WC: Team Latvia Roster

[Namejs]

A bunch of Latvian players have had breakout seasons in 2018/19. We have gone from 1 to 4 Latvian NHL players (+Balcers +Blueger +Merzlikins), Abols has exceeded expectations in the SHL, Dzierkals is finally proving his worth in the KHL, a few more AHL debuts and a few other little gems here and there (like Egle being a PPG+ guy in the NCAA).

After the last year's showing and barely losing to Sweden in the QFs, our boys are craving for more wins this time around.

The good news are that we have never ever had such forward depth as right now. On paper, our 4C is a career KHL guy with 23 points this season.

As always, the bad news sort of fan out all the flames and there's not that much enthusiasm left. A lot of the older leading players (M. Redlihs, Karsums, Dzerins) are not going to be there this year due to injuries.

Darzins is questionable too.

Blueger, Balcers and Merzlikins could potentially be tied up in North America. The same goes for our leading NCAA prospects in Cukste and Egle.

Our 2nd and 3rd string goalies are injured.

There are probably still too many question marks to project lines, but this is how the best case scenario looks in my mind:

G
Merzlikins (questionable)
Gudlevskis

Indrasis - Blueger (questionable) - Darzins (questionable)
Balcers (questionable) - Abols - Kenins
Bukarts - Daugavins - Bukarts Jr.
Dzierkals - Girgensons - Jevpalovs
Meija, H. Egle

Kulda-Freibergs
Rubins-Galviņš
Sotnieks-Balinskis
Bindulis, Cibulskis,
Cukste

In a best case scenario this team is probably even better than last year.

If we miss out either on Merzlikins and Blueger, QFs are a stretch. Fingers crossed.

Click to read more...

 

[Namejs]

Weekly update time

No Cukste (D, 6"4, 220lbs Sharks prospect) due to NCAA academic stuff
Bindulis (D, Caps prospect) is not cleared for contact up until May
Rubins (D, 6"4) tied up in North America with the Marlies
Cibulskis (D) is undergoing some post-op recovery

Rubins (questionable) - Freibergs
Sotnieks - Balinskis
Galvins - Cibulskis (questionable)
Kulda, Zile
Jaks, K. Redlihs
Siksna

Basically our D corps looks the same as last year with the lone addition of Kulda, who isn't much of an offensive threat, but a decent shutdown guy with NHL experience won't do you any harm.

In case of injuries, Jaks, K. Redlihs and Siksna are going to be decent enough 3rd-pairing/bench guys.

In any case, it's going to be a bit of a letdown if none of our young, towering defencemen are going to make it this year. It's just a treat to see them skating like that and moving the puck up the ice with confidence. Rubins was a big part of our team last year despite only recording 2 points.

As for our forward group, both Balcers and Jevpalovs are probably going to join the team. Darzins has some beef with the federation about some insurance settlement, but he's been invited to the camp and I think he's going to play.

Egle is not going to join the camp due to NCAA stuff, while the 20 yo Krastenbergs is going to make it, apparently. He didn't exactly rip up the ECHL, but 44 points there warranted him a call-up to the AHL late in the season, and the speedy winger might just make the Latvian roster as the 13th forward.

Merzlikins is going to join the team as well.

Looking good so far.

Most of Latvia are probably going to be rooting for Islanders in their match-up against the Pens so that Blueger can join the team.

 

[Namejs]

Some fresh news from the Latvian camp:

Merzlikins will not be released from the Blue Jackets until they have been eliminated from the play-offs. I guess there has been some change of mind within the CBJ organization. In any case, Bolts are the clear favorites in this matchup, so we should be fine. In case of an upset, Kalnins could join the team at a later stage if his medical tests next week with Jokerit are going to be OK.

So, in any case, we should be doing fine in the goalie department.

Zemgus Girgensons is currently without a contract, so that could affect his decision, but considering how patriotic he's been his entire career, I'm quite sure he'll join the camp.

 

[ozo]

I heard that Bartulis has rediscovered his patriotism... hopefully he is not even considered.

 

[Namejs]

I heard that Bartulis has rediscovered his patriotism... hopefully he is not even considered.

He can't be considered, because he changed his hockey citizenship in order to increase his chances of being signed by a KHL side.

If he hadn't done it, he would be considered, but he would be a depth guy. He's had several injuries and he's no longer the player he was 5 or 10 years ago.

So, all in all, this means someone younger and of roughly the same caliber (Zile or Jaks) makes the team instead of him. No loss whatsoever.

 

[Namejs]

Welp, no Girgensons this year.

Not THAT big of a loss due to our increased depth, but if some other C doesn't make it, it's going to significantly alter our chances.

And Daugavins probably should play as the 2C/3C now.

