Latvian National Team Discussion(Mens,u-20,u-18)

[BalticWarrior]

I decided to make thread for all our national team discussion.
Recently Ted Nolan has announced the candidates for WC this year:

Vārtsargi:

Edgars Masaļskis (Jugra, KHL), Ervīns MuÅ¡tukovs (Mora, Zviedrija), Māris Jučers (Rīgas Dinamo), Kristers Gudļevskis (HK Rīga), Jānis KalniņÅ¡ (Liepājas Metalurgs);
Aizsargi:

KriÅ¡jānis Rēdlihs (Rīgas Dinamo), Kristaps Sotnieks (Rīgas Dinamo), Oskars Cibuļskis (Rīgas Dinamo), Guntis GalviņÅ¡ (Rīgas Dinamo), Jēkabs Rēdlihs (Rīgas Dinamo), Arvīds Reķis (Rīgas Dinamo), MārtiņÅ¡ Porejs (Rīgas Dinamo), Rodrigo LaviņÅ¡ (Rīgas Dinamo), Georgijs Pujacs (Avangard, KHL), Oskars Bārtulis (Donbass, KHL), Māris Jass (Scorpions, DEL), Jānis Andersons (Kompanion, Ukraina), Agris Saviels (Kompanion), Aleksandrs Jerofejevs (Kuban, VHL), MārtiņÅ¡ Jakovļevs (Jokipojat, Somija), Artūrs Kulda (Vinipegas Jets, NHL);
Uzbrucēji:

Miks IndraÅ¡is (Rīgas Dinamo), MārtiņÅ¡ Karsums (Rīgas Dinamo), Gints Meija (Rīgas Dinamo), Vitālijs Pavlovs (Rīgas Dinamo), Andris DžeriņÅ¡ (Rīgas Dinamo), Gunārs Skvorcovs (Rīgas Dinamo), Māris Bičevskis (Rīgas Dinamo), Roberts Bukarts (Rīgas Dinamo), Elvijs Biezais (Rīgas Dinamo), Juris Upītis (Rīgas Dinamo), Miķelis Rēdlihs (Lokomotiv, KHL), MārtiņÅ¡ Cipulis (Lev, KHL), Aleksandrs Ņiživijs (Lev, KHL), Lauris DārziņÅ¡ (AkBars, KHL), Jānis Sprukts (CSKA, KHL), Roberts Jekimovs (SaiPa, Somija), Ronalds ĶēniņÅ¡ (ZSC Lions, Å veice), Aleksejs Å irokovs (Red Ice, Å veice), Juris Å tāls (SKP Poprad, Slovākija), Koba Jass (HC Kladno, Čehija), Kaspars Saulietis (Yunost, Baltktrievija), Armands BērziņÅ¡ (Kompanion, Ukraina), Kaspars DaugaviņÅ¡ (Otavas Senators, NHL), Kristiāns PelÅ¡s (Oklahomas City Barons, AHL), Zemgus Girgensons (Ročesteras Americans, AHL).

Lots of uncertainties about Mikelis Redlihs,Martins Karsums,Masalskis and few others who are injured at the moment,if Karsums wont make it this year it will be his 3d consecutive year not playing in WC. Discuss!

Click to read more...

 

[ozo]

So basically everyone (maybe only Blugers?) with pair of skates is on the list. Will be pulling for Pelšs and Jakovļevs to make it.

 

[BalticWarrior]

But overall my expectations for this years WC are low,hell i hope we dont fall out of the group,much less make it to QF`s. With all those injuries and the group were in,i`m very pessimistic.

 

[Latgale_fan]

So basically everyone (maybe only Blugers?) with pair of skates is on the list. Will be pulling for Pelšs and Jakovļevs to make it.

Not quite all who have a pair of skates... Only the most promising youngsters and previous WC guys.

Artūrs Ozoliņš plays in a better competition as Ukranian league, Kazakhstan 53 games 61 points and not there
Forgotten Brahmanis 51 games 46 points in Kazakh league
Edgars Klavins with 30 games in Elitserien (ok he's a youngster but still)

Also from Liepāja, I'd give a chance to Birziņš as regards defense

Plus these guys are in no way some midgets who wouldn't be suited for Nolan's team. I don't get what Bērziņš is doing there since he was terrible in OG qualification but ok. At least Džeriņš IS there unlike that qualification.

Again the guys from Kazakh league are ignored, Ozoliņš is 2nd in scoring there, Brahmanis 9th, Smirnovs 13th 47 games 43 points (seems that he's improved quite a bit, so why not check out?)

Kazakh league is quite underrated IMHO...

 

[ozo]

Not quite all who have a pair of skates... Only the most promising youngsters and previous WC guys.

