Olivers Murnieks – 2026 NHL Draft Prospect Profile

Olivers Murnieks

2025–26 Team: Saint John Sea Dogs (QMJHL)
Date of Birth: Jul. 31, 2008
Place of Birth: Riga, Latvia
Height: 6-foot-1, Weight: 198 pounds
Shoots: Left
Position: Centre
NHL Draft Eligibility: 2026 first-year eligible

Rankings

• NHL Central Scouting Final Rankings: 98^th (among NA skaters)
• Peter Baracchini’s Top 96 March Rankings: 90^th
• Andrew Forbes’s Top 96 April Rankings: 67^th
• Steven Ellis (Daily Faceoff) May Top 100: 81^st

Olivers Murnieks first burst onto the scene in 2023-24 when he joined Team Latvia at the U18 World Juniors. Despite being the youngest player on the team at just 15 years old, he finished fourth in scoring with three points, and his lone goal was not only crucial in helping the Latvians defeat Slovakia in the round robin, but also put him on the map as the youngest Latvian to ever score at the tournament.

Less than a year later, Murnieks was back in the spotlight, this time with the U20 World Juniors. At just 16 years old, he put up four points in five games, tying Bruno Osmanis for second in team scoring, and helped the plucky Latvians defeat the Canadians in a shootout despite having the youngest squad in Ottawa. If that wasn’t enough, Murnieks scored a goal and added two assists against the Germans two games later, helping Latvia pull off another upset in extra time.

But it was his third appearance at the U18 World Juniors that put him on the 2026 NHL Draft map. In five games, he finished tied for first among Latvians with six points, and was a big part in the astonishing 5-2 upset over Team USA in the Quarterfinal.

It was against the USA that Murnieks showcased his effective two-way game, which prevented the Americans from generating momentum. He positioned himself either close to the goalie or up near the slot, watching the play, tracking the movement, and judging when he should jump in to try to break things up. Then, once with the puck, he cycled it very well to his teammates, picking out the perfect route to create a scoring chance. Even though he wasn’t getting on the score sheet frequently, he was always involved in the play, both offensively and defensively.

Unfortunately, that wasn’t always on display in the Quebec Maritime Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). After leaving the United States Hockey League (USHL) for the Saint John Sea Dogs this season, he spent most of the year injured; he played just one game in December and didn’t suit up for the Sea Dogs after January. If he wasn’t on the injured reserve, he was playing hurt, which further limited his effectiveness. His hockey sense and reaction time looked sluggish, his shot lacked power, and his skill set lacked a defining feature. Still, he finished his rookie season with a respectable seven goals and 20 points in 31 games.

But on international ice, Murnieks has been much better. He still needs to get strong on his shot and increase his reaction time, but he has excellent vision and has often been Latvia’s primary play driver. He plays with a quarterback mentality, which is seen more among defencemen, but Murnieks’s patience and work ethic enable him to control the flow of the game. He’s also excellent in the faceoff circle; with the Sea Dogs, he had a 53% win percentage, and was one of the top faceoff men at the U18s, finishing with a 55% win percentage.

Murnieks still has plenty of growing to do and to gain more confidence with the North American game, but staying healthy will help that, and he’s committed to Boston College for 2027-28. That will give him plenty of time to develop into a dangerous two-way centre and give him a great chance at making the NHL one day.

Other THW Draft Profiles

• Rudolfs Berzkalns
• Alberts Smits
• Maddox Dagenais

Olivers Murnieks – NHL Draft Projection

Murnieks’ final games at the U18 World Juniors and the World Championship were some of the best of his season, and some recency bias may have solidified him as a second-round pick. He has the size and two-way skill that NHL teams like to see, and although he doesn’t have the high-end offensive skills of some of his peers projected to go in the second round, he’s proven he can handle playing against some of the best in the World. At the very least, he shouldn’t fall past the third round.

Quotables

“Is the third time the charm? Murnieks represented Latvia at the U-18s for the third season, and he was easily one of the most noticeable forwards every night. Latvia didn’t have much going for it offensively (despite making it to the medal round), but Murnieks was the team’s premier setup guy. He makes many smart passes, and he’s great in the faceoff dot, too. Murnieks deserves love for his two-way game, and he’s a play driver on a team like Latvia. Without him, the Latvians would have struggled to even make the playoffs. Scouts are still worried that Murnieks isn’t spectacular at anything, and his jack-of-all-trades approach (mixed in with a subpar shot) could hold him back from a good NHL career. Regardless, I could see him going in the second round.” Stephen Ellis, Daily Faceoff

“Bulky winger who drives the slot with a purpose. He is chippy, strong, and very hard to knock off the puck. Finds quick shots and passes to the slot off of the rush consistently. Doesn’t get bullied low in the zone. But he is missing a layer of lateral playmaking that made his USHL game exciting. If he adds that back, he could quickly become a value pick – with a strong frame and great ability to create off of the rush.” Gabriel Foley, Recruit Scouting

Murnieks is a dependable two-way center. He’s a good skater who plays with pace. His compete level is excellent; he wins a lot of battles and generates offence in the high percentage areas. Murnieks’ style of play is likable, but whether he has enough pure talent is a minor question. He has some skill and vision, but it’s not a selling point of his game, and he can be quite basic with the puck. Corey Pronman, The Athletic (from “2026 NHL Draft prospects: Chase Reid, Alberts Smits and Keaton Verhoeff top Pronman’s ranking,” The Athletic – 13/05/2026)

Strengths

• Faceoff specialist
• Two-way presence
• Work ethic
• Vision and puck movement

Under Construction – Improvements to Make

• Needs to get more comfortable with North American hockey
• Weaker shot
• Hockey sense

NHL Potential

Murnieks projects as a reliable bottom-six energy forward who can help out on the second power play and penalty kill units, but could emerge as a strong middle-six option if he can stay healthy. He’s already made significant strides this season despite missing so much time, and with just a year and a half playing on smaller rinks, he could suddenly find a new gear once he gets more familiar with the North American style.

Risk-Reward Analysis

Risk – 3/5, Reward – 3/5

Fantasy Hockey Potential

Offence – 6/10, Defence – 6/10

Awards/Achievements

• 2025-26 U18 World Juniors – Top 3 Player on Latvia
• Member of Team Latvia at the 2025-26 World Championship
• Member of Team Latvia at the 2025 and 2026 U20 World Juniors
• 2024-25 USHL All-Rookie Second Team
• 2023-24 U18 World Juniors – Youngest Latvian to score a goal at 15 years, eight months, and 27 days.

Interviews/Links

• Olivers Mūrnieks – the rising star of the Latvian national team (YouTube – in Latvian)
• Sweet Sixteen – Olivers Murnieks 2025 World Juniors (YouTube – IIHF)
  

Olivers Murnieks Stats

Videos