 

[teravaineSAROS]

He can't be considered, because he changed his hockey citizenship in order to increase his chances of being signed by a KHL side.

Care to explain?

 

[Namejs]

Care to explain?

Latvians are considered import players in the KHL. The KHL has a limit on import players. Since Bartulis was eligible to change his citizenship, he decided to do so, thus becoming one of the most hated people in Latvia overnight.

In the end it was a Latvian GM who signed him, and he finished the 2018/19 season playing for the Chinese KHL side.

 

[Noma]

Latvians are considered import players in the KHL. The KHL has a limit on import players. Since Bartulis was eligible to change his citizenship, he decided to do so, thus becoming one of the most hated people in Latvia overnight.

In the end it was a Latvian GM who signed him, and he finished the 2018/19 season playing for the Chinese KHL side.

His Russian citizenship shouldn't affect his eligibility to represent Latvia. If he wanted to change the country he represents, he should play in Russia four season in a row without representing Latvia internationally.

 

[SoundAndFury]

His Russian citizenship shouldn't affect his eligibility to represent Latvia. If he wanted to change the country he represents, he should play in Russia four season in a row without representing Latvia internationally.

It's not that he's ineligible, it's that they don't want him.

 

[Namejs]

It's not that he's ineligible, it's that they don't want him.

According to Bartulis himself, he doesn't even have a Russian citizenship. I don't have all the ins and outs of it all, there's been a lot of conflicting information about the entire affair.

But, yes, the bottom line is that no one wants him. He's a KHL scrub now. And a traitor.

No point in wasting time discussing him.

 

[ozo]

His Russian citizenship shouldn't affect his eligibility to represent Latvia.

It absolutely does affect it, as in order to pick up Russian passport he must rescind his Latvian one and that subesquently makes him ineligible to play for us.

But funnily enough he has gained nothing (positive) by this move, as he didn't play a single game for a Russian based KHL team. Good riddance.

 

[Krispy]

Press F to pay respects to Bartulis

 

[Namejs]

Balcers is now available
Same for Jevpalovs, who went on a neat little scoring run during the last couple of games
Blueger is trailing 0:3

Now if only Elvis got back in time.

 

[Namejs]

Our lineup vs. France

E. Kulda - Bičevskis - Jeļisejevs
Krastenbergs - A. Ozoliņš - Dzierkals
Ģēģeris - Batņa - Marenis
Biezais - Bērziņš - Skvorcovs

Kulda - Balinskis
Rēdlihs - Jansons
Zeile - Ševčenko
Mamčics - Kārkls

Gudļevskis

So this basically looks like our B/C team. It's not exactly clear to me why are we playing with this sort of lineup.

None of the top line players are going to be a part of the top 9 come May. What's the point of taking a look at midgets like Bicevskis with plenty of PP time if the only way they're getting into the final roster is by being 4th line grinder types?

There's no more than 6-7 skaters here who will crack the roster. Other than giving some playing time to Kulda, Balinskis, Redlihs, Dzierkals and getting some rust off, this is almost a pointless excercise.

 

[LKI]

What is the situation with Dārziņš?

 

[Namejs]

What is the situation with Dārziņš?

Darzins got burned a couple of years ago by the federation. Long story short, he got injured during the Worlds, but didn't get his settlement. He only received the payment this year. Which is why he's waiting until he's legit insured and all the papers are done before joining the camp.

To make matters more complicated, his contract with Dinamo Riga is over. He wants to stay in Riga. Dinamo Riga wants to sign him. BUT Dinamo Riga is financed by Kremlin oil and natural gas money. And the money arrives only before the start of every season. Most of the players are always in limbo. They're not sure about the size of their future contracts until the last moment. Which is why a lot of the leading ones are no longer there.

There's an added legal caveat that the insurance company most likely can't insure a player based on his previous contract. Because it holds no legal power anymore.

Basically, if the GM of Dinamo Riga doesn't extend Darzins' contract, his insurance comes under question (in terms of the size of the settlement in case of any injury). Considering Darzins is at the tail end of his career, he wants guarantees.

If Ankipans (the GM) doesn't extend his contract, Darzins is going to have to risk with his livelihood in order to join the team in Slovakia, which most likely won't happen.

Since Dinamo Riga is a completely artificially propped up Kremlin project with very little funding of their own, the likelihood of any financial guarantees right now is pretty limited. Russia has no interest in the Latvian national team.

So, unfortunately, it does look like he won't join the team UNLESS:
A) in case of a contract extension (<5%)
B) in case Darzins gets some sort of an extra insurance package from the federation using state or private funds of some LHF chairperson (20%)
C) In case he's just bluffing now, but will join the team anyway, risking injury with a crappy insurance (<5%)

Hope this clears things up

 

[LKI]

Oh well... I guess will have to just stay positive on Dārziņš to join.
----
I suspect Bļugers being RFA might be hesitant to join aswell. Am I right ?

