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LatviaNations in the NHL

Latvian NHL players 2025–26

7 Latvian players played in the NHL in 2025–26. Together they scored 67 points, the twelfth most of any country, and Latvia finished eleventh of 12 in the nations league. Zemgus Girgensons scored the most, 20 points.

7
NHL players
67
Points
11th
Nations league
33
Goalie wins
2025–26Last season82/82 games
2024–252026–27

LATVIAN LEADERS

In the nations league

11th
of 12 ranked nations
17
league points
Rate12thTop trio12thBlue line10thGoalies10thPer million4th

Latvia accounts for 0.7% 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
Arturs SilovsPIT
3919-12-0.8883.072
Elvis MerzlikinsCBJ
3014-11-0.8833.401

Every Latvian player in the NHL, team by team

7 players across 6 teams.
FLAFlorida Panthers2 players
Uvis Balinskis
D · 54 GP · 5G 10A15P
Sandis Vilmanis
LW · 19 GP · 3G 2A5P
CBJColumbus Blue Jackets1 player
Elvis Merzlikins
G · 30 GP · 14 W · .88314W
PHIPhiladelphia Flyers1 player
Rodrigo AbolsINACTIVE
C · 42 GP · 3G 7A10P
PITPittsburgh Penguins1 player
Arturs Silovs
G · 39 GP · 19 W · .88819W
TBLTampa Bay Lightning1 player
Zemgus Girgensons
C · 74 GP · 9G 11A20P
VANVancouver Canucks1 player
Teddy Blueger
C · 35 GP · 9G 8A17P

Season by season

Latvia had 1 players in the NHL in 1989–90 and 6 in 2024–25. 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
–
–
–
–6
–24

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 Russia

The nations league's five categories plus raw points and player count. The higher value takes the round.
Latvia
Latvia
11th in the league
1–6
Russia
Russia
5th in the league

Russia wins 6–1 against Latvia.

0.40Points per game0.52
52Best trio303
0.34Defencemen's points per game0.34
.890Goalies' save percentage.898
3.7NHL players per million inhabitants0.5
67Total points1 683
7Players in the NHL69
Latvia against Russia season by season
Pick a rivalGermanyGermanySwedenSwedenCzechiaCzechiaUSAUSARussiaRussiaCanadaCanadaSwitzerlandSwitzerlandFinlandFinlandDenmarkDenmarkBelarusBelarusSlovakiaSlovakia
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Continue reading

Top scorer
Zemgus Girgensons
Latvia's top scorer in 2025–26.
The team
Tampa Bay Lightning
Where Zemgus Girgensons 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 2025–26
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.