THERE WAS NO SYSTEM BEFORE OR NOW
Until showing their true face, our allies in hockey development were eastern neighbors. The traditions that have existed since Soviet times ensured that the effects of the Slavic environment were felt in Latvian youth teams for a long time. Even now, the sounds of the Russian language can still be heard, but they have diminished considerably. The Latvian adult national team has undergone a generational change, replacing the Soviet school with modern hockey thinking, and this is also one of the reasons for the medal. However, a large part of the current players of the Latvian national team also gained temper in the neighboring country. Riga Dinamo for the existing project called HK Riga almost 400 hockey players passed through, mostly born and raised in Latvia. It was also represented by nine of the bronze men in the U18 national team. Looking at the progress of the players of the bronze squad in their youth, a motley picture opens up, but the continuation of their career in most cases led them in the direction of foreign countries. And there is still no system in Latvian hockey. The coach of each team is individually responsible for his students – whatever foundations he lays, the fruits of his work will grow.
STREAM TO SWEDEN
The world hockey scene is dominated by four countries – USA, Canada, Finland and Sweden. The United States tops the list in terms of youth development programs, while Finland and Sweden share the honor of the best system in Europe. Our overseas neighbors have always been a tempting destination for young players. In the draft of the National Hockey League (NHL), Swedish hockey players have been selected the most from European representatives – since the first draft ceremony in 1963, 831 Swedish players have been drafted, or on average 13.6 representatives of the three crowns are selected by NHL clubs every year. 2021/2022 In the season of 2018, two of our players took part in the highest tournament of the Swedish U18 league, both of whom were in their third season in this country – bronze medalist Dan Lochmelis and with Florida’s Panthers Sandis Vilmanis, who recently signed the contract. That season, when Latvia was recovering from the covid pandemic, there was an impressive move of Latvian hockey players to the lower leagues of the Swedish U18 Championship.
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