The Latvian men's national ice hockey team represents Latvia in international ice hockey. The team is ranked 10th in the world by IIHF as of 2023. The team is controlled by the Latvian Ice Hockey Federation. Their best ever finish at the World Championships was in 2023, when they won the bronze medal. Latvia reached the quarterfinals at the 2014 Winter Olympics, losing 2–1 to Canada. Latvia has 7,898 registered players (0.43% of its population).
Association | Latvian Ice Hockey Federation |
---|---|
General manager | Rūdolfs Kalvītis |
Head coach | Harijs Vītoliņš |
Assistants | Lauris Dārziņš Artūrs Irbe Petteri Nummelin Ville Peltonen Raimonds Vilkoits |
Captain | Kaspars Daugaviņš |
Most games | Rodrigo Laviņš (230) |
Top scorer | Leonīds Tambijevs (66) |
Most points | Leonīds Tambijevs (150) |
Home stadium | Arēna Rīga |
Team colors | |
IIHF code | LAT |
Ranking | |
Current IIHF | 10 (27 May 2024)[1] |
Highest IIHF | 9 (2005–06, 2014) |
Lowest IIHF | 13 (2018) |
First international | |
Latvia 3–0 Lithuania (Riga, Latvia; 27 February 1932)[2] | |
Biggest win | |
Latvia 32–0 Israel (Bled, Slovenia; 15 March 1993)[2] | |
Biggest defeat | |
Canada 14–0 Latvia (Davos, Switzerland; 20 January 1935)[2] | |
Olympics | |
Appearances | 6 (first in 1936) |
IIHF World Championships | |
Appearances | 35 (first in 1933) |
Best result | Bronze: (2023) |
IIHF European Championships | |
Appearances | 1 |
International record (W–L–T) | |
286–284–28 |
Medal record | ||
---|---|---|
World Championship | ||
2023 Finland/Latvia |
Overview
editRank | Olympics | World Championships | European Championships |
---|---|---|---|
1st | |||
2nd | |||
3rd | 2023 | ||
4th | |||
5th | |||
6th | |||
7th | 1997, 2004, 2009 | ||
8th | 2014 | 2000, 2018 | 1932 |
9th | 2002 | 1998, 2003, 2005, 2024 | |
10th | 1933, 1938, 1939, 2006, 2012, 2017, 2019, 2022 | ||
11th | 2022 | 1999, 2002, 2008, 2010, 2013, 2014, 2021 | |
12th | 2006, 2010 | ||
13th | 1936 | 1935, 1996 (1.B)↑, 2001, 2007, 2011, 2015, 2016 | |
14th | 1994 (2.B), 1995 (2.B) | ||
15th | |||
16th | |||
↑: promoted, ↓: relegated, (3.B): (rank.pool) |
Tournament record
editOlympic Games
editGames | GP | W | T | L | GF | GA | Coach | Captain | Finish | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1936 Garmisch-Partenkirchen | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 27 | Arvīds Jurgens | Leonīds Vedējs | 13 | |
1953–1991 | As part of Soviet Union | |||||||||
1994 Lillehammer | did not qualify | |||||||||
1998 Nagano | ||||||||||
2002 Salt Lake City | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 20 | 14 | Curt Lindström | Harijs Vītoliņš | 9 | |
2006 Turin | 5 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 11 | 29 | Leonīds Beresņevs | Kārlis Skrastiņš | 12 | |
Games | GP | W | OTW | OTL | L | GF | GA | Coach | Captain | Finish |
2010 Vancouver | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 22 | Oļegs Znaroks | Kārlis Skrastiņš | 12 |
2014 Sochi | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 9 | 14 | Ted Nolan | Sandis Ozoliņš | 8 |
2018 Pyeongchang | did not qualify | |||||||||
2022 Beijing | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 7 | 14 | Harijs Vītoliņš | Lauris Dārziņš | 11 |
2026 Milan/Cortina | qualified |
World Championship
editEuropean Championship
editGames | GP | W | T | L | GF | GA | Coach | Captain | Finish | Rank |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1932 Berlin | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 13 | – | Arvīds Jurgens | Consolation Round | 8th |
Team
editCurrent roster
editRoster for the 2024 IIHF World Championship.[6][7]
Head coach: Harijs Vītoliņš
No. | Pos. | Name | Height | Weight | Birthdate | Team |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2 | D | Kārlis Čukste | 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) | 98 kg (216 lb) | 17 June 1997 | Brynäs IF |
