Incredible history between Slovakia and Latvia on WCH

[alko]

Slovakia has many negative outcomes from games vs Top 6 ice hockey countries. With Germany and Swiss it isnt so bad. But there is one rival, where is the history unbelievable bad: LATVIA

1. 10.5.1997, Slovakia - Latvia 4 : 5
2. 9.5.2013, Slovakia - Latvia 3 : 5
3. 7.5.2017, Slovakia - Latvia 1 : 3
4. 13.5.2023, Slovakia - Latvia 2 : 1
5. 19.5.2024, Slovakia - Latvia 2 : 3 pn
6. 18.5.2025, Slovakia - Latvia 1 : 5

Only 1 win in 6 games is something, we dont want to see. At first, low number of games is really surprising too, but the results are above that.
Why is that?

 

[Dofs]

Funnily, the year we lost to Slovakia is the year we got bronze.

 

[Elvs]

Slovakia is missing more key players than Latvia, pretty much every year. And especially this year. Latvia had a stronger team on paper and won as expected, I'd say.

 

[Namejs]

It's actually 10 GP
4 W
1 OTL
5 L if you're Slovakia.

The strangest thing about this is a Slovakian making a thread about it.

Good morning and smell the coffee. Latvia is likely going to overtake Slovakia in IIHF World Rankings, they're probably going to have more NHLers next season as well.

These are 2 very similar national teams in terms of talent.

It makes perfect sense unless you have some false sense of superiority due to things that happened when most players on the current team either were not born yet or were still pissing their pants.

 

[Namejs]

Slovakia is missing more key players than Latvia, pretty much every year. And especially this year. Latvia had a stronger team on paper and won as expected, I'd say.

This year it holds true, but overall not quite. We have played with our 1A/B roster multiple times.

We are missing 5 NHLers and several key Euro players as well, by the way.

Also, the mismanagement of the Slovakian federation, their in-fighting, people refusing to play, etc., is a root cause of their long-term downturn. It's not due to injuries or being unlucky in some way, it's a self-inflicted wound and the consequences are real and permanent. So I don't think it makes any sense to simply write it off.

 

[Eye of Ra]

@Namejs welcome back. The whole forum wonders why you always disappear when Latvia plays bad? Please dont leave again. Hfboards are better with you.

 

[Namejs]

@Namejs welcome back. The whole forum wonders why you always disappear when Latvia plays bad? Please dont leave again. Hfboards are better with you.

Buddy, I was living in a forest and did not see the games. Hockey is only one of my 2 passions. But thank you.

 

[Eye of Ra]

Buddy, I was living in a forest and did not see the games. Hockey is only one of my 2 passions. But thank you.

Ah i see. But this is not the first time you disappear. The other passion is slovak hate? Good luck against Austria!

 

[Elvs]

It's actually 10 GP
4 W
1 OTL
5 L if you're Slovakia.

The strangest thing about this is a Slovakian making a thread about it.

Good morning and smell the coffee. Latvia is likely going to overtake Slovakia in IIHF World Rankings, they're probably going to have more NHLers next season as well.

These are 2 very similar national teams in terms of talent.

It makes perfect sense unless you have some false sense of superiority due to things that happened when most players on the current team either were not born yet or were still pissing their pants.

Last ten drafts:

Latvia: 14 players drafted (0 players in the 1st round, 0 players in the 2nd round)
Slovakia: 32 players drafted (5 players in the 1st round, 6 players in the 2nd round)

Sorry, I love Latvia and always cheer your team on, but you are still not overtaking Slovakia anytime soon in a best on best ranking.

Slovakia has obviously fallen a far way from glory. No one's denying that. But even at it's current state Slafkovsky is clearly ahead of any forward Latvia has in the NHL. A strong case could be made for Pospisil being better than Girgensons, Blueger and Abols as well. And on defense Cernak and Fehervary are clearly ahead of Balinskis and Nemec should join that group as well once he establishes himself.

