Team Latvia 2025 Roster Talk

[Namejs]

No idea what Namejs thinks he has proven. Yes, Abols is getting some games due to circumstances, but he is simply not doing enough to hang around permanently. I do hope he goes on a magic run that earns him more minutes and opportunities.

I suggest reading SoF's earlier posts first. Since you're having trouble with reading, let me help you out. He claimed Abols is done in the NHL after his first game since he lost 4 faceoffs. And then went on to make a snidey little claim a 20 second drop in ice time clearly is the end of his NHL career.

From where exactly comes the premise that Abols is going to 'hang around permanently'? Who are you referring to? Who has made that claim? No one.

Be more diligent when you step into the middle of a discussion.

My claim was that Abols has a somewhat realistic <50% chance of getting another contract. SoF said he's hopeless.

Abols is on a rebuilding team that has already traded one bottom 6 forward away and he is being tried out both on the wing and at C literally on every single line, including alongside Konecny and Michkov and as the 1C. To claim that Abols *doesn't have a shot* at being an NHL player next season is simply not based on any kind of reality at this point and time.

Furthermore, the original point has little to do with Abols chances in the NHL.

So if I have proven anything is that the level of functional literacy in the general populace has decreased sharply. Do not use TikTok, kids.

Also, please watch some actual games first.

 

[Namejs]

Anthony Richard is averaging 14 minutes after that trade, 2,5 minutes more than Abols, but that means nothing because @travieballin26 prefers Abols over him.

Oh, and Anthony Richard just got waived.

 

[SoundAndFury]

Oh, and Anthony Richard just got waived.

Because the Flyers traded for two wingers who need spots to play Your "I was right and the other guy was wrong" act is getting more and more cringe by the second when everyone even remotely familiar with the situation understands what is happening. It's like you keep repeating how right you are to convince yourself, echo chamber 101 but you have to do it yourself since nobody is playing along.

You can't even drop the "hopeless" trope and come back to the reality of discussing what was actually said. But as always you criticize others for not being "diligent" while discussing 5 seconds later.

 

[SoundAndFury]

Let's take this from the top. Since Abols was called up, the Flyers played 9 games. They won two of those. Abols personally:

• played >10 minutes 4 times
• played <10 minutes 4 times
• was scratched for 1 game

That's for the team that is so depleted at center currently that it's icing not 1 but 2 AHL centermen. Yet you are so hell-bent on staying in this echo chamber of yours you treat every fart that comes your way as a gust of wind that blows your sails.

But sure, you picking out a bunch of random tweets is so much better argument depicting Abols "career" than me pointing out that he plays 7 minutes per game. It's to the point, that you need to make it about a "20-second drop in ice time" rather than what it actually was. Just like with your "hopeless" twist or any other straw man you manage to concoct.

 

[Vikz]

Whoaaa @Namejs @SoundAndFury chill you guys. Such a small sample size and such radical ideas about Abols's future. Plays a few games with a small ice time = bust. Plays a few games with points and gets praise for speaking russian = future Michkov centre. Both of you waiting for the circumstances to swing in your favour to come here and say - "aha! I told you so!" is just childish.

Personally Im just happy for the kid who is obviously built for the NHL but wasted too much time, and yet got out of his comfort zone, fought through the AHL and not only got to play, but also score in the NHL.

The truth is that his future probably has nothing to do with his hockey skills. From the way the Flyers rebuild will go, to Tortorella/GM staying or leaving, to injuries, to Abols himself deciding whether or not he wants the AHL/NHL hustle instead of captaining an SHL contender, to even such nonsense as serving a translator/mentor to Michkov - there are so much variables that none of the stats or especially fan written tweets say anything.

BTW - 6 Latvians in the NHL this season. Maybe time for a "Latvians in the NHL" or "Latvians in NA" thread or something like this? Because this thread is 90% arguing over Abols's NHL future that has nothing to do with the team Latvia roster talk.

 

[SoundAndFury]

Both of you waiting for the circumstances to swing in your favour to come here and say - "aha! I told you so!" is just childish.

