WJC: 2025 Team Latvia Roster Talk

[Namejs]

2025 is a pretty good year for the Latvian juniors.

The main issue for this WJC roster and the coaches is going to be the fact that a number of key players at key positions are double or triple underagers, as the 07 and 08 generation is extremely talented.

Latvian coaches tend to be conservative and very averse to taking risks. Guys like Murnieks, Berzkalns, Serkins should be centering our top lines, but I'm not sure if all of them will even crack the lineup purely due to seniority and them being 16 or 17.

In short, a very young and talented team that should stay up.

Personally, I am waiting for the U18 Worlds even more, as I believe that we could go on a medal run there

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[Eye of Ra]

2025 is a pretty good year for the Latvian juniors.

The main issue for this WJC roster and the coaches is going to be the fact that a number of key players at key positions are double or triple underagers, as the 07 and 08 generation is extremely talented.

Latvian coaches tend to be conservative and very averse to taking risks. Guys like Murnieks, Berzkalns, Serkins should be centering our top lines, but I'm not sure if all of them will even cr

Personally, I am waiting for the U18 Worlds even more, as I believe that we could go on a medal run there

Medal? Slow down buddy

 

[Namejs]

Medal? Slow down buddy

The Latvian Locomotive ain't stopping, baby.

I don't want to derail (pun intended) the WJC thread with U18 talk too much, but we are facing Slovakia, Norway and Finland in our group, so a top 2 finish is realistic and 3rd place is likely. If we're lucky, that means facing Czechia or even Switzerland in the quarters.

 

[kudla]

The Latvian Locomotive ain't stopping, baby.

I don't want to derail (pun intended) the WJC thread with U18 talk too much, but we are facing Slovakia, Norway and Finland in our group, so a top 2 finish is realistic and 3rd place is likely. If we're lucky, that means facing Czechia or even Switzerland in the quarters.

Yeah, I am not sure if facing Czechia is "lucky" for either Latvia or Slovakia. The way groups are shaped, I am afraid it is over. Good thing is that Latvia will at least get to play opponents on their level and actually prove that they can be better than them and get some points.

 

[Pan]

the 07 and 08 generation is extremely talented.

Could you elaborate on that? I see two 2025 draft eligible players and three players for 2026 on EP draft center. None of them are marked as top prospects. Not that it's something different from previous years.

 

[Namejs]

Yeah, I am not sure if facing Czechia is "lucky" for either Latvia or Slovakia. The way groups are shaped, I am afraid it is over. Good thing is that Latvia will at least get to play opponents on their level and actually prove that they can be better than them and get some points.

Yeah, it's going to be an exciting round robin. Obviously, the QF matchups can go either way, you can get lucky or unlucky, but the point remains - they can make the semis.