Latvia: Latvian prospects

[Justinov]

And this is why depth is important, by increasing the amount of rinks and producing talented players you will see more players playing in various top leagues ( some in KHL, SEL, NHL ) and they will have more players to draw upon for selection in international events. Also then you may see a Danish or Latvian team in Euro hockey tours creating more interest and also if they become a mainstay at the top level they will host some more tournaments which will again in turn raise interest. Joining a Nordic league or big league like the KHL may be in the best interest to improve hockey in Denmark but things such as buildings of rinks are much more complicated.

Yep because it takes communial or state funds to do so in Denmark. Only a national team success will bring the money.
A Copenhagen or Jutland team could join SEL/Allsvanskan or DEL (we have there each an all-purpose building that can house 10-15.000 people), but only if its economically viable and the current economic climate is not. That team also have to be stacked with home-coming NHL stars to make the initial press and fan push themselves for a seat "to see the elephant". Joining a KHL filled with faraway teams will look like an insane economic gamble..since you cant survive on your own fans alone...you will need money from a lot of visiting fans to earn enough money!

 

[wings5]

Yep because it takes communial or state funds to do so in Denmark. Only a national team success will bring the money.
A Copenhagen or Jutland team could join SEL/Allsvanskan or DEL (we have there each an all-purpose building that can house 10-15.000 people), but only if its economically viable and the current economic climate is not. That team also have to be stacked with home-coming NHL stars to make the initial press and fan push themselves for a seat "to see the elephant". Joining a KHL filled with faraway teams will look like an insane economic gamble..since you cant survive on your own fans alone...you will need money from a lot of visiting fans to earn enough money!

Tbh I wouldn't want to see the current Danes leave the NHL but outside of them there isn't much depth. I agree the team needs a certain degree of success maybe they can start off with a higher number of imports than regular teams and to begin with it would largely be comprised of Swedish and perhaps Finnish players.

 

[Justinov]

Its a fair point,but this would be long term project like 10-15 years from now,so ofc now the kids will flock to the best league with the best organization.

Long term thinking comes with age
Off course its hard to compete with current "fashion" trends, but if Dinamo Riga slowly gets better and better young players might want to stay instead of going oversees.

Since Dinamo Riga really have a bad season......any financial plans to buy some stars or it just continues as it were (meaning no real long term plan but just staying alive as it is?).

 

[BalticWarrior]

Long term thinking comes with age
Off course its hard to compete with current "fashion" trends, but if Dinamo Riga slowly gets better and better young players might want to stay instead of going oversees.

Since Dinamo Riga really have a bad season......any financial plans to buy some stars or it just continues as it were (meaning no real long term plan but just staying alive as it is?).

Eh,teams owner said that there will be some additional money next season,don`t know much beyond that.
I really have lost a hope for play-offs next year too,hope atleast Team Latvia can take off some of that pessimism by winning the group at Olympic qual.

 

[Justinov]

Eh,teams owner said that there will be some additional money next season,don`t know much beyond that.
I really have lost a hope for play-offs next year too,hope atleast Team Latvia can take off some of that pessimism by winning the group at Olympic qual.

So winning the olympoic qualification is probably seen as a MUST in Latvia.
How will you think the odds are between the group adversaries?
France and Kazakhstan are not entirely walk-over nations.

 

[BalticWarrior]

So winning the olympoic qualification is probably seen as a MUST in Latvia.
How will you think the odds are between the group adversaries?
France and Kazakhstan are not entirely walk-over nations.

I really don`t like giving odds,it always seems to come back and bite me later (that`s my own little superstition),what i will say is that group will be tough for us and we will need to bring 100% to qualify.

 

[BalticWarrior]

I have to say that the more i watch Rihards Bukarts play the more i think he is going to bust,he is undersized,not all that fast and has been known to be lazy. I really don`t see him getting drafted in 2014, and thats sad he had so much potential.

 

[BalticWarrior]

http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=149895
Rudolfs Maslovskis
looks great now in HK riga hes 95 born from Liepaja hockey school and is really impressing me he has 3 goals in 7 games now and is completley flying on the ice,maybe a good future prospect for Dinamo Riga?
Also Golvkovs was great yesterday with 1+2 and was genrally very noticable.

 

[ozo]

http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=149895
Rudolfs Maslovskis
looks great now in HK riga hes 95 born from Liepaja hockey school and is really impressing me he has 3 goals in 7 games now and is completley flying on the ice,maybe a good future prospect for Dinamo Riga?
Also Golvkovs was great yesterday with 1+2 and was genrally very noticable.

When your team scores eight, most likely that the whole team looked good, no?

 

[BalticWarrior]

When your team scores eight, most likely that the whole team looked good, no?

Not the point both of them played very good before the game against the red army

 

[Justinov]

I have to say that the more i watch Rihards Bukarts play the more i think he is going to bust,he is undersized,not all that fast and has been known to be lazy. I really don`t see him getting drafted in 2014, and thats sad he had so much potential.

Well the three things that NA really values - "Size, speed and work ethics" he doesn't have (yet). That actually doesn't sound promising. He might get drafted if he starts to put in good numbers.

Maybe that is a problem when local leagues decline in quality. Talents will (sometimes) feel they can dominate as stars even when they don't have to work extra hard. Hope he matures so he understands it's time for a wake-up call and change of life.
Being pro is being hockey

 

[BalticWarrior]

Well the three things that NA really values - "Size, speed and work ethics" he doesn't have (yet). That actually doesn't sound promising. He might get drafted if he starts to put in good numbers.

