NHL Draft 2006
Andris Jansons (HV)
Two Latvian players were selected in this years NHL draft, that took
place in Vancouver B.C. .
With their second pick in the third round and 91st overall, the Ottawa
Senators took 5’11”, 181 pound, forward from Latvia Kaspars Daugavins.
Last season he played for his hometown team HK Riga 2000 in Latvian
and Belarus Elite Leagues collecting 25 points (8+17). Daugavins also
played for Team Latvia in three major international tournaments. First
was World Junior Championships in Kelowna, Vancouver and Kamloops B.C.,
where he collected two assists in six games. Then he played for U-18
Latvian team in Division 1 World Championships which took place in Riga
(Latvia), and finished with 9 points (5+4). And finally he had an official
debut in Team Latvia in 2006 World Championships in Riga (Latvia). He
showed great skill and passion playing against the world’s best, while
notching one assist in three games.
Atlanta Thrashers used their 200 overall pick to select Latvian defenseman
Arturs Kulda, who played last season for CSKA2 Moscow. Kulda is notable
physical presence at 6’2” and 194 pounds. Arturs played for Team Latvia
in World Junior Championships finishing with one assist in six games,
and for U18 Team Latvia in Division 1 World Championships collecting
3 points (1+2).
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