Latvia has the edge in net with Merzlikins and that's about it. Yes, things are close enough right now that Latvia can beat Slovakia in a best on best tournament. But Slovakia would still be favourites, and even more so in a few years as Slovakia continues to generate 1st and 2nd round draft picks.

 

[Namejs]

Ah i see. But this is not the first time you disappear. The other passion is slovak hate? Good luck against Austria!

That is correct. I don't hate Slovaks at all. It's rather my frank, to-the-point, matter-of-fact commentary that has rustled their feathers and caused them to hate me due to their internal cognitive dissonance.

I've always tried being objective and fact-based in my posts. It doesn't mean that I can't be wrong, but it does mean I have no ill intentions towards them.

My other passion is hunting people.

 

[kudla]

Well, for the sake of these statistics, Slovakia has also never lost in regulation time against Russia at the Olympic level and lost only once to Sweden - I think together it is like 6-7 matches.

Oh yes, and then lost 2 times against Slovenia at the Olympics

 

[Namejs]

Last ten drafts:

Latvia: 14 players drafted (0 players in the 1st round, 0 players in the 2nd round)
Slovakia: 32 players drafted (5 players in the 1st round, 6 players in the 2nd round)

Sorry, I love Latvia and always cheer your team on, but you are still not overtaking Slovakia anytime soon in a best on best ranking.

Slovakia has obviously fallen a far way from glory. No one's denying that. But even at it's current state Slafkovsky is clearly ahead of any forward Latvia has in the NHL. A strong case could be made for Pospisil being better than Girgensons, Blueger and Abols as well. And on defense Cernak and Fehervary are clearly ahead of Balinskis and Nemec should join that group as well once he establishes himself.

Latvia has the edge in net with Merzlikins and that's about it. Yes, things are close enough right now that Latvia can beat Slovakia in a best on best tournament. But Slovakia would still be favourites, and even more so in a few years as Slovakia continues to generate 1st and 2nd round draft picks.

Slovaks themselves love to cite the number of draftees as an indicator, but how does that help us? Why compare teams in a roundabout way? Are the draftees playing? Or are they just an imaginary data point?

Why not look at the number of people with NHL contracts in 25/26 to count the draftees that actually amounted to something and are playing for the national team?

Latvia:
Merzlikins
Silovs

Balinskis

Blueger
Locmelis
Tralmaks
Abols
Girgensons
Mateiko
Vilmanis

Slovakia:
Hlavaj

Nemec
Knazko
Kmec
Cernak
Fehervary

Honzek
Sykora
Mesar
Dvorsky
Pospisil
Slafkovsky

10 vs. 12

Having a 1st round pick does not give you any dividends if the kid can't score in the NHL and scored below 0.50 ppg in AHL as a forward.

These types of players are no better than a top 6 guy in SHL.

Also, do look into upcoming Latvian prospects before making any comparisons. You're just making guesswork based on assumptions.

 

[Namejs]

Also, obviously, counting and comparing things has its limitations.

If Latvia had 32 NHL starting goalies, how would that help us? I could say, hey, we had 32 1st round picks and we have 32 NHLers, we're clearly the better team, right?

You have to zoom in and evaluate things in a more granular way.

What makes a team succesful is a combination of different things. Some of them do not even relate to individual skill level. Game philosophy, tactics, coaching, coachability, chemistry are all factors here. You need to have different types of role players available to you. If you're playing a physical game, what am I going to do with four 170 cm/75 kg dwarf rabbits? You need to have all the different pieces lined up correctly.

An overwhelming majority of Latvian players put their egos aside whenever it comes to the national team. They have a distinct game philosophy and no one avoids getting shots blocked with their bodies, etc. This allows us to employ our game plan efficiently, especially combined with our size and skating.

A team like Slovakia could never do that -- not because they're worse, but because they have an entirely different culture. And once egos are in play, and you have a dozen y forwards, there's only so many spots in the top 6 and the PP units available before someone starts ruining things. And suddenly there's beef with the coaching staff and someone refuses to suit up, etc.

These aren't quantitative things, but they are clearly affecting the level of play of each national team as a whole and as a single unit.

