīga, KHL),
Roberts Bukarts (Dinamo Rīga, KHL),
Gints Meija (Dinamo Rīga, KHL),
MārtiņÅ¡ Cipulis (Dinamo Rīga, KHL),
Andris DžeriņÅ¡ (Dinamo Rīga, KHL),
Juris Å tāls (Dinamo Rīga, KHL),
Ģirts Ankipāns (Dinamo Rīga, KHL),
Juris Upītis (HK Rīga, MHL),
Miks IndraÅ¡is (HK Rīga, MHL),
Gunārs Skvorcovs (Liepājas Metalurgs, Latvia),
Artūrs Mickevičs (Liepājas Metalurgs, Latvia),
Lauris DārziņÅ¡ (Ak Bars Kazan, KHL),
Armands BērziņÅ¡ (Yunost Minsk, Belarus),
Kaspars Saulietis (Neman Grodno, Belarus),
Aleksejs Å irokovs (Kazzinc-Torpedo, VHL),
Ronalds ĶēniņÅ¡ (ZSC Lions, NLA),
Herberts Vasiļjevs (Krefeld Pinguine, DEL),
Roberts Jekimovs (SaiPa, SM-Liiga),
Raitis Ivanāns (Abbotsford Heat, AHL),
Zemgus Girgensons (Dubuque Fighting Saints, USHL),
Kaspars DaugaviņÅ¡ (Ottawa Senators, NHL),
Kristiāns PelÅ¡s (Edmonton Oil Kings, WHL),
Toms Hartmanis (Fife Flyers, UK).

Quite a big pool. Obviously, our goalies are set with Masaļskis and Jūčers. Don't really care who will be the 3rd.

D-men will be mostly from Dinamo, except for Pujacs, Bartulis & maybe Tribuncovs (Atvars made a big impression on Nolan during the February break). Ice Caps are looking for a deep post-season run, which means no Kulda for Team Latvia.

Forward selection appears to be the most interesting part to me. I'd say that aside from Sprukts, Karsums, Rēdlihs, DārziņÅ¡ & Ankipāns no one has a guaranteed spot. Vasiļjevs will also be in if he decides to participate. And if he's in, then it looks like DžeriņÅ¡, Bičevskis, Å irokovs, BērziņÅ¡ and Girgensons will fight for the 2 bottom C (that is if Ankipāns isn't moved to center). I'd leave Å irokov out, maybe BērziņÅ¡ as well and would let the three youngsters to decide who is better suited for the event. And then the wingers...

Click to read more...

 

[ozo]

maybe Tribuncovs (Atvars made a big impression on Nolan during the February break).

It wasn't that hard to excel on that roster. But his bounce back season and effort deserves to be rewarded, I'd easily take Tribuncovs over Lavins for example, especially if Kulda will be in the AHL playoffs. It's sad that there's no other offensive minded D-man in sight.

 

[Mathradio]

How much effort do Latvian players put in the WC? I mean, do you face a lot of refused invites?

 

[ozo]

How much effort do Latvian players put in the WC? I mean, do you face a lot of refused invites?

Well until recently, WC was everything for our players and fans, so noone without a serious reason said no to an invitation to WC camp, it was a mix of patriotism, chance of meeting old teammates and friends, chance of playing against Worlds best and more importantly a chance to earn a better deal for next season by showcasing themselves. The only notorious regular no-show was Peteris Skudra (but that's somewhat different case). Though the emergence of Dinamo Riga has changed the scenery - currently the core of national team players play all season together in a KHL (nullifying the most of the reasons why players wanted to report to NT, I listed earlier), Janis Sprukts refused to play last year citing tiredness, which caused a real **** storm in media, Martins Karsums will miss the second WC in a row due some medical issues which again hockey media questions. Quite a few veterans have co-incidentally retired from NT and all these factors combined currently have created pretty gloomy atmosphere among hockey fans in Latvia.

