C Olivers Murnieks - Sioux City Musketeers, USHL (2026 Draft)

[GermanSpitfire]

Olivers Murnieks - Stats, Contract, Salary & More

Eliteprospects.com hockey player profile of Olivers Murnieks, 2008-07-31 Riga, LAT Latvia. Most recently in the USHL with Sioux City Musketeers. Complete player biography and stats.

www.eliteprospects.com

In my opinion, he is one of the more talented players to come out of Latvia in a while. He is the brother of Daniels Murnieks who plays for St.Could of the NAHL.

Olivers isn‘t the most fleet of foot, he gets where he is going of course but he’ll need to see some more improvemnt in this area going forward. But what he lacks in pace, he makes up for in smarts. He is consistley anticipating and making good plays with where he puts himself on the ice, he also has a two way game at his age, something you don’t really see from kids that young. All in all 2026 could be a good year for Latvia.

Either way exited to track his development moving forward.

Click to read more...

 

[Vikz]

Latvians rarely hype up young players. Partly because rarely someone stands out so much to deserve the hype, partly because Latvians mostly are interested in their National team and dont care about someone who is still years away from it.
However, with Murnieks, I see interest that didnt exist even in relation to Girgensons or Ri. Bukarts. Not when they were 15, at least. Sports portals write about him, his coach was interviewed about him, hockey federation put up a story about him.
5 points in 3 games in Latvian top league is certainly standing out. All of Abols, Dzierkals, Locmelis and Ri. Bukarts played junior hockey when they were 15. He played those games on one of the stronger teams in the league and centered a line with former KHLer and NT player Gints Meija. So, here is the eternal question - is he good because he plays with good teammates, or does he play with good teammates because he is good?
Either way, I never looked forward to a draft that is still 3 years away. Coach cautiously compared him to Locmelis, and while Locmelis certainly exceeds expectations and was fantastic in the WC for a 19 year old, I sure hope that the coach just does not want to overpraise the young kid, and that I will finally see a Latvian sure thing star, and not a "maybe in few years" good player.

 

[LeProspector]

Recently Ranked as a notable prospect by Elite Prospects for 2026, genuinely thought there was no way he had a thread because he’s Latvian.

How the hell do you find Prospects like this @GermanSpitfire ? Like who the hell watches Latvian juniors and is able to identify a talent like this?

 

[GermanSpitfire]

Recently Ranked as a notable prospect by Elite Prospects for 2026, genuinely thought there was no way he had a thread because he’s Latvian.

How the hell do you find Prospects like this @GermanSpitfire ? Like who the hell watches Latvian juniors and is able to identify a talent like this?

All about precedent. Any time a 14 year old kid is playing, let alone producing against men in any league is note worthy.


Also he was playing 1st line minutes for a recent tournemt game against Norway when the majority of his teammates are ‘06’s.

 

[Namejs]

He just scored his first goal in the Latvian league for HK Mogo.

A few words about the level of play in the Latvian league. I have done extensive analysis based on cross-league comparisons using point equivalency (a similar concept to NHLe), which makes it possible to make data-based and bias-free estimates on player production.

The average level is pretty low and the closest league in North America would be NAHL, which is slightly worse than the Latvian league.

There is a major difference between the teams, though. The top 3-4 teams are significantly better. One of the HK Mogo rivals - Zemgale - recently beat one of the leading French teams Grenoble. Half of the Grenoble roster has AHL/KHL/SHL or NHL experience.

Zemgale also recently competed in the Finnish Mestis league, spending the entire 22/23 season and being relatively competitive. I.e., the top teams are closer to lower-tier Mestis than NAHL.

There are a bunch of NAHL alumni in the NHL and if we look at the forwards, most of them weren't scoring close to PPG at the age of 17.

In short, if you are using stats as a tool for gauging talent, imagine he's playing in a slightly more competitive NAHL.

What, obviously, doesn't quite translate in numbers is the difference in size of the players, he's playing against grown men.

 

[Namejs]

Another goal against Kurbads and a lot of activity from the 15-year-old, including a nifty 1 vs. 2 breakaway deking out the opposing defencemen and sliding the puck through the legs and making a wrist shot.

He's a gangly kid who needs to fill up his frame, but the skillset is very visible and he stands out at this level.

I truly hope he moves on to major junior hockey next season. He's going to stall his progress if he remains in Latvia for another year.

 

[zero100scout]

Recently clipped both of Mūrnieks' goals in the Latvian league, if anyone's interested in that.