Maybe that is a problem when local leagues decline in quality. Talents will (sometimes) feel they can dominate as stars even when they don't have to work extra hard. Hope he matures so he understands it's time for a wake-up call and change of life.
Being pro is being hockey

He has good numbers,but he could do hell of a lot more! Maybe the work ethic is not even all that big of factor i most worry about his size hes 17 and still only 178cm(!!) thats not NHL size by any stretch of imagination.
If he wouldnt be getting tossed around like a pillow,i think he would dominate.

 

[BalticWarrior]

48p 16g 14a 30p- This years stats

47gp 11g 11a 22p-last years

What worries me is not stats,but i just don`t see a NHL`er in him, i just don`t.maybe i`m wrong.I sure as hell would like to be wrong this time.

 

[Justinov]

He has good numbers,but he could do hell of a lot more! Maybe the work ethic is not even all that big of factor i most worry about his size hes 17 and still only 178cm(!!) thats not NHL size by any stretch of imagination.
If he wouldnt be getting tossed around like a pillow,i think he would dominate.

When a guy like Zuccarello had problems in NHL, then it's very hard to make it as undersized!
But maybe you have one amazing KHL player on your hands instead

 

[BalticWarrior]

When a guy like Zuccarello had problems in NHL, then it's very hard to make it as undersized!
But maybe you have one amazing KHL player on your hands instead

Lets be honest here bukarts will never be as big as guys like Indrašis or Girgensons,but if grew to atleast 183 and gained alot more muscle mass i would reconsider my opion,the tools,the hockey iq and talent are all there,its just that Mother Nature hasnt been so generous to him

 

[Justinov]

Lets be honest here bukarts will never be as big as guys like Indrašis or Girgensons,but if grew to atleast 183 and gained alot more muscle mass i would reconsider my opion,the tools,the hockey iq and talent are all there,its just that Mother Nature hasnt been so generous to him

Well remember that old quote "Latvian are among the tallest people in the world with average 1.71 in height" ....so the Latvian mothernature gave him a boost up to 1.78!
Zuccarello is 1.71 by the way (he actually looks a bit like a Peter Jackson hobbit)!

 

[BalticWarrior]

Well remember that old quote "Latvian are among the tallest people in the world with average 1.71 in height" ....so the Latvian mothernature gave him a boost up to 1.78!
Zuccarello is 1.71 by the way (he actually looks a bit like a Peter Jackson hobbit)!

All joking aside i really hope he grows in size and strength it's important for his carreer that he does.

 

[BalticWarrior]

watching hk riga game(its tape,not live game) bukarts has come out flying today,he really is a mystery,yesterdays bukarts is not the same as todays,its like has a twin brother

 

[ozo]

watching hk riga game(its tape,not live game) bukarts has come out flying today,he really is a mystery,yesterdays bukarts is not the same as todays,its like has a twin brother

Now he is sure first round draftee all over again? There's never middle ground for you it seems.

 

[BalticWarrior]

Now he is sure first round draftee all over again? There's never middle ground for you it seems.

nope,just an observation,the point about him beeing small still remains.

 

[BalticWarrior]

Newest report on Girgensons injury says that he could be back on ice with Americans as soon as 12th february.

 

[BalticWarrior]

I`ve decided to make a list of best players by age group

1994:
1.Zemgus Girgensons
2.Roberts Lipsbergs
3.Teodors Blugers
4.Nikita Jevpalovs

1995:
1.Rihards Bukarts
2.Georgs Golovkovs

1996:
1.Haralds Egle
2.Rodrigo Abols
3.Davis Zembergs
4.Vasilonoks
5.Locans

1997:
Rudolfs Balcers (??)

1998: (??)
Edgars Treijs

 

[BalticWarrior]

Teodors Blugers with a goal yesterday and 2 assists (3p) ,Roberts Lipsbergs with his 20th goal in CHL and Edgars Kulda with an other fight.

 

[ficohok*]

I`ve decided to make a list of best players by age group

1994:
1.Zemgus Girgensons
2.Roberts Lipsbergs
3.Teodors Blugers
4.Nikita Jevpalovs

1995:
1.Rihards Bukarts
2.Georgs Golovkovs

1996:
1.Haralds Egle
2.Rodrigo Abols
3.Davis Zembergs
4.Vasilonoks
5.Locans

1997:
Rudolfs Balcers (??)

1998: (??)
Edgars Treijs

In EBEL (similar, maybe little bit better than BOL) league there is Zintis Zusevics(1994). Not some high-end prosepct, but he is playing for Graz mens team in heavily imported league. I think he scored few goals in 40+ games, but most of the time he spent on 4th line, while in recent few games he was put on top line and had imidiate impact. You can see his goal at laola1.at, he scored against my team (Medvescak) on january 29th. Here are the goals if interested
http://www.laola1.tv/en/int/ice-hoc...l-medvescak-zagreb/video/434-1830-110229.html

 

[Like Wall]

Teodors Blugers with a goal yesterday and 2 assists (3p) ,Roberts Lipsbergs with his 20th goal in CHL and Edgars Kulda with an other fight.

Is Bluger a Latvian (by nationality)? Anyway, he is more "American" than "Latvian". I think he will accept US citizenship at first opportunity.