Let's not muddy the water further here. The circumstances ARE changing. The discussion is how Abols' play can be evaluated with those changing circumstances. I think there is nothing wrong with discussing it, bad-taste remarks aside.

 

[SoundAndFury]

Abols is on a rebuilding team that has already traded one bottom 6 forward away and he is being tried out both on the wing and at C literally on every single line, including alongside Konecny and Michkov and as the 1C. To claim that Abols *doesn't have a shot* at being an NHL player next season is simply not based on any kind of reality at this point and time.

Played one 15-second shift in the 3rd period of today's must-win game (sort of) against the Pens. That's the reality at this point in time.

So what are the future prospects of a player who doesn't really provide offense and isn't allowed on the ice in the 3rd when the team has a lead?

 

[ozo]

Played one 15-second shift in the 3rd period of today's must-win game (sort of) against the Pens. That's the reality at this point in time.

So what are the future prospects of a player who doesn't really provide offense and isn't allowed on the ice in the 3rd when the team has a lead?

''Hopeless'' is a decent word that can be used here.

 

[Dofs]

Abols was streaky on SHL level, he can't afford being that in NHL to have a spot in the league.

 

[SoundAndFury]

A quick update to bump the thread back up if anything:

Blue Jackets are, sadly, pretty much out of the PO race (8% chance to make it before today's game) so Merzlikins will be available.
Abols is averaging around 7 minutes per game after a month in the AHL as a stop-gap 4C after the trade deadline so he should be able to join.
Canucks chances are still rated at 30% but hopefully, they don't make it making Blugers available. This is going to be (very hopefully) the first season he took part in at least 70 regular season games making it the healthiest of his career.
Tralmaks just signed with the Red Wings which probably doesn't change anything regarding his WC participation.
Rihards Bukarts suffered a tough injury in the Czech league PO and underwent surgery so I assume he is out.

 

[Namejs]

A quick update to bump the thread back up if anything:

Blue Jackets are, sadly, pretty much out of the PO race (8% chance to make it before today's game) so Merzlikins will be available.
Abols is averaging around 7 minutes per game after a month in the AHL as a stop-gap 4C after the trade deadline so he should be able to join.
Canucks chances are still rated at 30% but hopefully, they don't make it making Blugers available. This is going to be (very hopefully) the first season he took part in at least 70 regular season games making it the healthiest of his career.
Tralmaks just signed with the Red Wings which probably doesn't change anything regarding his WC participation.
Rihards Bukarts suffered a tough injury in the Czech league PO and underwent surgery so I assume he is out.

Extremely happy for Tralmaks. I've been ranting about his true potential for a while now.

I remember how you tried to argue Jelisejevs was a better player a few years ago and told me Tralmaks will be playing in DEL2.

This is shaping up to be a pretty good roster at this point, contrary to my gut so far.

 

[SoundAndFury]

Extremely happy for Tralmaks. I've been ranting about his true potential for a while now.

I remember how you tried to argue Jelisejevs was a better player a few years ago and told me Tralmaks will be playing in DEL2.

And I remeber you agreeing it was entirely plausible. We all remeber things.

Having said that, while chasing the NHL dream is well and good it's a two-way contract and the AHL salary is 225k - a half of Abols' one, for example - and something any bigger club in Europe can beat. So unless he actually gets to play in the NHL, the only winners here are the Red Wings for acquiring cheap organizational depth.

 

[Vikz]

Having said that, while chasing the NHL dream is well and good it's a two-way contract and the AHL salary is 225k - a half of Abols' one, for example - and something any bigger club in Europe can beat. So unless he actually gets to play in the NHL, the only winners here are the Red Wings for acquiring cheap organizational depth.

Abols definitely had more leverage coming from a top SHL team rather than a CZE league outsider. 225K is still probably several times more than what Tralmaks made in Kladno, and comparable to what he would have made as a top player for a better CZE club. So unless he had an offer to be a top guy in the Swiss league, he should be happy with his financial desicion either way.

Besides, when you tripple your sallary for a week or two with a potential promotion, its worth the gamble. I bet Abols ended up with more cash this season than he would have ever earned in the SHL, and Czechs pay peanuts in comparison.