Rihards Bukarts | Photo: Eddy Palen / LETA
Forward Rihards Bukarts will join the Latvian hockey team for the upcoming training camp before this year’s world championship. https://twitter.com/lhf_lv/status/1773345627235061959 Latvian Ice Hockey Federation (LHF).
The 28-year-old striker started this season in the Swiss top league (NL) club Biel-Bienne, but finished it in the Czech extra league unit Ridera Vítkovice, where he played together with his brother Robert. Rihards scored a goal and an assist in 11 matches in the Biel team, in 18 regular championship games as part of “Rider” he scored 11 (7+4) points, and 1+1 in three “play-off” matches.
It should be reminded that Bukarts was the national team’s top scorer with 11 (3+8) points at the last world championship, where Latvia won bronze medals for the first time in history. He also broke the national team’s scoring record in one WC in the elite division.
Previously, goalkeeper Elvis Merzlikins, defenders Kristiāns Rubīns, Uvis Balinskis, Ralfs Freibergs, Oskars Cibulskis, Jānis Jaks, Kārlis Čukste, Kristaps Zīle and Roberts Mamčićs, as well as forwards Kaspars Daugavins, Oskars Batņa, Miks Indrašis, Renārs Krastenbergs, have also expressed their readiness to join the national team. Eduards Tralmaks, Haralds Egle, Andris Džeriņš, Rodrigo Ābols, Rudolfs Balcers, Tom Anderson and Rihards Marenis. It has already been reported that Finn Ville Peltonen will join the coaching staff of the national team at the upcoming world championship, who will replace Arti Ābola.
This year, the championship will take place from May 10 to 26 in the Czech cities of Prague and Ostrava. Latvia will play in one group with USA, Germany, Sweden, Slovakia, France, Kazakhstan and Poland.