 

[Helpoing]

Well until recently, WC was everything for our players and fans, so noone without a serious reason said no to an invitation to WC camp, it was a mix of patriotism, chance of meeting old teammates and friends, chance of playing against Worlds best and more importantly a chance to earn a better deal for next season by showcasing themselves. The only notorious regular no-show was Peteris Skudra (but that's somewhat different case). Though the emergence of Dinamo Riga has changed the scenery - currently the core of national team players play all season together in a KHL (nullifying the most of the reasons why players wanted to report to NT, I listed earlier), Janis Sprukts refused to play last year citing tiredness, which caused a real **** storm in media, Martins Karsums will miss the second WC in a row due some medical issues which again hockey media questions. Quite a few veterans have co-incidentally retired from NT and all these factors combined currently have created pretty gloomy atmosphere among hockey fans in Latvia.

Not only players, a lot of fans as well stopped attending WC games. In the years before KHL everyone were stockpiling money all year (and saving their annual vacation) just for the WC event, but now you have Dinamo Riga season tickets, trips to away games to Minsk, St. Petersburg, Moscow, Poprad (some even regularly travel to Ural and Khabarovsk). KHL definitely took the spotlight away from WC (though the latter is still popular here just not as much as it was before Dinamo Riga came back).

 

[Eye of Ra]

Karsums - Sprukts - Redlihs
Darzins - Ankipans - Daugavins
Cipulis - Vasiljevs - Nizivijs
Bukarts - Girgensons - Meija



Galvins - Redlihs
Kulda - Bartulis
Sotnieks - Pujacs



Masaļskis
Jučers

 

[ozo]

Karsums - Sprukts - Redlihs
Darzins - Ankipans - Daugavins
Cipulis - Vasiljevs - Nizivijs
Bukarts - Girgensons - Meija



Galvins - Redlihs
Kulda - Bartulis
Sotnieks - Pujacs



Masaļskis
Jučers

Karsums is out with an injury, Nizivijs retired from NT, Vasiljevs participation is under severe doubt because of paperwork issues, Kulda and Daugavins could still be in AHL/NHL playoffs and Jucers is ****. Though nice try, but now build a competative roster without these guys.

 

[Helpoing]

Karsums is out with an injury, Nizivijs retired from NT, Vasiljevs participation is under severe doubt because of paperwork issues, Kulda and Daugavins could still be in AHL/NHL playoffs and Jucers is ****. Though nice try, but now build a competative roster without these guys.

Even without Vasiljevs our C position will be stronger than last year, because of Sprukts (though our team from 2011 was one of the weakest if not the weakest that Latvia ever iced in top division). Karsums' and Nizhivij's absence leaves out a hole on our left flank. We desperately need Daugavinsh's help.

 

[Latgale_fan]

Cipulis - Sprukts - Rēdlihs
Jekimovs - Bērziņš - Saulietis
Bukarts - Džeriņš (injury ?) - Meija
Ķēniņš - Ankipāns - Štāls



Galvins - K. Redlihs
Cibulskis - J. Redlihs
Sotnieks - Pujacs



Masaļskis
Raitums


That's just looking at Europeans... Of course, Daugavins would be nice if Ottawa is easy and don't take play-offs too serious, Girgensons, a defenseman from AHL, Ivanans maybe...??? Pelšs can be tested if he becomes available too. Other than that , this is still a passable roster. Guys who're young but already with European top league experience or older guys who know what's WC all about. All of the forwards know how's the level in European top leagues, they've played and scored there.
Though Džeriņš is a question mark and if he's not available I can't imagine who'll be the 4th center? Širokovs? Hasn't been that good in VHL this year... Old Macijevskis from Norvegian league? Of course you can take Ķēniņš and make him center like last year and then seach for another winger...

In any case it's just like the previous year again... even more severe, Ņiživijs and Vasiļjevs retiring, Karsums and Dārziņs injuries, even guys like Bičevskis are out due to injuries and Džeriņš might as well be...

 

[Latgale_fan]

Quite a big pool. Obviously, our goalies are set with Masaļskis and Jūčers. Don't really care who will be the 3rd.

I still think Raitums is our nr. 2 goalie at the moment. Yeah Kazakh league might not be the best one in the world but two solid seasons, 14 shutouts this year as I've heard and being THE TOP goalie in the league, he also has a rather limited but experience in WC and Jučers still is a mediocre goalie even among the ones Latvia has, he only got his place in Dinamo cause he played half decently in Liepājas "Metalurgs''

 

[saskriders]

Sorry guy's no Daugavins

He can win silver at the next Olympics though

 

[zorz]

Any streams for todays game?

