2022 Beijing Preview: Team Latvia
KHL.ru continues to talk about the teams participating in the men’s hockey tournament at the 2022 Beijing Olympics. Today, the talk is about Team Latvia.
History and achievements
For the Latvian side, these will be the sixth Olympic Winter Games. The highest they’ve ever been was in Sochi in 2014 when Ted Nolan led his team to a surprise eight place finish leaving the whole world on their toes as Lauris Darzins scored one of the most tactically beautiful goals that hockey has ever seen. After missing out last time around Latvians were determined to get back on the big stage and they did so at the Olympic Qualifying tournament in Riga where they managed to beat France in the deciding match.
Latvia has been in the elite of the IIHF ranking since 1996 when Oleg Znarok pulled the team into the ranks of best countries in the world. Latvia’s highest finish at the World Championships has been 7th place in 2009 when the team was coached by Znarok and captained by the ironman himself — Karlis Skrastins. In the latest installment of the tournament on their home soil, they went through a fiasco forcing Bob Hartley to step down and Harijs Vitolins to take over.
Coaching
Harijs Vitolins is in his first year of coaching the Latvian national team as head coach and he took over on the eve of Olympic Qualifying. Vitolins however, has a long-lasting legacy and has left his mark on Latvian hockey in the past. He was the flag-bearer at the 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake City, he has captained the national team and for years — he had been an assistant coach to a former main guy — Oleg Znarok.
Vitolins has a wide experience when it comes to international and club hockey as an assistant he has worked for teams like HK MVD, Dynamo Moscow (both assistant and head coach), SKA St. Petersburg, HC Davos in Switzerland as well as Spartak Moscow. Most importantly — he already has a gold medal in his pocket with Team Russia. It’s now a hard task for him but he will have to get a weakened Latvian squad to show something on the ice.
Key players
Three key players for Latvia should come as no surprise to anyone — they are the current captain Lauris Darzins, the stick virtuoso Miks Indrasis and defenseman with the guns — Janis Jaks.
For Darzins these will be the most important Olympic Games as he will have to carry the weight as the team captain and also as one of the faces of the Latvian Olympic movement — Darzins will march into the stadium in the opening ceremony as one of two Latvian flag
bearers. An important honor for any athlete. Darzins was off to a slow start at the start of the season for Dinamo Riga but now — he’s top five in points earned among his teammates having earned 15 (3+15) this season for a team that has massively underperformed. During the Olympic qualifying tournament, he recorded four assists. He’ll be wearing Latvian colors for the 30th international event — a number that isn’t often achieved by many.
Miks Indrasis hasn’t had the greatest season when it comes to club matches but he’s the go-to guy for Team Latvia. The veteran player has played a total of 46 KHL matches this season split between two teams — Admiral Vladivostok and Vityaz Podolsk having scored 17 points (7+10) and also was a marginal part of the Olympic qualifying tournament where he lit things up scoring three goals and earning one assist. If Latvia needs a loaded weapon — he might be the go-to guy.
Janis Jaks returned to KHL after a season in North America and has been one of the key players for HC Sochi. The 26-year-old is in his prime career years and that shows — he currently ranks 6th in points amongst his teammates with 18 (6+12) while having played 41. Truly remarkable for a defenseman. Internationally you can’t imagine Team Latvia without Jaks and he was there to help Latvia to qualify for the Olympics. A top-pair guy for the tournament will be responsible for everything in all situations and aspects of the game.
Roster
When Latvia announced its roster there were slight worries and concerns. Having no NHL players shot them in the leg as they no longer had Elvis Merzlikins available and had to turn to Ivars Punnenovs, Janis Kalnins, and Kristers Gudlevskis with a question — who’s their #1?
Defensively things looked exactly as they should but Covid-19 interfered and having lost Arturs Kulda and Karlis Cukste means that they’re really thin on the back end. It’s not out of the question that they could still make it to China in time for the tournament but still — Janis Jaks, Uvis Balinskis, Ralfs Freibergs, and even young Patriks Ozols currently look like the core given how they have performed this season. Kristaps Zile and Oskars Cibulskis are also there to help.
Up-front a huge loss will be Roberts Bukarts who broke his hand therefore having to miss the tournament Offense still looks like the best weapon Latvia could have. Dinamo Riga’s Lauris Darzins, Nikolajs Jelisejevs and Martins Karsums look like a potential trio up-front. They’ll get help from former KHL players such as Rodrigo Abols, Kaspars Daugavins, and Martins Dzierkals. You cannot ignore big train Ronalds Kenins and technically gifted Martins Dzierkals.
Their reserve list consists of… practically no one and that raises concern if anyone at some point isn’t able to play for any given circumstance and that’s on the management, coaching staff. You’re allowed to have six players — Latvia elected to have only three, Daniels Berzins, Ernests Osenieks and Toms Andersons.
Expectations
Latvia has one of the arguably hardest groups to be in — they will line up against Sweden, Finland, and Slovakia, three great teams that will be hard to beat. The scenario is clear — they will either step out third or fourth in the group which will give them one last shot in the elimination round — a combination of the perfect strategy, luck and unbelievable team effort could see them make it further but it’s highly unlikely and their run is likely to end at ⅛ final.