6 | D | Markuss Komuls | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) | 84 kg (185 lb) | 4 January 1998 | Trois-Rivières Lions |
9 | F | Renārs Krastenbergs | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) | 84 kg (185 lb) | 26 December 1998 | Graz 99ers |
13 | F | Rihards Bukarts | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) | 84 kg (185 lb) | 31 December 1995 | Vítkovice Ridera |
16 | F | Kaspars Daugaviņš – C | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) | 101 kg (223 lb) | 18 May 1988 | Dukla Michalovce |
17 | F | Mārtiņš Dzierkals | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) | 84 kg (185 lb) | 4 April 1997 | Skellefteå AIK |
18 | F | Rodrigo Ābols – A | 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) | 93 kg (205 lb) | 5 January 1996 | Rögle BK |
20 | F | Raivis Ansons | 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in) | 84 kg (185 lb) | 29 January 2002 | Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins |
27 | D | Oskars Cibuļskis | 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) | 96 kg (212 lb) | 9 April 1988 | Herning Blue Fox |
29 | D | Ralfs Freibergs | 1.81 m (5 ft 11 in) | 84 kg (185 lb) | 17 May 1991 | Mountfield HK |
30 | G | Elvis Merzļikins | 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) | 87 kg (192 lb) | 13 April 1994 | Columbus Blue Jackets |
34 | F | Eduards Tralmaks | 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) | 85 kg (187 lb) | 17 February 1997 | Rytíři Kladno |
35 | G | Ēriks Vītols | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) | 84 kg (185 lb) | 17 July 2001 | JYP Jyväskylä |
36 | F | Martins Laviņš | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) | 80 kg (180 lb) | 10 April 2003 | New Hampshire Wildcats |
50 | G | Kristers Gudļevskis | 1.92 m (6 ft 4 in) | 97 kg (214 lb) | 31 July 1992 | Fischtown Pinguins |
55 | D | Roberts Mamčics | 1.96 m (6 ft 5 in) | 105 kg (231 lb) | 6 April 1995 | Nové Zámky |
65 | D | Arvils Bergmanis | 1.81 m (5 ft 11 in) | 79 kg (174 lb) | 29 December 1999 | Alaska Nanooks |
70 | F | Miks Indrašis | 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) | 89 kg (196 lb) | 30 September 1990 | Brynäs IF |
71 | F | Roberts Bukarts – A | 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in) | 84 kg (185 lb) | 27 June 1990 | Vítkovice Ridera |
72 | D | Jānis Jaks | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) | 86 kg (190 lb) | 22 August 1995 | HC Litvínov |
77 | D | Kristaps Zīle | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) | 86 kg (190 lb) | 24 December 1997 | HC Litvínov |
82 | F | Fēlikss Gavars | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) | 82 kg (181 lb) | 15 May 2002 | St. Lawrence Saints |
85 | F | Dans Ločmelis | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) | 81 kg (179 lb) | 21 January 2004 | UMass Minutemen |
95 | F | Oskars Batņa | 1.95 m (6 ft 5 in) | 106 kg (234 lb) | 7 May 1995 | Mikkelin Jukurit |
97 | F | Haralds Egle | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) | 95 kg (209 lb) | 11 May 1996 | MHk 32 Liptovský Mikuláš |
Retired numbers
edit- 1 – Artūrs Irbe
- 7 – Kārlis Skrastiņš
- 19 – Helmuts Balderis
- 33 – Sergejs Žoltoks[8]
Coaching history
editCoach | GP | W | T | L | GD | P-ts | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1939 | Larry Marsh[9][10] | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 6:21 | n/a |
1992–1994 | Helmuts Balderis | -- | -- | - | -- | --- | -- |
1995 | Ēvalds Grabovskis | -- | -- | - | -- | --- | -- |
1996–1999 | Leonīds Beresņevs | 56 | 36 | 7 | 13 | 275:143 | 79 |
1999–2001 | Haralds Vasiļjevs | 32 | 12 | 8 | 12 | 81:76 | 32 |
2001–2004 | Curt Lindström | 65 | 32 | 8 | 25 | 202:161 | 72 |
2005–2006 | Leonīds Beresņevs | 32 | 25 | 3 | 14 | 112:113 | 53 |
2006 | Petr Vorobiev | 11 | 4 | 1 | 6 | 25:35 | 9 |
2007–2011 | Oleg Znarok | 37 | 15 | 0 | 22 | 98:126 | 41 |
2011–2014 | Ted Nolan | 26 | 11 | 0 | 15 | 57:65 | 35 |
