WC: Team Latvia Roster

[Namejs]

We need more skilled players and we need them fast is all I can say.

Well. In 2013, Jekimovs played on the 2nd line, Cipulis on the 1st.

We have way more skilled players and enough of them to compete against the likes of Switzerland, Czech Republic, etc.

Half of them aren't here, though. And it's not an excuse, it's a fact. We can't possibly expect to make the play-offs consistently without 12 leading players.

And we would only make the play-offs once in 3 years or so anyway even if they were here. Being on par with Germany and Slovakia is the best we can do with our resources.

 

[BalticWarrior]

Well. In 2013, Jekimovs played on the 2nd line, Cipulis on the 1st.

We have way more skilled players and enough of them to compete against the likes of Switzerland, Czech Republic, etc.

Half of them aren't here, though. And it's not an excuse, it's a fact. We can't possibly expect to make the play-offs consistently without 12 leading players.

And we would only make the play-offs once in 3 years or so anyway even if they were here. Being on par with Germany and Slovakia is the best we can do with our resources.

Without an three-fold increase in kid/junior player participation, this will not change. It just cant.

 

[Namejs]

Without an three-fold increase in kid/junior player participation, this will not change. It just cant.

Exactly, it won't change. We're near our ceiling and it's a disgrace that we have so many refusals every year. No other team of similar caliber gets so many of them. Everyone seems to be injured just as the camp starts, magically. Makes me sick.

 

[BalticWarrior]

Exactly, it won't change. We're near our ceiling and it's a disgrace that we have so many refusals every year. No other team of similar caliber gets so many of them. Everyone seems to be injured just as the camp starts, magically. Makes me sick.

It would take some unbelievable demographic change. Probably not in the near future, im guessing.

As for refusals- yeah it sucks, the Bārtulis situation was even more of a disgrace tho.

 

[RobRayzor]

I'm assuming after tonight's game Bičevskis an Freibergs gets a game suspension each. (unless IIHF views that Bičevskis major penalty was an accident (since Czech player fell before the contact))

 

[GX]

Only Freibergs got a 1 game suspension, which is fine.

 

[Namejs]

Only Freibergs got a 1 game suspension, which is fine.

Jaks was pretty decent, Freibergs and Jaks actually look pretty similar in terms of their playing style. Jaks lacks that confidence to make some bolder moves, but that will come in time.

 

[GX]

If only either of them, being offensive defenders, had a powerful shot. I hope Hartley plays Jaks over Galviņš even if he is healthy. I doubt Galviņš has any off-ice upside to him that could play a role why he is here.

 

[Namejs]

If only either of them, being offensive defenders, had a powerful shot. I hope Hartley plays Jaks over Galviņš even if he is healthy. I doubt Galviņš has any off-ice upside to him that could play a role why he is here.

He's not that bad.

But, yes, we sorely lack really good all-around defencmen.

 

[ozo]

Let me we went on our defensive players. It hurts me to say but we have no D players that helps offense, Galvins and Freibergs are simply nothing players, they can't shutdown opponent on defense - therefore we kinda think about them offensive defensemen when in reality they bring absolutely nothing to the table. Cibulskis also is a black hole going forward, but he can actually shoot the puck with some force. Balinskis today on 4:3 before our goal was almost alone with Vasilevsky and was like a dear in headlights - hesitant and useless yet he is out there on our PP? Ill give a pass to Kulda and Sotnieks, their physicality on the back is an asset.

We badly need players like Rubins and Bindulis to come good for us real soon.

 

[Namejs]

Let me we went on our defensive players. It hurts me to say but we have no D players that helps offense, Galvins and Freibergs are simply nothing players, they can't shutdown opponent on defense - therefore we kinda think about them offensive defensemen when in reality they bring absolutely nothing to the table. Cibulskis also is a black hole going forward, but he can actually shoot the puck with some force. Balinskis today on 4:3 before our goal was almost alone with Vasilevsky and was like a dear in headlights - hesitant and useless yet he is out there on our PP? Ill give a pass to Kulda and Sotnieks, their physicality on the back is an asset.

We badly need players like Rubins and Bindulis to come good for us real soon.

