Photo: Markéta Křížová
A year ago they were on top of the world. Tens of thousands of fans filled the square in Riga, the parliament even voted for a public holiday the day after winning the historic bronze medal. In short, Latvian hockey players rewrote history on May 28, 2023.
The story of the party from the Baltic state of less than two million people excited the hockey community. Thanks to heroic battles with Sweden and the United States, Latvia got their hands on the precious metal of the World Cup for the first time ever.
The question is clear – can the fairy tale repeat itself? You probably wouldn’t pry a positive answer out of even the most ardent optimist at this point. After all, the overseas giants or Sweden, Finland, Switzerland or the Czech Republic are standing in line for a medal.
Last spring, however, the Latvians put their stamp on the fact that with the right constellation, nothing is impossible. At the same time, he must pour himself pure wine. Repeating the bronze party may seem like a superhuman task. But why not dream while remembering…
The squad remains essentially the same, health problems will not allow only last year’s hero Kristians Rubins, offensive ace Rudolfs Balcers and cabin stopper Andris Džerinš to Ostrava. Key? The primary competitors in the race for the quarter-finals should be Slovakia and Germany.
Hokej.cz tip for the final position: 9th place
The personality of the team – Kaspars Daugavins
The heart of a Latvian native. The bearded gladiator is aiming for his twelfth championship, having completed the Olympic Games three times with the national team. Take poison for the fact that he makes sure that everyone works hard for the other. Daugavinš combines all the qualities of an exemplary leader and maintains a stable form. Naturally, the captain’s badge will be sewn on his jersey, just like at the end of the club season in Michalovce, Slovakia.
Kaspars Daugavinš | Photo: Markéta Křížová
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Goalkeepers: Latvia will also draw a quality goaltender from the seasoned NHL.
Elvis Merzlikins
goalkeeper, 30 years old
” href=”https://www.hokej.cz/hrac/elvis-merzlikins/15836″>Elvis Merzlikins is a guarantee that no one will look for a weakness in the goal area. He conquered the number one spot in Columbus a long time ago, in the best league in the world soon He will cross the threshold of two hundred starts
Kristers Gudlevskis
goalkeeper, 31 years old
” href=”https://www.hokej.cz/hrac/kristers-gudlevskis/6968165″>Kristers Gudlevskis, the freshly silver support of the German Bremerhaven. He also peeked into the NHL years ago, wearing the colors of Tampa Bay three times for a sharp contest. Later he alternated stints in the KHL, Sweden or Slovakia.The 22-year-old Eriks Vitols, the new reinforcement of the Finnish Jyväskyla, will absorb the odor of the championship behind them.
Defenders: Let’s just count together… One, two, three, four, five, six. The hockey register of most Latvian defenders includes anabasis in the Czech Extraliga. Of these, three completed the past year in domestic stadiums. Litvínovský will manage the compact set offensively
Janis Jaks
defender, 28 years old
” href=”https://www.hokej.cz/hrac/janis-jaks/10083186″>Janis Jaks. When he feels like it, he draws one dangerous action after another. But sometimes his lax approach towards the back irritates. Clubmate
Kristaps Zila
defender, 26 years old
” href=”https://www.hokej.cz/hrac/kristaps-zile/5607414″>Kristaps Zile, on the other hand, unashamedly falls into every shot, seals key areas, delivers a few hard hits. What is it like to be part of the winning Třinec dynasty tested honest for a year
Karlis Čukste
defender, 26 years old
” href=”https://www.hokej.cz/hrac/karlis-cukste/5607413″>Karlis Čukste, the exzlín giant unleashed his offensive appetites in Slovakia
Roberts Mamcics
defender, 29 years old
” href=”https://www.hokej.cz/hrac/roberts-mamcics/10099590″>Robert Mamčics. Only two thirty-year-olds in the rear suggest that Latvia does not have to worry about the future of the national defense for a few more years. Maybe one of the final of enterprises is viewed by its oldest article
Oskars Cibulskis
defender, 36 years old
” href=”https://www.hokej.cz/hrac/oskars-cibulskis/24381″>Oskars Cibulskis (36), will try to sell his overseas knowledge in the national team to Markuss Komuls and
Arvils Bergmanis
defender, 24 years old
” href=”https://www.hokej.cz/hrac/arvils-bergmanis/10100871″>Arvils Bergmanis. Both are just entering their best hockey years.