Artūrs OzoliņÅ¡ plays in a better competition as Ukranian league, Kazakhstan 53 games 61 points and not there
Forgotten Brahmanis 51 games 46 points in Kazakh league
Edgars Klavins with 30 games in Elitserien (ok he's a youngster but still)

Also from Liepāja, I'd give a chance to BirziņÅ¡ as regards defense

Plus these guys are in no way some midgets who wouldn't be suited for Nolan's team. I don't get what BērziņÅ¡ is doing there since he was terrible in OG qualification but ok. At least DžeriņÅ¡ IS there unlike that qualification.

Again the guys from Kazakh league are ignored, OzoliņÅ¡ is 2nd in scoring there, Brahmanis 9th, Smirnovs 13th 47 games 43 points (seems that he's improved quite a bit, so why not check out?)

Kazakh league is quite underrated IMHO...

Kazakh league is underrated, but Ozolins leached off the most dominant Kazakh league player ever and this year Kazakh league had three useless farm teams against which everyone racked up their poin totals compared to previous years. His stats are inflated beyond belief. I know, players can progress but his bare stats this season are too incredible compared to his previous year perfomance. At best he could be at Pavlovs level.

And yes, I forgot Klavins, would love to see his game.

 

[BalticWarrior]

So it looks like Mikelis is out,Karsums probably too, i will build our roster on the assumption that Masalskis and Bartulis are a-okay before WC`s(and that there wont be someone else "unmotivated" and that most likely candidates to from NA are on the roster.

Indrasis-Sprukts-Darzins
Daugavins-Sirokovs-Kenins
Meija-Girgensons-Pavlovs
Skvorcovs-Dzerins-Stals

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


Masalskis
Jucers

Cant have alot of hope with this kind of roster :

 

[DrStrangelife]

So it looks like Mikelis is out,Karsums probably too, i will build our roster on the assumption that Masalskis and Bartulis are a-okay before WC`s(and that there wont be someone else "unmotivated" and that most likely candidates to from NA are on the roster.

Indrasis-Sprukts-Darzins
Daugavins-Sirokovs-Kenins
Meija-Girgensons-Pavlovs
Skvorcovs-Dzerins-Stals

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

Masalskis
Jucers

Cant have alot of hope with this kind of roster :

The Last regular Season NHL games are on 27th April, Latvia's first game against Russia is 4th Mai.
So far, despite the Karlsson's injury, Senators look capable of securing their PO spot and now sit at the 5th spot in their conference. Even if Senators drop out after the first round, Daugavins could only (hopefully) make it back for our last few games.

 

[BalticWarrior]

The Last regular Season NHL games are on 27th April, Latvia's first game against Russia is 4th Mai.
So far, despite the Karlsson's injury, Senators look capable of securing their PO spot and now sit at the 5th spot in their conference. Even if Senators drop out after the first round, Daugavins could only (hopefully) make it back for our last few games.

Daugavins was waived recently,its very likely he back to KHL

 

[BalticWarrior]

Officially Bartulis and Rekis wont play(couldnt care about rekis but Bartulis is a huge loss)

 

[BalticWarrior]

You know what? **** this if our guys dont care about WC,then why should we? We dont have near infinite resources like Sweden or Russia,that if even 5-6 players say no to NT were a good team.ugh i`m ****ing pissed

 

[vorky]

Daugavins was waived recently,its very likely he back to KHL

source or your opinion?

 

[BalticWarrior]

source or your opinion?

That he will be back in KHL? my opinion,but its likely he wont spend another year in AHL.

 

[DrStrangelife]

Daugavins was waived recently,its very likely he back to KHL

Yea, just now found out about it as well.

source or your opinion?

e.g. http://senshot.com/2013/03/26/ottawa-senators-put-kaspars-daugavins-on-waivers/

http://www.blueshirtbanter.com/2013...kinen-and-kaspars-daugavins-placed-on-waivers

 

[DrStrangelife]

You know what? **** this if our guys dont care about WC,then why should we? We dont have near infinite resources like Sweden or Russia,that if even 5-6 players say no to NT were a good team.ugh i`m ****ing pissed

The video itself is good, but I posted because of Irbe's comments at 8:50.
(In English (After winning the Russians in year 2000): "I've lived 33 years on this planet and I lived these 33 years for this day, for this game; and I would be ready to give up half of my life, only for a game like this. I think there's nothing more to add. Thank You to anyone who believed." )

Now this is patriotism, this is love for the game. Our current situation is just said , I really hope that guys like Indrašis and Girgensons will bring some spirit back.