You're exaggerating things and being depressingly pessimistic about everything like a true Latvian.

Galvins isn't useless, Balinskis definitely isn't useless, same for Freibergs. They're all serviceable, decent two-way defencemen who could be 2nd or 3rd pairing guys on a medaling team.

But they're not complete, all-around players. They either lack size and defensive prowess or a slapshot or they're prone to making mistakes or some other thing.

We just don't have a quarterback type of a reliable D, like Josi for Switzerland.

Rubins skates very well for such a huge guy, he's decent all-around, he's got decent hands, but he's no playmaker. He's no Ozolinsh and no Josi.

I don't really see any saviours in sight. Cukste is a hidden gem and I'm hoping his play can translate to pro hockey, but yeah, we're not going to get a bunch of elite defencemen out of the blue for 2020. It is what it is.

I'm hoping Bindulis and Rubins will avoid injuries and finally establish themselves at the AHL level next year. That would be fine by me.

 

[Namejs]

And on a related note, Galvins is injured and will miss the remainder of the tournament.

 

[ellja3]

So we have to win both games in regulation and hope SWE loses to RUS in regulation, am I right?

 

[ellja3]

And on a related note, Galvins is injured and will miss the remainder of the tournament.

I know the Galvins hate has been exaggerated among LV fans, but for whatever reason seeing this doesn't make me think ''aw, this sucks''.

 

[Namejs]

So we have to win both games in regulation and hope SWE loses to RUS in regulation, am I right?

Yup, the likelihood of that happening is about 2%. Even if we defeat Sweden, it only increases to about 26%. If we defeat Sweden and Norway, it increases further to 45%.

We can begin hoping for something after we defeat the cocky Swedes

 

[Namejs]

I know the Galvins hate has been exaggerated among LV fans, but for whatever reason seeing this doesn't make me think ''aw, this sucks''.

I see no reason to hate him, he's one of our leading defencemen and he's better than Zile, who shouldn't really be playing at this level.

Cibulskis is also a borderline national team player, he's just mediocre in every respect. Despite all of his points this year.

 

[ellja3]

Yup, the likelihood of that happening is about 2%. Even if we defeat Sweden, it only increases to about 26%. If we defeat Sweden and Norway, it increases further to 45%.

We can begin hoping for something after we defeat the cocky Swedes

Thanks. I agree w your opinion percentage-wise. Most likely, it ends tomorrow.

 

[RobRayzor]

Thanks. I agree w your opinion percentage-wise. Most likely, it ends tomorrow.

It has already ended, i’ve prepared for a storm from Sweden. Unless Lundqvist melts like an ice cream in hot day

 

[Archijerej]

Congratulations on another strong tournament. Gotta love these Latvian teams.

 

[Namejs]

Congratulations on another strong tournament. Gotta love these Latvian teams.

Thanks. It makes for a better tournament overall to have another team capable of making an upset vs. the big guns.

And I have to repeat this time and time again. Since we were missing 4 KHL/SHL top 6 players in Daugavins, Abols, Karsums, M. Redlihs, an NHL forward in Girgensons and a few promising AHL/NCAA guys (H. Egle, Bindulis, Cukste, Rubins) as well as a few better shutdown players like Dzerins, we are capable of icing a more threatening roster with our 2019 2nd line basically being demoted to a 4th line role.

We can do better and we will do better.

 

[Namejs]

Abols signed with Florida Panthers. 5 Latvians in the NHL next season quite possibly.

I told you so, kabidjan. He was supposed to be this Allsvenskan bum, remember?

 

[Pardus]

Abols signed with Florida Panthers. 5 Latvians in the NHL next season quite possibly.

I told you so, kabidjan. He was supposed to be this Allsvenskan bum, remember?

Wow! Great news. Congrats to Abols!

 

[BalticWarrior]

Abols signed with Florida Panthers. 5 Latvians in the NHL next season quite possibly.

I told you so, kabidjan. He was supposed to be this Allsvenskan bum, remember?

To be honest Ābols exceeded expections of most people, you could say he is somewhat of a late bloomer. Its wonderful to see how he has blossomed into a great a two way forward, last year in SHL really did wonders for him.

