C Rodzers Bukarts - GCK Lions U20, U20-Elit (2023 Draft)

[MMC]

Latvian center listed as a notable prospect on EP for 2023, can someone tell me more about him and where he might get selected?

Rodzers Bukarts at eliteprospects.com

Eliteprospects.com hockey player profile of Rodzers Bukarts, 2004-10-05 Jurmala, LAT Latvia. Most recently in the WHL with Wenatchee Wild. Complete player biography and stats.

www.eliteprospects.com

Click to read more...

 

[Vikz]

His older brothers Roberts and Rihards are both notable Latvian NT players, who never got any NA scout attention and went undrafted. Swiss junior league does not constatnly supply NHL draft with prospects, so, as per usual with Latvians, most will depend on his performances in WJC. Latvia has both U18 and U20 teams in top tier, so he has a chance to impress. If he underperforms or misses the tournaments, he will follow his brothers path.

 

[SoundAndFury]

His older brothers Roberts and Rihards are both notable Latvian NT players, who never got any NA scout attention and went undrafted.

Bit of an offtopic but that's not true at all, everyone and their mom in the scouting community knew Rihards since he was 15, became the youngest player to score a goal in the MHL and had a very impressive D-2 season in general. Pretty much everyone considered him to be in the top-50 prospect in his draft class at the time. Undoubtedly he was scouted HEAVILY which is probably why scouts got it right in his case as someone who is a waste of a draft pick.

He was undrafted because scouts deemed him unworthy of a pick and his career proved them right. Which is a very different picture than the one you are painting.

 

[Vikz]

Which is a very different picture than the one you are painting.

I oversimplified that statement in order for it to fit the narative of both brothers and not describe each of their carreers separately. I very well remember the hype around Rihards. I still think rather highly of him, much higher than of his older brother. He lacks consistency, but can be usefull on short distances, like in the NT tournaments.

If Rodzers will grow out to be at least on his level, thats OK for me. But right now, I dont think he's an NHL prospect.

 

[SoundAndFury]

If Rodzers will grow out to be at least on his level, thats OK for me. But right now, I dont think he's an NHL prospect.

No argument here, I think EP only listed him as "notable" thanks to his surname much as you explained.