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LatviaNations in the NHL

Latvian NHL players 1998–99

7 Latvian players played in the NHL in 1998–99. Together they scored 56 points, the tenth most of any country, and Latvia finished fourth of 8 in the nations league. Sandis Ozolinsh scored the most, 32 points.

7
NHL players
56
Points
4th
Nations league
42
Goalie wins
1998–99Last season82/82 games
1997–981999–00

LATVIAN LEADERS

In the nations league

4th
of 8 ranked nations
23
league points
Rate6thTop trio8thBlue line2ndGoalies2ndPer million4th

Latvia accounts for 0.8% of the NHL's players and 0.4% of its points.

The full nations league

Latvian goalies

Regular season. Most games first.
GoalieGPW-L-OTLSV%GAASO
Arturs IrbeCAR
6227-20-0.9232.226
Peter SkudraPIT
3715-11-0.8922.793

Every Latvian player in the NHL, team by team

7 players across 6 teams.
PITPittsburgh Penguins2 players
Victor IgnatjevINACTIVE
D · 11 GP · 0G 1A1P
Peter SkudraINACTIVE
G · 37 GP · 15 W · .89215W
CARCarolina Hurricanes1 player
Arturs IrbeINACTIVE
G · 62 GP · 27 W · .92327W
COLColorado Avalanche1 player
Sandis OzolinshINACTIVE
D · 39 GP · 7G 25A32P
FLAFlorida Panthers1 player
Herbert VasiljevsINACTIVE
RW · 5 GP · 0G 0A0P
MTLMontréal Canadiens1 player
Sergei ZholtokINACTIVE
C · 70 GP · 7G 15A22P
NSHNashville Predators1 player
Karlis SkrastinsINACTIVE
D · 2 GP · 0G 1A1P

Season by season

Latvia had 1 players in the NHL in 1989–90 and 7 in 2025–26. The peak was 1999–00, with 7. Under each bar is the nations league placing.
–
–
–4
–93
–
–
–
–7
699
9
–
–
–3
–05
–
–
9
104
–10
–
–
–
–4
–15
–
–
–
–4
–20
–
–
–
–7
1125

In the NHL Draft

Four Latvian players were picked in the 2026 NHL Draft, one of them in the first round. Alberts Smits went first, at number 5 to the New York Rangers.

Every pick in 2026 →The draft through the years →

Latvian NHL players all time

Regular season, whole careers. The record seasons count completed seasons only.

Latvia against Canada

The nations league's five categories plus raw points and player count. The higher value takes the round.
Latvia
Latvia
4th in the league
3–4
Canada
Canada
5th in the league

Canada wins 4–3 against Latvia.

0.40Points per game0.35
55Best trio290
0.32Defencemen's points per game0.24
.911Goalies' save percentage.905
3.7NHL players per million inhabitants13.7
56Total points8 175
7Players in the NHL551
Latvia against Canada season by season
Pick a rivalCzechiaCzechiaRussiaRussiaSwedenSwedenCanadaCanadaFinlandFinlandSlovakiaSlovakiaUSAUSA
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Continue reading

Top scorer
Sandis Ozolinsh
Latvia's top scorer in 1998–99.
The team
Colorado Avalanche
Where Sandis Ozolinsh plays.
Nations in the NHL
Every nation in the NHL
How many players each country has in the NHL, with a page for each.
Nations league
NHL battle of the nations 1998–99
The countries compared per player rather than in raw totals.
Against Sweden
Sweden vs Latvia
Seven rounds, season by season.
The Swedes
Every Swede in the NHL
Team by team, with position and stats.