 

[kabidjan18]

Abols signed with Florida Panthers. 5 Latvians in the NHL next season quite possibly.

I told you so, kabidjan. He was supposed to be this Allsvenskan bum, remember?

Haha, in fairness to me, the bet was about whether or not he would be above or below .5 PPG in the SHL.

Also, you missed this little kerfuffle I had with su24 on the subject like 6 months ago.

[Mod]

Because it's better to praise CHLers like superstars. Lol. Let's just pretend they weren't massive players in the recent WC.


[MOD] Scoring is highly circumstantial, points tell a part of the story but talk to any agent or coach, they don't tell nearly the whole story.

But more importantly. Player development is neither linear nor uniform. That means that players aren't guaranteed to develop at the same rates, and they are guaranteed to develop consistently either. Again, part of not knowing is that we've been discussing these players for years.

Our Latvian Expert Namejs said about 6 months back that Bluegers and Abols had become so and so good. I didn't believe him because the last time I saw them was a while back, so I called him out for exaggerating. He fired back. He was absolutely right. They were beastly in the WC. Two-way players, you could put them on any line and they could shut down anyone. Offensively they could really keep possession and generate chances. Players improve at different rates, these players took strides transitioning to the Senior level that made them potent seniors.

Then, me and Namejs got into a debate prior to the start of this season about Abols, I said he'd score a PPG of something like .4 or less in the SHL this year, Namejs was pretty confident he'd be over .5. Right now, he's completely right. We on this forum have been discussing these exact prospects for years now. You know nothing about them, you just googled them ten minutes ago. These players have made huge developmental strides and become strong assets.

You think every kid who scores decently in the CHL in their U18 season becomes some star? Mops up the AHL easy? [MOD] Perhaps some of the will, for sure some of them won't. Nothing is guaranteed in this business.


This is a pretty clear strawman. Me and Baltic Warrior's argument was clearly that Belarus shouldn't be the one talking, not that Latvia's system was perfect. It's like a blind man trying to lead a near-sighted man.

I'm going to put myself at risk again though, because you say quite possibly, but don't you even think it's a stretch that all of them will play in the NHL next season? I mean, maybe optimistically...anything can happen after sellers make their moves after the trade deadline as well or injury call-ups. Do you mean just play some games or are you talking about day-1 starters?

 

[Namejs]

Haha, in fairness to me, the bet was about whether or not he would be above or below .5 PPG in the SHL.

Also, you missed this little kerfuffle I had with su24 on the subject like 6 months ago.



I'm going to put myself at risk again though, because you say quite possibly, but don't you even think it's a stretch that all of them will play in the NHL next season? I mean, maybe optimistically...anything can happen after sellers make their moves after the trade deadline as well or injury call-ups. Do you mean just play some games or are you talking about day-1 starters?

I obviously don't mean day 1 starters.

For several years we only had one guy in the NHL. It is likely 5 will suit up for an NHL side next season. CBJ might sign some other goalie, but Elvis will definitely get some games in. Balcers is a part of a rebuilding franchise and he should be the guy getting the most NHL caps out of the bunch. Girgensons is a borderline NHL guy, but he's a reliable 4th liner and it would be somewhat surprising if he wouldn't sign an NHL contract. Blueger is a part of a stacked team, but I felt he proved he's an NHL caliber guy and it's highly unlikely he's going to rot in the AHL the whole season. The only question mark is Abols, but looking at the Panthers bottom 6, somehow I'm genuinely convinced he will make his NHL debut at some point during the season.

And someone like Jevpalovs has an outside chance as well.

And Cukste, Egle are going to finish their NCAA careers. I don't see them leaving North America, especially Cukste.

But, yeah. Elvis, Balcers and Blueger have to establish themselves as NHL guys. Blueger is still yet to sign a contract, mind you.

50%+ of games played in the NHL for Blueger and Elvis would be a good achievement.

Balcers has to aim a little higher and I believe he can be a Sens regular. He should forget about the AHL.

While Abols goal is to first make the switch to AHL and make the most out of his chances there. Something like 0.7 PPG would be nice and getting at least a taste of the NHL.