It’s almost time for the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship (WJC). It’s been a long 12 months since we watched Canada win the gold medal over Czechia. This year, some dark horses are looking to make some waves, and one that stands out is certainly Team Latvia. They beat Norway in a relegation playoff last year to stay in the top division of U-20 hockey, and now they have an almost entirely new roster with just a few returning players from last year’s tournament. Let’s look at some of the key players who could make an impact for Latvia.
Two-Way Play on the Blue Line
The Latvians are bringing quite a few interesting defensemen, many of whom won’t be familiar to North American hockey fans. They have two returning defensemen, though only one will be starting on the roster. Niks Fenenko will be in the lineup immediately, while Elvis Laskovs has been assigned to a reserve slot and may return if necessary. Fenenko is a key player to keep an eye on during the tournament. Both his offensive and defensive play have improved massively in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League this season with the Baie-Comeau Drakkar. He recorded two points in six games in last year’s WJC and played well in both of Latvia’s pre-tournament games.
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The biggest standout during the pre-tournament games is the youngest player on the roster, Darels Uljanskis. The 17-year-old defenseman recorded three points in the two games and was also very solid in his own end. He’s eligible for the 2024 NHL Entry Draft, so a big performance in the WJC could do wonders for his potential draft stock.
Wide Open Opportunities in Goal
On paper, there doesn’t seem to be a clear-cut number-one goaltender for Latvia. Head coach Artis Abols seems to like his odds with Deivs Rolovs between the pipes, though, as he got the start in both pre-tournament games. He struggled in his first outing against Czechia, allowing four goals on 20 shots before getting pulled in favor of Linards Feldbergs, who went perfect for the rest of the night. Rolovs got the nod against Norway as well and fared much better. He made 31 saves on 33 shots again, and the Latvians walked away with a 6-2 win.
Rolovs will logically be the starter for the first game, but from there Abols would be wise not to commit to anything. Aksels Ozols hasn’t been phenomenal in the QMJHL this season, but it would be a bit surprising if he doesn’t get an opportunity at all during the tournament. Goaltending could be either one of Latvia’s greatest strengths or weaknesses, so it will be an interesting story to keep an eye on.
A Couple of NHL Prospects
There are only two players on Team Latvia that have been drafted by an NHL team. Dans Locmelis and Sandis Vilmanis will be a part of the team for the final time, and they’re certainly going to be looking to make an impact. Locmelis, whose NHL rights are held by the Boston Bruins, has been named team captain and was Latvia’s top goal scorer last time out. For the 2023 tournament, he scored three goals in six games. He joined the University of Massachusetts this season and has played fairly well during his first season in the NCAA. Latvia doesn’t have an abundance of proven goal-scorers, so they’ll need Locmelis to be playing at his best to pull off some upsets.
Related: 2024 Guide to the World Junior Championship
Vilmanis, a draft pick of the Florida Panthers, is playing with the Sarnia Sting of the Ontario Hockey League and is nearing a point-per-game pace. He’s second on the team in points, behind only 19-year-old defenseman Jacob LeBlanc. Although the Sting are struggling overall, Vilmanis is a player who can certainly make a difference on the international stage.
If both of Latvia’s drafted players are at their best, it may be enough to allow them to climb up the final standings. They finished ninth last year, and they have an opportunity to improve that result this time out. The talent is there. It’s just a matter of getting the results. As they proved in the IIHF World Championship earlier this year, Team Latvia has what it takes to pull off some major upsets, and that’s their goal in this year’s WJC.
