Latvia initially applied only 18 players for the world hockey championship

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).

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.

The composition of the Latvian national team for participation in the world championship:

goalkeepers – Elvis Merzlikin (Columbus Blue Jackets, NHL), Erik Vitols (Keuru “KeuPa”, Finland), Kristers Gudlevsky (Bremerhafen “Fischtown Pinguins”, Germany);

defenders – Jānis Jaks, Kristaps Zīle (Litvīnovas “Verva”, Czech Republic), Roberts Mamčić (“Nove Zamky”, Slovakia), Arvils Bergmanis (University of Alaska Fairbanks, NCAA), Markus Komuls (Trois-Riviera “Lions”, Canada), Ralfs Freiberg (“Mountfield” of Hradec Králova), Oskars Cibulskis (“Blue Fox” of Herning, Denmark), Kārlis Čukste (“Brynas” of Jävle, Sweden);

forwards – Oskars Batņa (Mikeli “Jukurit”, Finland), Roberts Bukart (Vītkovice “Ridera”, Czech Republic), Renārs Krastenberg (Graz “99ers”, Austria), Haralds Egle (Liptovski Mikulāša “MHK 32”, Slovakia), Martins Laviņš (University of New Hampshire, NCAA), Felix Gavar (University of St. Lawrence, NCAA), Dan Lochmelis (University of Massachusetts Emerst, NCAA), Kaspars Daugavins (Mihalovce “Dukla”, Slovakia), Eduards Tralmaks (Kladno “Rytīrži”, Czech Republic), Raivis Ansons (Penguins of Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, AHL), Miks Indrašis (Brynas of Jēvles, Sweden), Mārtiņš Dzierkals (Šlelefteo AIK, Sweden), Rodrigo Ābols (Rogle of Engelholm, Sweden).