Olympics: Team Latvia 2026

[Eye of Ra]

Balcers - Blugers - Indrasis
Vilmanis - Abols - Tralmaks
Girgensons - Smirnovs - Dzierkals
Kenins - Locmelis - Batna
Bukharts brothers

Balinskis - Mamics
Rubins - Jaks
Zile - Freibergs

Elvis
Silovs
Gudlevskis


Decent team.

I apologize to mods if there already is a thread and i apologize to @Namejs if the lineup is weird looking.

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[Namejs]

I think Roberts Bukarts is done, Rihards Bukarts underwent a major surgery and might not play again until next season, Kenins looks questionable, Smirnovs is too small for a bottom 6 role.

The next World Champs will probably introduce a couple of new faces to the lineup. I know we're in a post-WJC high, but guys like Mateiko and Osmanis do provide a unique set of tools that would translate well to the big stage.

Mateiko has a nasty shot and probably one of the most powerful ones among all of these players, while Osmanis seems to be an elite playmaker - and that is something that would seriously improve our 2nd or 3rd line.

There's definitely a few spots up for grabs here, also for some of the NCAA guys.

And there's a decent chance Daugavins returns the next season.

 

[SoundAndFury]

The only real problem with that lineup is putting Batna - who is really all the things you want in a bottom-6 C, on the wing and Smirnovs in the middle.

 

[Namejs]

I think Roberts Bukarts is done, Rihards Bukarts underwent a major surgery and might not play again until next season, Kenins looks questionable, Smirnovs is too small for a bottom 6 role.

The next World Champs will probably introduce a couple of new faces to the lineup. I know we're in a post-WJC high, but guys like Mateiko and Osmanis do provide a unique set of tools that would translate well to the big stage.

Mateiko has a nasty shot and probably one of the most powerful ones among all of these players, while Osmanis seems to be an elite playmaker - and that is something that would seriously improve our 2nd or 3rd line.

There's definitely a few spots up for grabs here, also for some of the NCAA guys.

And there's a decent chance Daugavins returns the next season.

To build on this: Girgensons is a somewhat speedy block of wood, so he can only be useful in a shutdown role.

Krastenbergs - Girgensons - Kenins could be a 4th line if Kenins starts playing and producing in NL.

There are also guys like Ravinskis and Dukurs breaking out and if they are on a continued trajectory of growth next season, they can definitely outcompete some older guys in the bottom 6, particularly Ravinskis with his size.

I do not like Batna as a player. He is a good grinder type and he's pretty good at what he does at that role, but he plays like an undisciplined 90s style enforcer. Look at the number of penalties he has each season and each tournament. That makes him a liability, if we do the maths. So he's very much replaceable as long as there are no injuries to our other centermen.

I would much rather move Girgensons back to C.

Vilmanis, Tralmaks, Mateiko and to some extent Abols are the main goalscorer/sniper types. You need to pair them up with a playmaker.

Indrasis on the other hand is a softer dangler type and you can't ice him with 2 smaller guys. Also, props to him for being so productive in SHL, he's definitely earned back a role in the top 6.

 

[SoundAndFury]

Ravinskis with another double, 5 points in his 6 Liiga games so far. 9 shots on goal in today's game. Pretty surprising but good for him.

 

[Namejs]

Ravinskis with another double, 5 points in his 6 Liiga games so far. 9 shots on goal in today's game. Pretty surprising but good for him.

While Kenins was let go by Bern, so I guess that one's settled pretty early on.

I do remember Ravinskis as being shorter, by the way. He seems to have gained about 5 cm or 2 inches since his junior days. Happy for him and I hope many others will follow.

 

[ellja3]

What does the Latvian group look like assuming this means no Russia in Olympics?

 

[Vikz]

What does the Latvian group look like assuming this means no Russia in Olympics?

This doesn't. The Olympics decision will be up to IOC.
Latvia is also in the Olympics regardless of the russian question.

 

[ellja3]

This doesn't. The Olympics decision will be up to IOC.
Latvia is also in the Olympics regardless of the russian question.

I understand that this doesn't automatically mean no Russia in OG, but it sure seems like big step towards this. And RU/noRU affects the groups. I put this in LV thread simply because of unwillingness to create a new one; which would then get closed ''because politics'', even tho RU (non)participation affects how the groups are split, and - honestly - I am interested in just that, not any more sophisticated debate.

 

[moropanov]

This doesn't. The Olympics decision will be up to IOC.
Latvia is also in the Olympics regardless of the russian question.

Iihf decides if it lets Russia play = if not in own championships surely also not in Olympics.

 

[TomB]

Iihf decides if it lets Russia play = if not in own championships surely also not in Olympics.

Exactly. IIHF runs the qualifiers. Russia has not qualified. That should be the end of it. If not, does Belarus get a free spot, too? How do you justify that? Sure, they might have qualified through the qualification tournaments, but it was hardly a guarantee.

The Olympic hockey tournament isn't simply a case of "whoever wants to play, can". Qualification for each sport is controlled by the governing body of said sport. In the case of hockey, this is the IIHF.

I believe the IOC only controls the number of teams/competitors for each event. I suppose they could say that Russian teams are eligible for competition, but I can't imagine the governing bodies could be forced to include them.