Let's be honest, maybe the right thing to do, would be not to care, but how can the fans quit on something that has been a Latvian symbol, an identity to us. We love ice-hockey, it makes our blood boil. It's not just the game itself that is brilliant, it's the fact that there are Latvian jersey out on the ice, our players were carrying our flag outside to the world. It was something I've always been proud of. We've never been brilliant hockey team, but we've always given our best and the fans stood through thick and thin. Quitting on our NT will be like killing part of ourselves.

 

[BalticWarrior]

The video itself is good, but I posted because of Irbe's comments at 8:50.
(In English (After winning the Russians in year 2000): "I've lived 33 years on this planet and I lived these 33 years for this day, for this game; and I would be ready to give up half of my life, only for a game like this. I think there's nothing more to add. Thank You to anyone who believed." )

Now this is patriotism, this is love for the game. Our current situation is just said , I really hope that guys like Indrašis and Girgensons will bring some spirit back.

Let's be honest, maybe the right thing to do, would be not to care, but how can the fans quit on something that has been a Latvian symbol, an identity to us. We love ice-hockey, it makes our blood boil. It's not just the game itself that is brilliant, it's the fact that there are Latvian jersey out on the ice, our players were carrying our flag outside to the world. It was something I've always been proud of. We've never been brilliant hockey team, but we've always given our best and the fans stood through thick and thin. Quitting on our NT will be like killing part of ourselves.

Yeah its seems the only change we can hope for is with the next-gen players,cause the current generation wont change
their opinions or outlooks on the NT.Guys like Daug,Girgensons,Indrasis, who will not say no to NT is what were lacking.

And i think Nolan understands that,in some interview if i remember correctly he said he wants to build our NT from the ground up like a 5 years plan incoroprating young talented players in our NT (Blugers,Girgensons,Indrasis etc),we might suck for the next few years,but its for the future.

 

[ozo]

This thread is hilarious.

 

[DrStrangelife]

This thread is hilarious.

Yeah, some of us are probably on suicide watch.

 

[jammetti]

I'm so happy that Koba Jass is in the list. Great season ending for him in Czech Extraliga. If we compare with the previous season(also including games in National team Latvia) then we can see big progress in this season. Go Koba!

 

[DrStrangelife]

I'm so happy that Koba Jass is in the list. Great season ending for him in Czech Extraliga. If we compare with the previous season(also including games in National team Latvia) then we can see big progress in this season. Go Koba!

I hope your right.
I really hated his cheap shot against Karlsson last WC, I still have my doubts about him. But it's for Nolan to decide anyways and I trust his judgment.

 

[Latgale_fan]

Czech Republic - Latvia 4:3 (2:0, 0:2, 2:1)
Goals: 10:02 Vrana (I.Rachunek) 1:0, 13:48 Vrana (Sekac, Kubat, pp.) 2:0, 26:11 Indrašis (Cipulis, Sotnieks, vair.) 2:1, 34:19 Bajaruns (K.Jass) 2:2, 42:15 Pech (Rachunek, Gulas) 3:2, 45:19 Indrašis (Jekimovs, Jerofejevs) 3:3, 57:51 Kubat (I.Rachunek, Mojzis) 4:3
Penalties: 10:8
Goalies: Jakub Kovar - Māris Jučers (from 59:11 - empty net)
Attendance: 4000

A good result tonight. Don't know about Czech motivation but Nolan took a lot of guys with limited NT experience to Czech Republic and seems that it was an ok game at the end. The biggest star on this roster, Miks Indrašis, proved his status and scored 2 goals. Koba with an assist too and a surprise pick Bajarūns with a goal. Will we have another Indrašis or Koba in Bajarūns this year??

Second game:

Czech Republic - Latvia 1:0 (1:0, 0:0, 0:0)

 

[ozo]

Was at the game today, we lacked any sort of quality and authority on blueline, which comes as no real surprise. If we keep up this kind of effort level we again be alright no matter what's the eventual final roster.

 

[BalticWarrior]

Looks like most of our fans are on suicide watch after that 0:6 loss to Sweden,everyone just hopes we dont fall out of Elite division...

 

[ozo]

Looks like most of our fans are on suicide watch after that 0:6 loss to Sweden,everyone just hopes we dont fall out of Elite division...

Have some faith in our boys for **** sake.

I'll just copy a quote of you from other thread " It`s sometimes sickening to open up latvian sports website and see all the hatred and negativity."

 

[BalticWarrior]

Have some faith in our boys for **** sake.

I'll just copy a quote of you from other thread " It`s sometimes sickening to open up latvian sports website and see all the hatred and negativity."

I didnt say i myself hold these beliefs,just kind of sharing with the general attitude.

 

[ozo]

Am I the only one excited about Freibergs joining the team? I kinda hope that he will be that offensive D we all have been craving for last couple of years.