1st goal vs Vilnius Hockey Punks (49:17, 5-2)

✂️ Olivers Murnieks 1st OpHL Goal

24 seconds · Clipped by Tomass Rozenlauks · Original video "Optibet Hokeja Līga: HK Mogo/LSPA - 7Bet-Hockey Punks. Spēles labākie momenti (23.11.2023)" by Op...

www.youtube.com

2nd goal vs HK Kurbads (44:17, 2-2)

✂️ Olivers Murnieks 2nd OpHL Goal

19 seconds · Clipped by Tomass Rozenlauks · Original video "Optibet Hokeja Līga: HK Kurbads - HK Mogo/LSPA. Spēles labākie momenti (02.12.2023)" by Optibet H...

www.youtube.com

Hoping to see him play at a higher level soon, has been a joy to watch him play.

 

[Namejs]

Murnieks with a 3 point game for Mogo, and the kid's been picking up pace recently.

He's been invited to the Latvian U18 national team training camp, being the only '08 player amongst the 37 invitees.

Next viewing: 20/12

If he manages to score at a ppg pace or higher in the Latvian league, he will become the 1st U16 Latvian to do that in 23 years.The last one was Lauris Darzins aka the guy who scored against Canada in Sochi.

 

[Vikz]

The last one was Lauris Darzins aka the guy who scored against Canada in Sochi.

Sure hope that he gets a better carreer than Darzins. Dont get me wrong, Lauris is a near-legendary figure in Latvian hockey, who is responsible for almost every success story of our national team in the last 15 years. However, his club carreer was lackluster. And I want a star. Our own Zuccarello, our own Kopitar, or Vanek. Sure, these guys did not help their countries very much - our depth turns out better than their star power. Especially when the star does not arrive.
But damn, would be nice to wake up to news that our guy scored a goal in the best league in the world more often than once a month.

 

[Namejs]

Sure hope that he gets a better carreer than Darzins. Dont get me wrong, Lauris is a near-legendary figure in Latvian hockey, who is responsible for almost every success story of our national team in the last 15 years. However, his club carreer was lackluster. And I want a star. Our own Zuccarello, our own Kopitar, or Vanek. Sure, these guys did not help their countries very much - our depth turns out better than their star power. Especially when the star does not arrive.
But damn, would be nice to wake up to news that our guy scored a goal in the best league in the world more often than once a month.

Oh, I feel your pain, buddy, but I am a man of fact and science.

It is very hard to gauge a 15 year old's talent level. The margin of error here is huge. The U18 World Juniors is going to be very important in this respect. If he actually makes the team, that is going to be a major achievement on its own.

Guys like Hischier or Svechnikov and Bedard or McDavid also made the team as U16s.

Bedard and McDavid scored at a 2 ppg rate there.
Hischier, Svechnikov, Malgin racked up as low as 1 up to 4 points in 5 games as 15 year olds.

If Murnieks can score at a near-ppg rate at the U18s, now that is going to give a very good reason to consider him a top prospect with a very good shot at becoming the highest drafted Latvian ever.

If he does not make the team or only gets 1 or 2 points, we will have to wait and see another year before getting our hopes up.

 

[Vikz]

If Murnieks can score at a near-ppg rate at the U18s, now that is going to give a very good reason to consider him a top prospect with a very good shot at becoming the highest drafted Latvian ever.

If he does not make the team or only gets 1 or 2 points, we will have to wait and see another year before getting our hopes up.

You got to take in to account that we are Latvia, not Canada or Russia. Our best guys usually have 2-3 points in 5 games. Bedard would not have had 2 ppg on this team. Asking Murnieks at 15 to outscore guys like Locmelis or Vilmanis in their draft year is a bit too much, even if he turns out a star in the future. Simply because the team scores no more than 6-7 goals per tournament.

 

[Namejs]

You got to take in to account that we are Latvia, not Canada or Russia. Our best guys usually have 2-3 points in 5 games. Bedard would not have had 2 ppg on this team. Asking Murnieks at 15 to outscore guys like Locmelis or Vilmanis in their draft year is a bit too much, even if he turns out a star in the future. Simply because the team scores no more than 6-7 goals per tournament.

I'm talking about the U18 Worlds. At that level, individual skill goes a long way. Our leading players usually have 3 points in 4 games.

If he is a generational talent, he should score at that rate at the age of 15, yes.

 

[MikeyS]

I read he has 27 goals in 4 games at the youth Olympics, could this kid challenge for the top spot in 2026?

 

[Namejs]

I read he has 27 goals in 4 games at the youth Olympics, could this kid challenge for the top spot in 2026?