I don't think Slovakia has a lot of top end talent at all. Slafkovsky is really the only half-exception, but even Slovenia has a better player available. It doesn't really tip the scales.

 

[Elvs]

Slovaks themselves love to cite the number of draftees as an indicator, but how does that help us? Why compare teams in a roundabout way? Are the draftees playing? Or are they just an imaginary data point?

Why not look at the number of people with NHL contracts in 25/26 to count the draftees that actually amounted to something and are playing for the national team?

Latvia:
Merzlikins
Silovs

Balinskis

Blueger
Locmelis
Tralmaks
Abols
Girgensons
Mateiko
Vilmanis

Slovakia:
Hlavaj

Nemec
Knazko
Kmec
Cernak
Fehervary

Honzek
Sykora
Mesar
Dvorsky
Pospisil
Slafkovsky

10 vs. 12

Having a 1st round pick does not give you any dividends if the kid can't score in the NHL and scored below 0.50 ppg in AHL as a forward.

These types of players are no better than a top 6 guy in SHL.

Also, do look into upcoming Latvian prospects before making any comparisons. You're just making guesswork based on assumptions.

It's only in the last three years that Slovakia has had five 1st round picks and four 2nd round picks. Obviously they can't be expected to score in the NHL already. Or you tell us which guys you are ready to write off? Anyway, your list is missing Martin Chromiak, Jakub Demek, Martin Misiak and Juraj Pekarcik who have NHL contracts for next season. So your number of 12 should be 16. Maxim Strbak and Adam Gajan could sign their ELC's too this summer though I'm not sure what their NCAA statuses are.

 

[Namejs]

It's only in the last three years that Slovakia has had five 1st round picks and four 2nd round picks. Obviously they can't be expected to score in the NHL already. Or you tell us which guys you are ready to write off? Anyway, your list is missing Martin Chromiak, Jakub Demek, Martin Misiak and Juraj Pekarcik who have NHL contracts for next season. So your number of 12 should be 16. Maxim Strbak and Adam Gajan could sign their ELC's too this summer though I'm not sure what their NCAA statuses are.

I based this on eliteprospects.com. Chromiak does not have an NHL contract, he would have to sign a new one in the off-season first. Misiak and Pekarcik are juniors - my bad for not looking up CHL imports.

However, I don't think a 0.50 ppg guy in ECHL or a kid playing in Q would crack their roster. So, again, what does it tell us beyond the data points themselves if a kid has signed an ELC based on the hope he's going to contribute to the big team, but does not deliver? I would argue it makes that player meaningless to our conversation.

Having multiple top round picks is real nice - we have been through the systemic bias thing repeatedly and discussed this at great length regarding the limitations of that as a metric. At the end of the day, what matters is how many eventually become major pro players. And there's another big filter here of how many of them are ready to sacrifice themselves and their family time for the sake of the national team.

What's the point of having a player in NHL only for him to snub the national team every single time?

Both teams are very similar in terms of skill in that respect. Very similar here means that the closest team to Slovakia in terms of overall skill level is Latvia and vice versa. Slovakia does have a bit more of top end talent at this point and time, while Latvia has better goaltending and a better structured team overall.

 

[Elvs]

I based this on eliteprospects.com. Chromiak does not have an NHL contract, he would have to sign a new one in the off-season first. Misiak and Pekarcik are juniors - my bad for not looking up CHL imports.

However, I don't think a 0.50 ppg guy in ECHL or a kid playing in Q would crack their roster. So, again, what does it tell us beyond the data points themselves if a kid has signed an ELC based on the hope he's going to contribute to the big team, but does not deliver? I would argue it makes that player meaningless to our conversation.

Having multiple top round picks is real nice - we have been through the systemic bias thing repeatedly and discussed this at great length regarding the limitations of that as a metric. At the end of the day, what matters is how many eventually become major pro players. And there's another big filter here of how many of them are ready to sacrifice themselves and their family time for the sake of the national team.

What's the point of having a player in NHL only for him to snub the national team every single time?

