Latvian U20 candidates announced

Latvian U20 national team head coach Leonids Beresnevs has announced those 30 players, who will take part in the pre-World Junior Championship training camp in Jelgava from December 6 until December 11.

The final roster of the team will be announced on December 10. Already the next day the team will leave for Babruysk, Belarus, where on December 13 will play already against British U20 national team.

List of the candidates:

G	Janis Auzins	1991	Zemgale	Latvia
G	Kristers Gudlevskis	1992	HK Riga	MHL
G	Janis Kalnins	1991	Metalurgs Liepaja-2	Latvia
D	Reinis Demiters	1991	HK Riga	MHL
D	Edgars Dikis	1991	HK Riga	MHL
D	Kristers Freibergs	1992	Metalurgs Liepaja	Belarus
D	Ralfs Freibergs	1991	Texas Tornado	NAHL
D	Martins Jakovlevs	1991	HK Riga	MHL
D	Karlis Kalvitis	1991	HK Riga	MHL
D	Martins Porejs	1991	HK Riga	MHL
D	Arturs Salija	1992	HK Riga	MHL
D	Eriks Sevcenko	1991	HK Riga	MHL
D	Raimonds Tubelis	1991	Metalurgs Liepaja-2	Latvia
F	Maris Bicevskis	1991	HK Riga	MHL
F	Elvijs Biezais	1991	HK Riga	MHL
F	Maris Dilevka	1992	Metalurgs Liepaja	Belarus
F	Vladislavs Dobrenkijs	1991	HK Riga	MHL
F	Maksims Firsovs	1991	SK LSPA/Riga	Latvia
F	Zemgus Girgensons	1994	Dubuque Fighting Saints	USHL
F	Girts Jansons	1991	Muik Hockey	Finland4
F	Egils Kalns	1991	Metalurgs Liepaja	Belarus
F	Ronalds Kenins	1991	GC Kusnacht Lions	NLB
F	Edgars Kurmis	1993	HK Riga	MHL
F	Arturs Mickevics	1991	HK Riga	MHL
F	Kristians Pelss	1992	Edmonton Oil Kings	WHL
F	Nils Semjonovs	1991	Aberdeen Wings	NAHL
F	Davis Straupe	1992	HK Riga	MHL
F	Juris Upitis	1991	HK Riga	MHL
F	Rolands Vigners	1991	Reims	French Division 1
F	Bruno Zabis	1991	Metalurgs Liepaja	Belarus

The Major List: Latvian league roster applications

This article(let’s be modest, this list) reveals approximately 70% of all the players, who will step on the ice for a Latvian league game next season. Today a list of roster applications was published in Sporta Avize. However, HK Ogre and Lithuanian Orakulas Vilnius have not submitted applications as of yet.

HK Ozolnieki/Monarhs

The team has not added a single player to the roster, the teams will still consist of veteran Latvian players, who have played for Ozolnieki/Monarhs (Vilki Riga, HK NIK’s Brih Riga) for many, many years. Naturally, team also includes several younger players, like Kristaps Stigis or Aldis Pizans.

HK Ozolnieki/Monarhs roster:

G	Kristaps Stigis	1987
G	Sergejs Kuznecovs	1978
D	Aldis Pizans	1989
D	Aleksandrs Siskovics	1972
D	Andris Vegners	1979
D	Edgars Rozentals	1976
D	Janis Lukasevskis	1970
D	Mihails Bogdanovs	1976
D	Nikolajs Jakovlevs	1972
D	Vadims Solovjovs	1970
D	Vitalijs Goncaruks	1979
F	Artjoms Ogorodnikovs	1989
F	Eriks Bisenieks	1982
F	Janis Vegners	1977
F	Maris Dreilings	1970
F	Nikita Krilovs	1985
F	Nikolajs Jerofejevs	1986
F	Olegs Koreskovs	1984
F	Peteris Ostosovs	1972
F	Romans Glazkovs	1984
F	Sergejs Povecerovskis	1960
F	Vadims Romanovskis	1978
F	Viktors Lobacovs	1986
F	Vilnis Vabolis	1967
F	Vitalijs Gurevics	1972

Metalurgs Liepaja-2

Metalurgs farm club has only a couple of minor additions, but most of the new faces on the Metalurgs Liepaja-2 roster will come from the Metalurgs U18 team.

Metalurgs Liepaja-2 roster:

G	Janis Kalnins	1991
G	Nauris Grinvalds	1990
G	Vadims Miscuks	1993
D	Arturs Kuzmenkovs	1993
D	Edgars Siksna	1993
D	Gatis Bruders	1991
D	Reinis Demiters	1991
D	Romans Sevcenko	1991
D	Sandis Sostaks	1993
F	Bruno Zabis	1991
F	Daniel Bogdziul	1994
F	Davis Paipa	1991
F	Egils Kalns	1991
F	Pauls Hodzko	1993
F	Peteris Pujats	1990
F	Renars Kalinovskis	1993
F	Rodijs Razmuss	1990
F	Sergejs Tarabrins	1992
F	Valters Freijs	1994
?	Dmitrijs Labovskis	1993

DHK Latgale

DHK Latgale roster:

G	Arturas Kuzmicius	1990
G	Raivis Cimoska	1993
G	Ruslans Kurelass	1991
D	Andrejs Kondrovskis-Kudrjavskis	1993
D	Edgars Apelis	1989
D	Imants Lescovs	1994
D	Kalvis Ozols	1993
D	Sergejs Petuskovs	1991
D	Vadims Sinakovs	1992
D	Vladislavs Balakuns	1988
F	Aleksandrs Kercs	1967
F	Andrei Lukin	1989
F	Arnis Kusins	1991
F	Arturs Sevcenko	1994
F	Deniss Baskatovs	1993
F	Deniss Martjusovs	1984
F	Eduards Bullitis	1986
F	Egidius Bauba	1977
F	Ivans Kokins	1991
F	Jevgenijs Fjodorovs	1993
F	Kristians Drelings	1993
F	Leonards Rimjans	1994
F	Ralfs Barkevics	1993
F	Renats Vabiscevics	1990
F	Rihards Grigors	1992
F	Sandis Virkstenis	1991
F	Vitalijs Lescovs	1991
F	Vladislavs Lescovs	1993
?	Marks Zeldess	1993

Zemgale

Zemgale roster:

F	Andis Abolins	1986
?	Lauris Dzerins	?
D	Aigars Mironovics	1976
D	Hardijs Paradnieks	1987
F	Eriks Ozollapa	1987
D	Kriss Kupcus	1990
F	Henrijs Uzraugs	1990
D	Otomars Plinta	1990
D	Rihards Strauss	1993
F	Arturs Batraks	1990
G	Kristaps Kruze	1993
D	Kaspars Kragis	1992
D	Miks Komuls	1993
F	Janis Zarins	1993
F	Dairis Zarins	1992
G	Renars Kazanovs	1984
F	Arturs Abolins	1994
G	Janis Auzins	1991
F	Edgars Cuss	1992
F	Janis Sahno	1991

SK LSPA/Riga

SK LSPA/Riga roster:

G	Karlis Zakrevskis	1993
G	Ronalds Burnickis	1988
G	Silvestrs Kulins	1993
D	Andrejs Smirnovs	1992
D	Arvis Petunovs	1993
D	Dmitrijs Ankudinovs	1991
D	Maksims Krutjko	1993
D	Ojars Smaukstelis	1993
D	Viktors Sorins	1992
F	Armands Holms	1991
F	Dags Laucins	1992
F	Gints Leitis	1992
F	Ivans Dmitrijevs	1992
F	Janis Zarins	1991
F	Juris Ziemins	1993
F	Karlis Hirss	1992
F	Lauris Ziemins	1989
F	Livars Lans	1993
F	Maksims Firsovs	1991
F	Oto Everss	1992
F	Pauls Krumins	1993
F	Pavels Tribuncovs	1993
F	Rihards Kepitis	1992
F	Sandis Saulite	1993
F	Viktors Rutkovskis	1993
?	Rozenbergs	?
?	Zagars	?

Prizma Riga

Prizma Riga roster:

G	Janis Liepa	1993
G	Raivis Turks	1993
D	Ansis Brikainis	1993
D	Edvins Kolcins	1992
D	Freibergs	?
D	Nauris Buskevics	1993
D	Renars Zeltins	1994
D	Ricards Berzins	1992
D	Rinalds Audziss	1993
D	Vladislavs Dudins	1992
F	Aigars Pauce	1993
F	Artjoms Sutovs	1994
F	Daniels Riekstins	1994
F	Edgars Dzirkalis	1993
F	Edgars Kurmis	1993
F	Edgars Opulskis	1994
F	Eduards Zenins	1993
F	Filips Plostnieks	1994
F	Justas Steponaitis	1993
F	Kristaps Riekstins	1993
F	Mikus Hermanis	1993
F	Rihards Malinovskis	1990
?	Ancs	?
?	Brants	?
?	Mackevics	?
?	Mitjanovs	?
?	Savrinovics	?
?	Zarovs	?

September 11 – the kickoff of Latvian league 2010/11

Although Latvian Hockey Federation’s meeting took place already August 11, the new press secretary of the federation decided that there was no need to inform the public about the conclusions made any earlier than five days later.

It was clarified that the league is going to start on September 11 and will have six rounds, which means that all seven(eight?) teams would have to play 36(42?) games. However, federation is still working on the calendar.

As of yet, participation of seven teams has been confirmed:

• Metalurgs Liepaja-2
• DHK Latgale
• HK Ogre
• HS Riga/LSPA
• Prizma Riga
• Zemgale
• HK Ozolnieki/Monarhs

During the meeting teams came to an agreement that the league will also include a Lithuanian team, who would play their home games at Vilnius’ Siemens Arena, which has the capacity of 8750. At this point I have something very important to make clear – even in the very brightest days of Latvian league(mid-1990’s) 5000-seat Rigas Sporta pils was almost never sold-out. In the past two seasons an attendance of 500 would have been considered a shockingly high one. Also, there is no clue, which is the Lithuanian team willing to play in Latvia. Is it ambitious Vetra Vilnius, who was never really established(without a single personnel/player signed) and failed to enter KHL this summer?

A few days ago it was also announced that on September 1-4 already the sixth Sergei Zholtok Memorial Cup will take place. It is an exhibition tournament, where usually four U20 national teams take part. This year the tournament will include Latvian, Belarusian, Danish U20 teams, as well as the Russian U18 team.