2015 | Aleksandrs Beļavskis | 7 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 11:25 | 5 |
2016 | Leonīds Beresņevs | 7 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 13:22 | 6 |
2016 | Haralds Vasiļjevs | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 13:5 | 6 |
2017–2021 | Bob Hartley | 29 | 11 | 7 | 11 | 68:73 | 41 |
2021–present | Harijs Vītoliņš | 24 | 7 | 7 | 10 | 73:69 | 36 |
All-time record
edit- As of September 1st 2024.[11]
Opponent | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | GF | GA | GD |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Austria | 25 | 21 | 0 | 4 | 98 | 56 | +42 |
Belarus | 40 | 19 | 3 | 18 | 106 | 97 | +9 |
Belgium | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 4 | +27 |
Canada | 23 | 1 | 1 | 21 | 28 | 119 | -91 |
China | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 0 | +22 |
Czech Republic | 19 | 1 | 1 | 17 | 34 | 66 | −32 |
Czechoslovakia | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 16 | −16 |
Denmark | 38 | 24 | 0 | 14 | 131 | 93 | +38 |
Estonia | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 32 | 6 | +26 |
Finland | 33 | 4 | 2 | 27 | 61 | 128 | −67 |
France | 56 | 36 | 4 | 16 | 191 | 114 | +77 |
Germany | 41 | 13 | 4 | 24 | 91 | 111 | -20 |
Great Britain | 11 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 44 | 39 | +5 |
Hungary | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 31 | 12 | +19 |
Israel | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 32 | 0 | +32 |
Italy | 19 | 14 | 1 | 4 | 71 | 30 | +41 |
Japan | 13 | 12 | 0 | 1 | 79 | 26 | +53 |
Kazakhstan | 15 | 10 | 0 | 5 | 54 | 31 | +23 |
Lithuania | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 45 | 2 | +43 |
Netherlands | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 45 | 6 | +39 |
North Korea | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | +4 |
Norway | 42 | 25 | 0 | 17 | 138 | 109 | +29 |
Poland | 21 | 16 | 0 | 5 | 72 | 50 | +22 |
Romania | 8 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 49 | 7 | +42 |
Russia | 22 | 6 | 1 | 15 | 38 | 83 | −45 |
Slovakia | 35 | 11 | 2 | 22 | 73 | 116 | -43 |
Slovenia | 13 | 11 | 0 | 2 | 44 | 23 | +21 |
South Korea | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 38 | 2 | +36 |
Sweden | 29 | 3 | 1 | 25 | 50 | 120 | −70 |
Switzerland | 41 | 9 | 3 | 29 | 73 | 128 | -55 |
Ukraine | 20 | 14 | 1 | 5 | 67 | 49 | +18 |
United States | 19 | 4 | 2 | 13 | 38 | 61 | −23 |
Yugoslavia | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | +10 |
Total | 598 | 286 | 28 | 284 | 1 868 | 1 648 | +220 |
Uniform evolution
edit-
1996-2005 IIHF jerseys
-
former IIHF jerseys
-
2014 Winter Olympics
-
2018–2021 IIHF jerseys
-
2022– Winter Olympics and IIHF
References
edit- ^ "IIHF Men's World Ranking". IIHF. 27 May 2024. Retrieved 27 May 2024.
- ^ a b c Includes Olympics, World Championships, World Cups, Canada Cups and Summit Series.
- ^ Steiss, Adam. "2020 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship cancelled". iihf.com. IIHF. Retrieved 21 March 2020.
- ^ "IIHF to move 2023 World Championship". iihf.com. Retrieved 25 May 2022.
- ^ Merk, Martin. "Tampere/Riga candidate for 2023". IIHF. Retrieved 25 May 2022.
- ^ "Paziņots Latvijas nacionālās izlases sastāvs Pasaules čempionātam Ostravā un Prāgā" (in Latvian). lhf.lv. 7 May 2024.
- ^ "Team roster: Latvia" (PDF). iihf.com. 10 May 2024.
- ^ "LHF iemūžina Žoltoka 33. Numuru un godina viņa piemiņu". 24 April 2019.
- ^ "Ted Nolan to coach Latvia". webarchive.iihf.com. Retrieved 11 April 2019.
- ^ Zariņš, Viesturs (4 May 2006). "Latvia's hockey history spans a century". Latvians Online. Retrieved 11 April 2019.
- ^ "Latvia - National Teams of Ice Hockey". nationalteamsoficehockey.com. 7 August 2016. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
External links
editWikimedia Commons has media related to Latvia men's national ice hockey team.