Both teams are very similar in terms of skill in that respect. Very similar here means that the closest team to Slovakia in terms of overall skill level is Latvia and vice versa. Slovakia does have a bit more of top end talent at this point and time, while Latvia has better goaltending and a better structured team overall.

You are right, Chromiak does not have a contract currently for next season, my bad. Though he's a RFA and I'd be surprised if he wasn't tendered a QO.

And yes, you are right, the draft doesn't matter at the end of the day. What matters is what players amount to later on. However, the more darts you throw the more likely you are to land a couple in or near the middle.

Slovakia will most likely never reach their level of their early 2000's, but this current group of young players and prospects would have to flop hard to be worse than those who came before them... Tatar, Panik, Jurco, Dano, Marcinin...

And I do agree that showing up for your national team matters. So if you want to compare solely world championships, then yes, an argument could be made that Latvia is just as good as Slovakia in this tournament, or even better.

 

[Namejs]

You are right, Chromiak does not have a contract currently for next season, my bad. Though he's a RFA and I'd be surprised if he wasn't tendered a QO.

And yes, you are right, the draft doesn't matter at the end of the day. What matters is what players amount to later on. However, the more darts you throw the more likely you are to land a couple in or near the middle.

Slovakia will most likely never reach their level of their early 2000's, but this current group of young players and prospects would have to flop hard to be worse than those who came before them... Tatar, Panik, Jurco, Dano, Marcinin...

And I do agree that showing up for your national team matters. So if you want to compare solely world championships, then yes, an argument could be made that Latvia is just as good as Slovakia in this tournament, or even better.

I think that is not even arguable, the bookmaker odds even favored Latvia slightly right before the game.

I am hoping Latvia will take part in the Olympics and we will see a Latvia-Slovakia match up there as well.

My main point is that these are very similar teams. The trajectory of each can be debated at length.

The issue is that most Slovaks don't see themselves in the same tier/sub-tier as Latvia and are surprised enough about their head-to-head to create a separate thread about it.

I think that's absurd.

 

[Elvs]

I think that is not even arguable, the bookmaker odds even favored Latvia slightly right before the game.

I am hoping Latvia will take part in the Olympics and we will see a Latvia-Slovakia match up there as well.

My main point is that these are very similar teams. The trajectory of each can be debated at length.

The issue is that most Slovaks don't see themselves in the same tier/sub-tier as Latvia and are surprised enough about their head-to-head to create a separate thread about it.

I think that's absurd.

Obviously, if we are talking this world championship alone, then yes, Latvia was favourites. My point in my first post is, while Latvia is also missing players a few players, this roster should have many more Olympians than what's the case with the Slovak team.

And I do think it's fair to have them in the same tier at the moment, as Switzerland and Germany at this point in time have top end players that Slovakia or Latvia doesn't have. That could soon change if Switzerland and Germany doesn't start producing more players soon.

 

[Eye of Ra]

One thing we can all agree on is that Latvia is never gonna be as good as Slovakia was in the early and mid 00s and never have been. Even Namejs cant deny this.

Gaborik, Chara, Svehla, Visnovsky, Palffy, Bondra, Stumpel, Demitra and Satan himself. Etc.

 

[Eye of Ra]

I think that is not even arguable, the bookmaker odds even favored Latvia slightly right before the game.

I am hoping Latvia will take part in the Olympics and we will see a Latvia-Slovakia match up there as well.

My main point is that these are very similar teams. The trajectory of each can be debated at length.

The issue is that most Slovaks don't see themselves in the same tier/sub-tier as Latvia and are surprised enough about their head-to-head to create a separate thread about it.

I think that's absurd.

Hoping? Why would not Latvia be part of Olympics?

And Yes, most Slovaks think they are as good as Canada, Czechs, Finland etc. Its because how good they used to be and its still stuck in many Slovaks dna and brain. Similar to how many Swedes think we are still a top nation.

 

[Summer Rose]

Hoping? Why would not Latvia be part of Olympics?

And Yes, most Slovaks think they are as good as Canada, Czechs, Finland etc. Its because how good they used to be and its still stuck in many Slovaks dna and brain.

