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Latvian NHL players 2021–22

5 Latvian players played in the NHL in 2021–22. Together they scored 69 points, the twelfth most of any country. The nations league needs at least five skaters, so Latvia was not part of it. Teddy Blueger scored the most, 28 points.

5
NHL players
69
Points
–
Nations league
27
Goalie wins
2021–22Last season82/82 games
2020–212022–23

LATVIAN LEADERS

In the nations league

The nations league needs five skaters, and Latvia has four. In raw numbers the country is twelfth in points and eleventh in players.

Latvia accounts for 0.4% of the NHL's players and 0.3% of its points.

The full nations league

Latvian goalies

Regular season. Most games first.
GoalieGPW-L-OTLSV%GAASO
Elvis MerzlikinsCBJ
5927-23-0.9083.222

Every Latvian player in the NHL, team by team

5 players across 5 teams.
BUFBuffalo Sabres1 player
Zemgus Girgensons
C · 56 GP · 10G 8A18P
CBJColumbus Blue Jackets1 player
Elvis Merzlikins
G · 59 GP · 27 W · .90827W
PITPittsburgh Penguins1 player
Teddy Blueger
C · 65 GP · 9G 19A28P
SJSSan Jose Sharks1 player
Rudolfs BalcersINACTIVE
LW · 61 GP · 11G 12A23P
TORToronto Maple Leafs1 player
Kristians RubinsINACTIVE
D · 3 GP · 0G 0A0P

Season by season

Latvia had 1 players in the NHL in 1989–90 and 7 in 2025–26. The peak was 1998–99, with 7. Under each bar is the nations league placing.
–
–
–4
–93
–
–
–
–7
498
6
9
–
–4
–03
–
–
–
95
1009
–
–
–
–2
–14
–
–
–
–5
–19
–
–
–
–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.
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Top scorer
Teddy Blueger
Latvia's top scorer in 2021–22.
The team
Pittsburgh Penguins
Where Teddy Blueger 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 2021–22
The countries compared per player rather than in raw totals.
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