A couple of things.
The depth of the Latvian talent pool, particularly wingers, has increased immensely over the last decade. This year is going to prove that to the general audience in Latvia, who are used and almost fixated to a dozen or so last names as if no one else could fill their shoes in an instant. The expectations back home are very low for some odd reason, so there's not much pressure on this team at all.
Right now, most of the leading Latvian wingers over the age of 30 are soft/skilled types. They are used to having sheltered top 6 roles in Dinamo Riga or used to cruising in some of the middling Euro leagues in Czechia or elsewhere. Roberts Bukarts, Indrasis, Darzins all fit this mold perfectly. Daugavins used to be an energy guy, I remember watching him play every single game for the Sens. He was a completely different kind of a player back then. Over the last few years he has lost that edge, he has lost his speed and slowly transitioned into being a somewhat lazy/slow soft/skilled guy himself. That and him being an antivaxx nutjob has sort of changed his role with the national team. So him retiring is not really a major loss. Sure, he would still be an asset, particularly on the PP, but the Latvian national team has an established identity and a system in place that has overgrown any single coach or star player. That gritty, disciplined, all-out team effort has become a team philosophy by now. We have become a less skilled Finland. Does Daugavins or Indrasis fit this philosophy? I don't think so.
Losing a couple of soft wingers like that has not put a dent in our roster. Even more than that, we could afford to drop a couple more wingers and add guys like Tralmaks, Egle or Zabusovs without losing any skill or maybe even improving a little bit. And, frankly, I think it's enough with Ro. Bukarts roleplaying Ovi, we don't need other players not forechecking and not throwing their bodies around.
Despite increased depth, the current line-up is obviously not without its major shortcomings. Our lack of decent centermen is a massive headache. We have a very solid 1C in Abols, a good shutdown 3C/4C in Batna who has got great size by the way. But that 2C and 3C role is pretty much filled up by third tier players in Smirnovs and Dzerins. Now, Smirnovs can actually play in a sheltered role also at this level. He's going to get some points against the likes of GB, Austria or Norway. He can get some O zone starts, some PP time and be good enough for us. At times. Dzerins is just all-around below average. Without 2 scoring lines, we're not going to be much of a threat against Finland, Sweden or Czechia. We are sorely missing a skilled C like Blueger in that 2C role. (Go Rangers?)
If Blueger AND Girgensons were here, this would be a very competitive lineup. I mean, you can't even compare Smirnovs with Blueger. It's ridiculous.
We are also sorely lacking puck-moving defencemen who can actually contribute offensively. Jaks is the only notable exception and he's probably going to have the most pressure to show up and contribute out of all the other players on this line-up barring Merzlikins and Abols. Balinskis is a pretty major loss. And, honestly, I can't wait for our younglings (Fenenko, Hodass, etc.) to begin playing pro hockey. Otherwise we're stuck with the sotnieks and kuldas of this world. I'm sick of watching them use their wooden hands. I'm also low-key hoping for some of the rookie D-men on this roster (Bergmanis?) to turn heads.
So to conclude, our depth is better than ever, and this is a great chance to test that depth and to look at our young ones play. We are the 4th youngest and the 2nd largest team in the World Champs. Expect a lot of physical, gritty play. We have enough pure skill not to worry about relegation and enough grit and drive to steal some points off of the US in the opening game as well. So while that QF spot is not going to be easy to get at all, stranger things have happened.
With Blueger in, we might actually cause some trouble vs. the Czechs and the Swedes too.
And, obviously, having the arguably best goaltender in the tournament is a pretty damn good bonus as well.
Now with the same generation D's having to step up to fill senior NT's lineup, the result is the same.
Why do you waste your time like that.. Winning arguments by insisting on ignoring what the other person is actually saying. Pro gamer move.
