Merzlikin will not help the national team this year

The NHL regular season concluded early Saturday morning Latvian time for the “Blue Jackets” team represented by Merzlikin.

During a meeting with Kalvīti, the goalkeeper admitted that he will be staying in the USA this spring to prepare for the next season, which will be very important in his career, and to spend time with his family. Merzlikin will have to improve his last NHL season, the worst of his professional career.

“Elvis was injured in the match against the Montreal Canadiens. There are problems with that. The club told him not to go to the World Championship right away. He had a very difficult season, he needs to prepare for the new season. The club has high hopes for him next season because he has a big contract. He’s the only goalie. Elvi should be ready for battle at the very start of the NHL season. But playing in the World Championships risks getting another. Injury,” Kalvītis explained Merzlikin’s decision in a conversation with TVNET.

The national team general manager added that the club has developed a specific training plan for Merzlikin, which should start from the end of the NHL regular season. There will be no compromises, so this year the national team will have to do without Merzlikin.

Currently, Kristers Gudlevskis is scheduled to join the team soon (he’s competing in the Swedish minor league finals) and Arturs Shilov’s Ebotsdorf “Canucks” unit in the American Hockey League is scheduled to complete the team soon after the end of the season. (AHL).

Goalkeepers Ivars Punnenovs, Eriks Vitols, Aksel Ozols and Marius Bajarun-Galejs are currently training with the team.

AHL club Milwaukee “Admirals” Gustavs Dāvis Grigals is also scheduled to join the national team camp.

On 22 and 23 April, Latvian ice hockey players will compete against Great Britain, while on 28 and 29 April “Arena Riga” will host matches against Switzerland. The Latvian national team will wrap up the preparation phase with a match against the Danish national team on 4 May.

The World Championships, co-hosted by the Finnish city of Tampere and Riga, will be held from 12 to 28 May.

A group match and two quarter-finals will be played in Riga, where Canada, Czech Republic, Switzerland, Slovakia, Latvia, Norway, Kazakhstan and Slovenia will compete.

Lauris Dārziņš, Artūrs Irbe, Artis Ābols, Peteri Nummelins and Raimonds Vilkoits assist head coach Harry Vītoliņš in his work with the national team.