Latvian hockey team | Photo: LHF
Initially, only 18 hockey players were registered as part of the Latvian men’s hockey team for the world championship, according to the national team’s application for the tournament.
For now, the goalkeeper remains out of the squad Eric Vitolsdefenders Oskars Cibulskis, Arvil Bergmanis and Marcus Komulusattackers Dan Lochmelis, Raivis Anson and Martins Lavins. Of the seven hockey players left out of the application, four more will be applied until the first game, while three spots will be left open for Uvi Balinskis, Arturs Šilov and Teodors Blüger, who are still playing in the Stanley Cup of the National Hockey League (NHL).
Follow WC hockey and participate in the “Optibet prediction game”
In test matches, Latvian ice hockey players beat Austria twice in penalty kicks at home with 3:2 and lost to Finland twice with 2:3, lost to Switzerland 1:5 and 0:4 away, but lost to Norwegians 0:1 in extra time in Riga, winning by 8 in the replay :0.
In the Latvian national team, the head coach Harijs Vītoliņš is assisted by coaches Lauris Dārziņš, Artūrs Irbe, Petri Nummelins, Ville Peltonens, Raimonds Vilkoits, video coach Pēteris Groms and physical training specialist Āriks Visockis. The 2024 championship will take place in Prague and Ostrava from May 10 to 26.
The first opponents of the Latvian national team in subgroup B in Ostrava on May 11 at 17.20 will be the Polish national team, which competed in the first division last year and returned to the elite after a 22-year break. After that, on May 12, Latvia will meet with France, on May 14 – with Kazakhstan, on May 15 – with Germany, on May 18 – with Sweden, on May 19 – with Slovakia, and in the final group game on May 21, the Latvians will play against USA hockey players , who were beaten last year in the fight for bronze awards. All matches of the Latvian national team can be followed live on LTV7.