No idea as they are qualified for the Olympics next year, drawn into a group with Slovakia and the United States. The fourth team is Russia if they get unbanned in time, but if not, they will be replaced by France (they might shuffle the groups around a bit if this happens, but I don't know).

 

[Czechboy]

Nice thread and an amazing stat line..

I'll leave you guys to chat but have one question... Who are the actual NHL Slovaks next year and the actual NHL Latvians next year. Eg. 1 way contract, pencilled into roster?

Slovakia is Nemec, slaf, Fehr, cerm and ???
Latvia is ... Blueger, abols, Elvis...

This year I counted 8 to 4 without including goalies? I read above that Latvia will have more guys in NHL next season. So who are they? Please.incude goalies.

 

[Summer Rose]

Nice thread and an amazing stat line..

I'll leave you guys to chat but have one question... Who are the actual NHL Slovaks next year and the actual NHL Latvians next year. Eg. 1 way contract, pencilled into roster?

Slovakia is Nemec, slaf, Fehr, cerm and ???
Latvia is ... Blueger, abols, Elvis...

This year I counted 8 to 4 without including goalies? I read above that Latvia will have more guys in NHL next season. So who are they? Please.incude goalies.

Add Erik Cernak for Slovakia. I don't really know otherwise though.

 

[Elvs]

Nice thread and an amazing stat line..

I'll leave you guys to chat but have one question... Who are the actual NHL Slovaks next year and the actual NHL Latvians next year. Eg. 1 way contract, pencilled into roster?

Slovakia is Nemec, slaf, Fehr, cerm and ???
Latvia is ... Blueger, abols, Elvis...

This year I counted 8 to 4 without including goalies? I read above that Latvia will have more guys in NHL next season. So who are they? Please.incude goalies.

Here's the current contract situation for both nations (hopefully I didn't forget someone):

Slovakia:

F
Juraj Slafkovsky
Martin Pospisil
Dalibor Dvorsky
Samuel Honzek
Adam Sykora
Filip Mesar
Jakub Demek
Juraj Pekarcik
Martin Misiak
Oliver Okuliar (RFA)
Martin Chromiak (RFA)
Tomas Tatar (UFA)
Pavol Regenda (UFA)

D
Erik Cernak
Martin Fehervary
Simon Nemec
Viliam Kmec
Samuel Knazko (RFA)

G
Samuel Hlavaj

-----------------------------------------

Latvia:

F
Teodors Blugers
Zemgus Girgensons
Rodrigo Abols
Eduards Tralmaks
Sandis Vilmanis
Dans Locmelis
Eriks Mateiko
Raivis Ansons (RFA)

D
Uvis Balinskis

G
Elvis Merzlikins
Arturs Silovs

---

Slafkovsky, Pospisil, Cernak, Fehervary and Nemec should play reguarly in the NHL among the Slovaks. Dvorsky and Honzek are highly likely to see games as well. I'm also guessing Sykora will make his NHL debute at some point next season. Okuliar had a strong year in the AHL and could do the same. Regenda also a possibility if he's willing to keep battling in the minors instead of returning to Europe. I'm assuming Tatar is done in the NHL, but it's a 32 team league now and teams always need veterans for training camp, so who knows.

Blugers, Girgensons, Abols, Balinskis and Merzlikins should play reguarly in the NHL among Latvians. Silovs is the first callup in Vancouver in case Demko/Lankinen gets injured in Vancouver. Tralmaks is 28 so he should be fighting for a spot in the lineup in Detroit. If he doesn't make the team he should have a very good chance to be called up in case of injuries. Locmelis is an interesting prospect. Maybe will spend the whole season in the AHL, but wouldn't be surprised to see him get a cup of coffee already.

 

[Namejs]

Hoping? Why would not Latvia be part of Olympics?

And Yes, most Slovaks think they are as good as Canada, Czechs, Finland etc. Its because how good they used to be and its still stuck in many Slovaks dna and brain. Similar to how many Swedes think we are still a top nation.

We are likely boycotting the Olympics if they let the russkies play.