 

[Namejs]

Blueger is not anywhere near retiring, he's younger, he's not a member of a joke of a franchise/club and he's played well enough not to be in doubt about his place in the NHL, unlike Girgensons.

So while that definitely is a factor here, he's likely to join. It is certainly possible that his agent thinks otherwise. We have no information about his intents. Since Blueger's father is an influential guy within the Latvian hockey federation, the chances of him joining the camp are even higher. I'd say 70/30 he joins.

We'll just have to wait and see until Pens lose the 4th time.

 

[ozo]

It's not exactly clear to me why are we playing with this sort of lineup.

None of the top line players are going to be a part of the top 9 come May. What's the point of taking a look at midgets like Bicevskis with plenty of PP time if the only way they're getting into the final roster is by being 4th line grinder types?

There's no more than 6-7 skaters here who will crack the roster. Other than giving some playing time to Kulda, Balinskis, Redlihs, Dzierkals and getting some rust off, this is almost a pointless excercise.

Been happenning for years now. We ice some really obscure players in first exhibition games, haven't paid attention to these games since it started to happen. Devalues playing for our national team in my opinion when everyone with a pair of skates gets to wear the jersey.

 

[Namejs]

Been happenning for years now. We ice some really obscure players in first exhibition games, haven't paid attention to these games since it started to happen. Devalues playing for our national team in my opinion when everyone with a pair of skates gets to wear the jersey.

I get your point, but that usually has to do with that second rate IIHF exhibition tournament or some other such thing. The point is to take a look at some younger prospect or someone from the domestic league.

After the games vs France, there's only going to be 4 games left. Even the NA teams have a couple exhibition games.

 

[GX]

Balcers and Blueger are joining in the upcoming weeks.

Additionally, Ronalds Kenins, Roberts Bukarts and Toms Andersons are also with the camp now.

 

[Namejs]

Looking real good now.

The only major concern is Merzlikins now. If he can make it in time vs. Switzerland, we have a decent shot at making the play-offs.

I have been hoping to see Darzins and Indrasis together with Blueger centering them for a couple of years now. Indrasis and Darzins developed NHL top 6 level chemistry between them while playing for Dinamo Riga and Blueger is this nifty, smooth-handed guy with a very high hockey IQ, who is able to adapt to anyone.

That could potentially be one of the most skilled and most dominant lines we've iced in decades. And when you add that second punch of Balcers - Abols - Kenins with their skill, energy, speed and effort. Deary me.

Seriously, if this team had Karsums, Girgensons (4C), Redlihs (4W), any single line would be able to compete against the top lines of all the big 6 teams.

We've always talked about how some day we will get that medal in the World Champs, and honestly it wouldn't be that big of a stretch with all our leading guys onboard.

 

[Nexon]

Looking real good now.

The only major concern is Merzlikins now. If he can make it in time vs. Switzerland, we have a decent shot at making the play-offs.

I have been hoping to see Darzins and Indrasis together with Blueger centering them for a couple of years now. Indrasis and Darzins developed NHL top 6 level chemistry between them while playing for Dinamo Riga and Blueger is this nifty, smooth-handed guy with a very high hockey IQ, who is able to adapt to anyone.

That could potentially be one of the most skilled and most dominant lines we've iced in decades. And when you add that second punch of Balcers - Abols - Kenins with their skill, energy, speed and effort. Deary me.

Seriously, if this team had Karsums, Girgensons (4C), Redlihs (4W), any single line would be able to compete against the top lines of all the big 6 teams.

We've always talked about how some day we will get that medal in the World Champs, and honestly it wouldn't be that big of a stretch with all our leading guys onboard.

Happy to see some positive feedback from you considering you were rather negative towards latvian rosters in past. I really hope you will be able to medal this year, I still find it rather unlikely though. Although I think you are able to beat Slovakia, Czech Republic and Finland based on rosters they are about to ice, It’s hard to see you beating USA, Sweden or Russia. Most important will be group stage results, if you somehow fare to 2nd place, anything can happen.

 

[Namejs]

Happy to see some positive feedback from you considering you were rather negative towards latvian rosters in past. I really hope you will be able to medal this year, I still find it rather unlikely though. Although I think you are able to beat Slovakia, Czech Republic and Finland based on rosters they are about to ice, It’s hard to see you beating USA, Sweden or Russia. Most important will be group stage results, if you somehow fare to 2nd place, anything can happen.

I have no idea what negative feedback you're referring to.

We've had so many close games (including wins) vs. USA and Sweden even with worse lineups, I'm not quite sure what to say.

It's Canada and Russia that are very hard to beat for us. If it's any other team, an upset in the QFs is certainly possible. Unlikely, but possible.