Attackers: The forced stoppage for Balcers is a pity, but… The offensive line does not consist of any guesses. About the captain
Kaspars Daugavins
attacker, 35 years old
” href=”https://www.hokej.cz/hrac/kaspars-daugavins/317006″>Daugavins has already been talked about, so who’s next? Here too, a piece of the offensive production will depend on the legionnaires from the Czech Republic. Such
Richard Bukarts
attacker, 28 years old
” href=”https://www.hokej.cz/hrac/rihards-bukarts/15827″>Rihards Bukarts took an excellent fourth place in the WC productivity rankings last year, accumulating a total of 11 points (3+8). Now, next to his brother
Roberts Buckarts
attacker, 33 years old
” href=”https://www.hokej.cz/hrac/roberts-bukarts/5919098″>Roberts is eager to rekindle his appetite after a lackluster year at the club level. When he finds himself on the circle with his hockey stick
Eduards Tralmaks
attacker, 27 years old
” href=”https://www.hokej.cz/hrac/eduards-tralmaks/5607427″>Eduards Tralmaks, so the goalkeepers should sound the alarm immediately. In the shirt of desperate Kladno, he patiently added more and more cuts, finally the Latvian bomber scored 21. He set the pace of more than one point per game in the second highest Swedish competition
Miks Indrašis
attacker, 33 years old
” href=”https://www.hokej.cz/hrac/miks-indrasis/24431″>Miks Indrasis. We must not forget
Rodrigo Abols
attacker
” href=”https://www.hokej.cz/hrac/rodrigo-abols/6029196″>Rodrigo Abols, who alternates a prestigious engagement in Sweden and as a national team striker already held the post of captain. He switched to a defensive role after the transfer to the north
Martins Dzierkals
attacker, 27 years old
” href=”https://www.hokej.cz/hrac/martins-dzierkals/5607419″>Martinš Dzierkals has expanded his collection of trophies with a Swedish title. The season of his life in Finnish Jukurit is absorbed by the tank in the slot
Oskars Batna
attacker, 29 years old
” href=”https://www.hokej.cz/hrac/oskars-batna/10085771″>Oskars Batna. His performances are surely being closely watched by his new employer in Hradec Králové. A great future has been predicted for the talented
Dans Ločmelis
attacker, 20 years old
” href=”https://www.hokej.cz/hrac/dans-locmelis/10098652″>To Dans Ločmelis. Raivis Ansons is also developing overseas, then in addition to Tralmaks and Ansons, Haralds Egle, Feliks Gavars and Martins will make their WC debut Avalanches.
Other: It’s hard to say whether Latvia will ride the bronze waves again. In the preparation, it went from a surprising defeat to Norway after extra time to an eight-goal concert with the same opponent. However, both Finland and Switzerland faced only considerable difficulties. In the past, reaching the quarterfinals was considered a success. And as we mentioned above – for something more glittery to come out of it, many, many, many circumstances would have to come together.
Roster
Goalkeepers:
Elvis Merzlikins (Columbus Blue Jackets, NHL), Kristers Gudlevskis (Fishtown Penguins, GER), Eriks Vitols (KeuPa HT, FIN2).
Defenders:
Janis Jaks, Kristaps Zila (both HC VERVA Litvínov, CZE), Arvils Bergmanis (Univ. of Alaska-Fairbanks, NCAA)Oskars Cibulskis (Herning Blue Fox, DAY), Karlis Čukste (Brynäs IF, SWE2), Ralfs Freibergs (Mountfield HK, CZE), Markus Komuls (Trois-Rivières Lions, ECHL), Roberts Mamcics (HC Nové Zámky, SVK).
