Goalkeeper Artūrs Šilovs has joined the training of the Latvian men’s hockey team, the agency LETA observed on Saturday.
21-year-old Shilov has played ten matches in the American Hockey League (AHL) and ECHL this season. In the AHL, where the Latvian has not played since January, he has conceded an average of 3.1 puck in the match and repelled 88.8% of the luck, but in the ECHL he has an average of 2.37 puck and a replay of 92%. At the end of the regular tournament, he was called to the National Hockey League (NHL) by the Vancouver Canucks, but the Latvian did not make his NHL debut. Shilov’s Ebotsford Canucks ended the AHL this week.
The Latvian national team will play the last test matches before the World Championship on Sunday and Monday, hosting Kazakhstan at the Arena Riga. On Saturday and Sunday, Latvians met Switzerland in Weinfelden and suffered two losses with 2: 5 and 1: 3. Last week, Latvian hockey players played test matches with France, first losing 1: 2 and winning 3: 2 a day later.
The Latvian national team at the World Championships in Group B in Tampere crossed sticks with Finland, the USA, the Czech Republic, Sweden, Norway, Great Britain and Austria. Canada, Germany, Switzerland, Slovakia, Denmark, Kazakhstan, Italy and France will play in Group A. Helsinki. It has already been reported that after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the International Hockey Federation (IIHF) suspended all Russian and Belarusian national teams and clubs from competitions organized by the IIHF. Russia and Belarus will be replaced by France and Austria, which ranked the highest selection of countries not expected to play in the top division.
The 2022 World Championships in Finland are scheduled for May 13-29.
List of candidates for the Latvian men’s hockey team in the training camp:
Goalkeepers: Elvis Merzlikins (Columbus Blue Jackets, NHL), Gustav Davis Grigals (University of Alaska Fairbanks, NCAA), Erik Willol (Zemgale / LLU), Artur Shilov (Ebucksford Canucks, AHL);
Defenders: Jānis Jaks (“Sochi”, KHL), Kārlis Čukste (Lahti “Pelicans”, Finland), Kristaps Sotnieks (Riga “Dinamo”, KHL), Roberts Mamčics (“Linkoping”, Sweden), Arvils Bergmanis (University of Alaska, Fairbanks) , NCAA), Ernest Ošenieks (Kiekko-Vantaa, Finland), Artūrs Kulda (Pinguine in Krefeld, Germany), Kristaps Zīle (Orebro, Sweden), Nauris Sējējs (Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland) , Sandis Smons (Geneva Servette, Switzerland), Patrick Ozols (Zemgale / LLU);
Forwards: Mārtiņš Dzierkals (Škoda, Pilsen, Czech Republic), Richard Bucharest (Vladivostok Admiral, KHL), Robert Buchart (Ridera, Czech Republic), Andris Džeriņš (Linz, Black Hawks, Austria), Richard Maren Vita Hasten, Sweden), Deniss Smirnov (Servette, Geneva, Switzerland), Patrick Zabusov (PSG Berani, Zlin, Czech Republic), Oskar Lapinski (Tigers, Langnava, Switzerland), Ronald King (Lausanne), Switzerland), Miks Indrašis (Biel-Bienne, Switzerland), Oskars Batņa (Mikeli Jukurit, Finland), Renārs Krastenbergs (Villach VSV, Austria), Klāvs Weinbergs, Edgars Kulda (both Zemgale / LLU), Rodrigo Abol (Orebro, Sweden), Nikolay Yeliseyev (MoDo, Sweden), Rudolf Balcher (San Jose Sharks, KHL).
