Breaking Down Latvia’s 2026 Olympic Roster

Outside of the three aforementioned players, Latvia has a mix of players who have played professional hockey in North America at different levels and for different lengths of time. Eduards Tralmaks is a player to keep an eye on, as he made his way to the American Hockey League (AHL) after signing with the Detroit Red Wings this last offseason. Tralmaks has had a strong season with the Grand Rapids Griffins and could provide some secondary scoring. Ēriks Mateiko (Washington Capitals) will make his first international appearance outside the World Junior Championships, where he was one of Latvia’s most consistent players.

Overall, the Latvians may not have the most explosive forward grouping, but if there is anything we have learned about Latvian teams, it is that they will not be outworked or out-hustled by anyone they play against. They will certainly be a forward group that is responsible at both ends of the ice.

Latvia’s Defensemen

Uvis Balnskis, Oskars Cibulskis, Ralfs Freibergs, Jānis Jaks, Roberts Mamčics, Kristāns Rubíns, Alberts Šmits, Kristaps Zile

The backend of the ice for Latvia has only one player who is currently a full-time NHLer, with Uvis Balinsksis playing a full-time role with the Florida Panthers over the last couple of seasons. He has played just over 130 NHL games and has also seen plenty of international action.

The rest of the defensemen on the Latvian roster for this year’s Olympics have played overseas for the majority of their careers, and one to keep a close eye on is 2026 draft-eligible youngster, Alberts Šmits. Šmits is coming off a strong showing at the Under-20 World Junior Championship (WJC) and, if given the chance, could be one of the team’s standout performers at the Olympics.

Overall, the group of defensemen representing Latvia will be more defensive-minded, with Šmits as the offensive leader if given the ice-time to do so.

Latvia’s Goaltenders

Kristers Gudlevskis, Elvis Merzlikins, Artūrs Šilovs

Where the Latvia roster has plenty of NHL experience is with their goaltending. Both Elvis Merzlikins (Columbus Blue Jackets) and Artūrs Šilovs (Pittsburgh Penguins) have had plenty of time spent in the league and will be pushing each other for the starting job at this year’s Olympics. It is likely that they will both see some time as starters throughout the preliminary round of play, with the one who performs better taking the spot as they get further into the prelims.

Šilovs has had a bit of an up-and-down start to his time with the Penguins after being traded from the Canucks in the offseason, and Merzlikins has struggled a bit with the Blue Jackets. While neither has had a great season with their respective NHL clubs to this point, they do solidify the position and will need to be at the top of their game throughout the Olympics, as they will likely be tested often by opponents.

Decent Outlook for Latvia

While the Latvians may not have the deepest or most talented roster at this year’s Olympics, they do have one with a good mix of youth, experience, and skill that should help them stay competitive against anyone they play. Can they pull off an upset like their U20 WJC team did last year against Canada?: Maybe not, but they will still be an exciting team to watch throughout the Olympics as the hockey world gets introduced to some players they may not know that well.