I mean, you have to take into account the level of opposition there as well. Half of the games have to be simply discarded, Taiwan and Spain, etc., are useless.

But he did score 11 goals in the 3 games against competitive teams - Austria, Denmark and Kazakhstan, which are mostly DivIA tier making the Elite U18s and the WJC from time to time.

And then you have to take into account that the rate of scoring was about twice as high too due to it being a 3 on 3 tournament.

So in an actual 5 on 5 it would be more like 4 points per game. Which is still hugely impressive, but not as mind blowingly ridiculous as the numbers would indicate.

I am eagerly waiting for the U18 Worlds later this year to see how he stacks up against actual opposition and other leading hockey players, which are probably all going to be older than him. And that's going to be the first real lithmus test.

But he can definitely be a top 10 pick in the 2026 draft.

 

[Namejs]

2 goals in the Youth Olympics (U16) final against Denmark and 34 goals total in the tournament, leading Latvia to a gold medal.

 

[LeProspector]

34 goals? Holy crap. Like yeah it was 3on3 but that is still crazy.

 

[Kalv]

Great size (length) already and unseen production already in the Latvian league. I'm not sure much stock should be put in 3v3 tournament, albeit would be interesting to see who's the next best producer.

Additionally, interesting that he'll be just a half month of bein ineligible for 2026 draft, but for 2027 instead.

 

[Namejs]

Great size (length) already and unseen production already in the Latvian league. I'm not sure much stock should be put in 3v3 tournament, albeit would be interesting to see who's the next best producer.

Additionally, interesting that he'll be just a half month of bein ineligible for 2026 draft, but for 2027 instead.

Yup, he's obviously still lanky, but good size and reach and using his body well.

The next best producer was his linemate Martins Klaucans with 9 goals fewer, and who apparently has an agent named Paul Theofanus. Not exactly sure how the Finnish U16 SM-Liiga is organized, but he led one of the divisions in points last season. So not too shabby either.

 

[ddlennon]

Yup, he's obviously still lanky, but good size and reach and using his body well.

The next best producer was his linemate Martins Klaucans with 9 goals fewer, and who apparently has an agent named Paul Theofanus. Not exactly sure how the Finnish U16 SM-Liiga is organized, but he led one of the divisions in points last season. So not too shabby either.

He played the southern finnish U15 division and indeed led the whole league in points with his linemates R Rutkis and 09 Malisevs close behind.The HS Riga team is playing in U16 sm liiga this year and the 06 team plays the lower bracket of U18 league

 

[Vikz]

Murnieks not invited to the U18 tournament in Denmark. Does this mean Sorokins does not consider him for the U18 WC this year? Not sure how experimental is this roster. Our main draft candidate Uljanskis also misses this Danish tourney, so there is surely room for chahnges. However, not sure if Murnieks is as safe for his spot as Uljanskis is. If you plan to take a 15 year old with you, you would have used every oportunity to test him prior, no?

 

[SoundAndFury]

Does this mean Sorokins does not consider him for the U18 WC this year? Not sure how experimental is this roster.

Many younger kids who you'd think deserve a look: Osmanis, Flugins namely, are also absent so they were either cut for good (seems unlikely) or simply didn't fit whatever evaluation criteria they were going for at this point. I wouldn't lose all hope quite yet.

If I had to take a guess I'd say they want to give older kids a chance to showcase themselves first and then leave younger kids an opportunity to push them out.

 

[Namejs]

There's an U16 tournament taking place simultaneously.

Both coaches probably wanted him, not sure who and why made the decision.

I think Murnieks clearly makes the U18 Worlds.

 

[LeProspector]

There's an U16 tournament taking place simultaneously.

Both coaches probably wanted him, not sure who and why made the decision.

I think Murnieks clearly makes the U18 Worlds.

If he’s as talented as we think, no reason for him to play U16. Would be an odd decision on their part.

 

[Namejs]

If he’s as talented as we think, no reason for him to play U16. Would be an odd decision on their part.

Several of the forwards included in the U18 roster are demonstratively worse than Murnieks and it's not even arguable in any way.

Once you take that into account, there are 2 options. Either the coaching staff is grossly incompetent, which is highly unlikely, or there is some reasoning to it, odd or not.

The U16s are facing Switzerland and Slovakia - teams that are a tier better than the U18 oppo. That might be a part of the reasoning. I'm not sure.

Since I do trust the coaching staff, I have no doubt Murnieks makes the U18 Worlds.

 

[Namejs]

2 points in 2 games in the U18 WJC so far. Great skater, great speed, great hands.