It has been nearly a decade since Latvia last qualified for the quarter-finals,
but last year's 10th-place finish was also the best in half a dozen years. There is skill on the team, and coach Bob Hartley is back.

Although Latvia didn't qualify for PyeongChang, missing out on an important experience for the players, the team is back with many players from last year. There is skill up front, and a strong will

to compete at all times, and a playoff spot is not out of the question.

Goal

For the first time in ages it feels as if Latvia has two young and very capable
goalies. The 24-year-old Elvis Merzlikins has been the go-to goalie the last two years, and he'll be joined by

Kristers Gudlevskis, a 25-year-old who played at the 2013 and '14 Worlds as well as the Sochi Olympics. Together they provide Latvia with solid goaltending. They can't win the game on their own,

but they give good support to a team that needs confidence in the blue ice.

Defence

The blue line is a mix of old and new. Veterans back for another year include Oskars Cibulskis, back for a sixth Worlds, and 31-year-old Kristaps Sotnieks, who has played at every Worlds and

Olympics since 2009.

Kristians Rubins and Kristaps Zile are only 21 and both are graduates of the Latvian junior program. They played at the 2015 U18 and the 2017 U20, and this is their first senior tournament. The 25

-year-old Edgars Siksna is in a similar situation, although he played at the 2016 Worlds after playing the two junior events.

Forward

Several top forwards for the Latvians are not in Denmark, which is a blow for the team. Kaspars Daugavins, Zemgus Girgensons, and Janis Sprukts are all absent for one reason or another, but still

there are several veteran returnees to the roster.

The Bukarts brothers are back. Rihards and Roberts are both young and experienced (notably Roberts), but they are solid role players rather than scorers (see Daugavins). Miks Indrasis is now in his

seventh consecutive Worlds, and Gints Meija is in his eighth since 2010 (missing only 2015 along the way). Gunars Skvorcovs, 28, is playing his fourth in a row, and this will be number seven for

Ronalds Kenins. The common characteristic, though, is a lack of scoring. The team managed just 14 goals in seven games last year, and that's just not enough
to win many games, even if the goalies

are playing well.

Newer players up front include 22-year-old Rodrigo Abols, who played at the 2015 and 2016 WM. In another nod to the junior program, coach Hartley has added
Oskars Batna, who turns 23 on Monday. He

played at the 2013 U18 and has been developing slowly but surely ever since.

Rudolf Balcers joins Rubins and Zile from the 2015 U18 and 2017 U20 teams to make his senior debut as well, and Nikita Jevpalovs, at 23, also has junior experience prior to his debut at the top

level this year. In all, Hartley has tried to balance the old with the new, understanding fresh blood is critical to the development of players and the health of the program.

Coaching

Bob Hartley is back for a second year with Latvia. He has the NHL and European pedigree the team needs, and last year's showing was a positive one. He seems to fit into the program well, and if he

can tap into the team's psyche and make them believe, the team could surprise people.

Projected Results

Identifying key games is critical for bubble teams such as Latvia. They know they can (should?) beat Korea, and they must take confidence to games against Norway and Denmark as well. Germany might

be a tougher game, and Canada, Finland, and the United States may be out of range. But if they can win where they expect to, and scramble for an additional
couple of points somewhere else, they may

make it to the quarter-finals. Given their last decade of play, this would be a
nice achievement.

Andrew Podnieks

http://https://www.new-iihf.com/en/events/2018/wm/news/2266/lat-preview
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