 

[Latgale_fan]

Latvia - Denmark 2-1
Bukarts, IndraÅ¡is (Cibuļskis)
SOG: 24-29

HK Riga's Indrašis first goal for the national team. The result is maybe even a bit better than expected knowing that Danes won two games vs Slovakia before this. But both teams play without some key players here, so it's hard to say anything more... Certainly it's good for Indrašis that he scored as he really has to fight for a place on the roster here.

 

[ozo]

Latvia - Denmark 2-1
Bukarts, IndraÅ¡is (Cibuļskis)
SOG: 24-29

HK Riga's Indrašis first goal for the national team. The result is maybe even a bit better than expected knowing that Danes won two games vs Slovakia before this. But both teams play without some key players here, so it's hard to say anything more... Certainly it's good for Indrašis that he scored as he really has to fight for a place on the roster here.

Good for Indrasis, but I still don't think that he is good enough for our national team. Obviously, I didn't see the game but judging from protocol, this was the game to fully test our PK as penalties seemingly came only our way. So it's Gudlevskis turn to make national team debut tomorrow? If so, hopefully we won't have to pull him early.

 

[Like Wall]

How come when WCH is nearing I always feel like I'm facing a firing squad? I cannot really comment much on our roster, other than Jučers - who is not really a goalie, whom we could trust yet. Masaļskis hasn't had much ice time this season, and that just means he's not in the best shape. We desperately need out "American" players. I hope Nolan knows, what he's doing.

 

[Latgale_fan]

How come when WCH is nearing I always feel like I'm facing a firing squad? I cannot really comment much on our roster, other than Jučers - who is not really a goalie, whom we could trust yet. Masaļskis hasn't had much ice time this season, and that just means he's not in the best shape. We desperately need out "American" players. I hope Nolan knows, what he's doing.

That's because you're a pessimist.
And I don't understand this obsession with "American'' players. Yeah, I could understand it when we had SkrastiņÅ¡, Žoltoks, Irbe there but whom do we have there now. Daugavins, a 10 point guy in the NHL, potential for 3rd line of AK Bars and being kicked out like Bergfors this year, Kulda in AHL and Bārtulis who's fought with injuries all year.... PelÅ¡s who's deep in play-offs and even without that is barely a 4th line player at this point (the same for Girgensons).... Ivanāns

We have plenty of good defensemen to choose from and yeah, Daugavins would really help this team but he won't be our saviour. We need to play with guys we have, had this format been in place last year, we'd surely rank higher than when we were after that unfortunate loss to Denmark and yeah, this year we don't have Ņiživijs and Vasiļjevs... but we have Sprukts and Jekimovs after a good season in SM Liiga, potentially ĶēniņÅ¡ after a long play-off run in NLA, Meija has been better than ever, young HK Rīga guys are stepping up, the same about Jučers who's now played two consecutive decent games for the NT.

It will be hard but with Nolan and young guys we can skate and we can fight. And in this company we have (Germany, Norway, Denmark, Italy) we can sure as hell, if everything comes together, show a pretty good game.

This far I don't see a reason for panic, the games vs the Czechs were good, the game vs Denmark we won, so it couldn't have been bad, there was no need to pull Jučers at any moment, we weren't outshot like 40-20 in those games and Bukarts continues to score in any competion except KHL and as WC is not KHL, he'll continue to score there too )

Nolan is a damn good coach. You don't get ''Jack Adams'' for nothing, whatever Lipmans did to get him, as Irbe said we've never had a coch like him...

 

[ozo]

At last Latgale_fan has posted something I don't agree with.

If they are healthy I easily see every NA-er in our line-up, even Pelss, who looked even better than our break-out player of the year Meija in last years camp. You can't build a case against Daugavins solely because he has ten points this year given the role he had. Kulda has a shot, a real shot, not this Galvins or Kr. Redlihs comedy wrister, which can be crucial on our dis-jointed DR powerplay, in addition he can really punish guys along the boards. Maybe Bartulis with his injury plagued season wouldn't be an improvement on local DR guys but's a stretch in my eyes too, because he really can't be worse than J. Redlihs.

 

[Helpoing]

Kulda looks to me like our current best defenseman. How can't he make a difference for our team?