Attackers:
Richard Bukarts, Roberts Buckarts (both HC VÍTKOVICE RIDERA, CZE), Rodrigo Abols (Rögle BK, SWE), Raivis Ansons (Wickles-Barre/Scranton Penguins, AHL), Oskars Batna (Mikkelin Jukurit, FIN), Kaspars Daugavins (HC Dukla Michalovce, SVK), Martin Dzierkals (Skelleftea AIK, SWE), Haralds Egle (HK 32 Liptovský Mikuláš, SVK), Felix Gavars (St. Lawrence University, NCAA), Miks Indrašis (Brynäs IF, SWE.), Renars Krastenbergs (Graz99ers, ICEHL), Martins Lavinš (University of New Hampshire, NCAA), Dans Ločmelis (University of Massachusetts, NCAA), Eduards Tralmaks (Knights of Kladno, CZE).
Photo: Markéta Křížová
Who to follow?
Elvis Merzlikins
goalkeeper, 30 years old
” href=”https://www.hokej.cz/hrac/elvis-merzlikins/15836″>Elvis Merzlikins
The rise of the Baltic goalkeeping school. Merzlikins raises the team to another level, even in weak Columbus, he is able to steal a game from time to time. A certain parallel is offered here – even Latvia will not open the series as a paper favorite. The coaching staff believes that he will shine similarly to the years 2017 and 2018, when he shot up to a fantastic 94% success rate.
Secret trump card –
Eduards Tralmaks
attacker, 27 years old
” href=”https://www.hokej.cz/hrac/eduards-tralmaks/5607427″>Eduards Tralmaks
Due to his previous work overseas, he collected only a few national team starts. But now? Tralmaks can finally unpack it properly. Feel free to bet on the fact that he will turn the light behind the goal red a few times… At the same time, he is not a pure power forward, his skillful hands combined with good overview can easily create chances for others.
Talent –
Dans Ločmelis
attacker, 20 years old
” href=”https://www.hokej.cz/hrac/dans-locmelis/10098652″>Dans Ločmelis
In the creative center, Latvia is maturing as a possible leader for the future generation. Ločmelis came up short of a sensational bronze last year, then headed to college for the NCAA. Across the sea, the scouts of Boston have their eyes on him, who grabbed his rights in the fourth round of the draft two years ago. During training, the coaches even tested him as a numero uno center forward.
Noticeable absence –
Zemgus Girgensons
attacker, 30 years old
” href=”https://www.hokej.cz/hrac/zemgus-girgensons/53769″>Zemgus Girgensons
Sorry, I won’t come. Definitely not without an NHL contract. The overseas stage played by the combative two-way center is coming to an end, in the talent-filled Buffalo, others are rushing to the floor. Instead of toiling on the national team, the Girgensons will spend the spring tinkering with prospects. General manager Rudolfs Kalvitis confirmed his position in April.
Coach – Harijs Vitolinš
As a player, he made it to eight games in the NHL, built a decent name in Switzerland and represented international companies as a captain for years. After that, Vitolinš smoothly started coaching – he has been working with the national team for almost twenty years. In addition, he worked as an assistant and head coach in the KHL for a long time.
Harijs Vitolinš | Photo: X LV Hockey Federation
Previous placement at the WC
2023 – 3rd place
2022 – 10th place
2021 – 11th place
2019 – 10th place
2018 – 8th place
2017 – 10th place
2016 – 13th place
2015 – 13th place
2014 – 11th place
2013 – 11th place
Schedule of matches at the World Cup
May 11: Latvia – Poland
May 12: Latvia – France
May 14: Latvia – Kazakhstan
15 th May: Latvia – Germany
May 18: Latvia – Sweden
May 19: Latvia – Slovakia
May 21st: Latvia – USA
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