 

[Latgale_fan]

Kulda looks to me like our current best defenseman. How can't he make a difference for our team?

I'm not saying Kulda and DaugaviņÅ¡ can't make difference. I just don't see them making such a difference as Žoltoks and SkrastiņÅ¡ in previous times. And two players doesn't add much to a team that plays like crap (evidence - Belarus had Kostitsyn and Grabovski last year and lost to us 3:6).

I'm not saying we don't need them but realistically they're not available. At least at the moment. So we don't have much to wait for, Pelšs might get to the Memorial Cup eventually (here's hope), Ottawa is in play-offs and who knows how long that can take, the same for Kulda. So we of course can hope for them but it isn't like they'll make all the difference whether or not we succeed even if all of them are suddenly available

 

[ozo]

I'm not saying Kulda and DaugaviņÅ¡ can't make difference. I just don't see them making such a difference as Žoltoks and SkrastiņÅ¡ in previous times. And two players doesn't add much to a team that plays like crap (evidence - Belarus had Kostitsyn and Grabovski last year and lost to us 3:6).

I'm not saying we don't need them but realistically they're not available. At least at the moment. So we don't have much to wait for, Pelšs might get to the Memorial Cup eventually (here's hope), Ottawa is in play-offs and who knows how long that can take, the same for Kulda. So we of course can hope for them but it isn't like they'll make all the difference whether or not we succeed even if all of them are suddenly available

I agree, but we as fans simply would love too see all the best players in WC, it's hardly an "obsession", because everyone (with common sense) understands that these 3/4 players won't be the difference between relegation and medals, but having them would simply improve our chances of a successful outcome this year.

In others news, rumours of Ivanans second chance are not rumours anymore, he's coming to camp. I don't know what to think, hopefully his place on a team (because of his unique "qualities" or "skill-set") isn't guranteed yet, though I'd love too see how would he look on an ice in exhibition games.

 

[Like Wall]

I agree, but we as fans simply would love too see all the best players in WC, it's hardly an "obsession", because everyone (with common sense) understands that these 3/4 players won't be the difference between relegation and medals, but having them would simply improve our chances of a successful outcome this year.

In others news, rumours of Ivanans second chance are not rumours anymore, he's coming to camp. I don't know what to think, hopefully his place on a team (because of his unique "qualities" or "skill-set") isn't guranteed yet, though I'd love too see how would he look on an ice in exhibition games.

Most likely Nolan through his "own" diplomatic channels convinced Flames to let Ivanans go. Having a former NHL coach helps. I really hope he'll convince Ivavans to play puck, not fists.

 

[ozo]

Most likely Nolan through his "own" diplomatic channels convinced Flames to let Ivanans go. Having a former NHL coach helps. I really hope he'll convince Ivavans to play puck, not fists.

Someone should of told Nolan, that he should talk with St. John's franchise owner, not Abbotsford's. But in reality Ivavans was to no use for the Canadian team in playoffs, so they let him go early.

 

[LizardKing1]

So is Raitis Ivanans coming to WC? That would make Latvias team so much more interesting. Would he be a good fit for the 4th line as hard checking forward? Also would bring a lot of toughnes and experience to Latvia.
If i remember you had a Canadian coach? He could use Ivanans maybe.

 

[Latgale_fan]

So is Raitis Ivanans coming to WC? That would make Latvias team so much more interesting. Would he be a good fit for the 4th line as hard checking forward? Also would bring a lot of toughnes and experience to Latvia.
If i remember you had a Canadian coach? He could use Ivanans maybe.

Could use him on the 4th line if he's disciplined I guess, last time he played WC he took unnecessary penalties and wanted to fight everybody and that was all his contribution to the team If he can be disciplined, he might go... He'll be in the camp so we'll see.

About today's game. I really like what I see at the moment, yeah there are some problems but Nolan is constantly experimenting with lines, giving young players roles in penalty killing, PP... Jass played the last minutes of the game and scored goal, so the problems will be. And it's not like we have all the best guys for these games, so again it's positive that young guys are being tested and can take home two wins vs a decent Danish side that beat Slovakia two times previously...

 

[ozo]

Until this point everybody is performing really great, it will be very hard to cut anyone if this trend continues.