Lauris Darzinš
Encyclopedia
Lauris Dārziņš is a Latvia
n ice hockey
player who currently plays for Ak Bars Kazan of Kontinental Hockey League
(KHL).
by the Nashville Predators
out of the junior hockey system Finnish
team Lukko Rauma. In the 2004–05
season, Dārziņš played in the North American WHL
with the then-reigning Memorial Cup
champion Kelowna Rockets
, alongside fellow Predators prospect and 2003 draft choice Shea Weber
. In two seasons with the Rockets, Dārziņš recorded 32 goals and 67 points in 90 games, helping the Rockets win the Ed Chynoweth Cup in 2005, although they failed to repeat as Memorial Cup champions.
. After just thirteen games, Dārziņš moved to HC Vsetin, then of the Czech Extraliga
, where he again played just thirteen games, scoring three goals.
In the summer of 2007, Dārziņš signed on with HC Trinec, but played just one game for the club before latching on with HK Gomel
of the Belarusian Extraleague. Dārziņš finally broke through professionally with a strong campaign for the Belarusian side, with seventeen goals and 34 points in 32 games in the 2007-08 campaign, leading the team in goals and points. This strong season garnered him some attention among stronger Eastern European clubs, and on May 27, 2008, he signed on with Russian club HC MVD of the newly re-branded Russian SuperLeague
.
club in his hometown for the team's inaugural campaign. Dārziņš scored just eight goals and seventeen points in 56 games, and the team scored just 132 goals total, but found their way into the playoffs before getting swept in the first round by Dynamo Moscow
.
Dārziņš would return to Riga in 2009-10, and enjoyed a breakout season. The winger scored fourteen goals, third-most on the team, and 31 total points in 54 games. Riga returned to the playoffs, upsetting top-seeded SKA Saint Petersburg
three games to one, but falling in the second round to MVD four games to one. Dārziņš scored two goals and four points in nine playoff games.
In the spring of 2010, Dārziņš' contract with Riga expired. After being briefly linked with Russian powerhouse club Ak Bars Kazan, Dārziņš revealed that he had been in contact with scouts with the NHL club that drafted him, the Nashville Predators
, about a possible return to North American hockey. At the end of the 2009-10 season, Dārziņš was the fourth-leading scorer in Riga's two-year history, with 47 points in 112 games.
Dārziņš ultimately spurned any forays into North America in favor of another season with his hometown club. He was rewarded with his best offensive totals at any level, scoring 21 goals and 23 assists in 45 games for Dinamo, leading the team in goals and points. Dārziņš was named to the 2011 KHL All-Star Game
in St. Petersburg as part of Team Yashin and finished 16th in the KHL in scoring. Dinamo returned to the Gagarin Cup playoffs, with Dārziņš scoring ten points in eleven games as Riga upset Dynamo Moscow
four games to two in the first round.
, scoring two goals and three total points in five games. Dārziņš returned to the U18s the following year, posting one goal and two points in five games. He broke through with the Under-20 team in 2003 and would go on to play in three Division I IIHF World U20 Championships, where he would score 12 goals and 24 points in 15 games over three tournaments.
In 2006, Dārziņš made his debut with the full national team as a 21-year-old in the 2006 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships
, which were held in his hometown of Riga
. He has not missed the tournament since his debut, scoring nine goals and twelve points in 23 games over four tournaments.
In February 2010, Dārziņš represented Latvia at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, recording one assist in four games.
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
n ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
player who currently plays for Ak Bars Kazan of Kontinental Hockey League
Kontinental Hockey League
The Kontinental Hockey League is an international professional ice hockey league in Eurasia founded in 2008. As of 2009, it is ranked as the strongest hockey league in Europe....
(KHL).
Junior career
Dārziņš was drafted in the 9th round, 268th overall in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft2003 NHL Entry Draft
The 2003 NHL Entry Draft was held at the Gaylord Entertainment Center in Nashville, Tennessee on June 21, 2003.Marc-Andre Fleury was selected first overall by the Pittsburgh Penguins, only the third goalie in NHL history selected as the first overall draft choice...
by the Nashville Predators
Nashville Predators
The Nashville Predators are a professional ice hockey team based in Nashville, Tennessee. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
out of the junior hockey system Finnish
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
team Lukko Rauma. In the 2004–05
2004-05 WHL season
The 2004–05 WHL season was the 39th season for the Western Hockey League. Twenty teams completed a 72 game schedule. The Kelowna Rockets won the President's Cup.-Eastern Conference:-Western Conference:-Scoring leaders:...
season, Dārziņš played in the North American WHL
Western Hockey League
The Western Hockey League is a major junior ice hockey league based in Western Canada and the Northwestern United States. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitute the Canadian Hockey League as the highest level of junior hockey in Canada...
with the then-reigning Memorial Cup
Memorial Cup
The Memorial Cup is a junior ice hockey club championship trophy awarded annually to the Canadian Hockey League champion. It is awarded following a four-team, round robin tournament between a host team and the champions of the CHL's three member leagues: the Ontario Hockey League , Quebec Major...
champion Kelowna Rockets
Kelowna Rockets
The Kelowna Rockets are a major junior ice hockey team based in Kelowna, British Columbia. The Rockets play in the Western Hockey League , out of the Canadian Hockey League . They play their home games at Prospera Place....
, alongside fellow Predators prospect and 2003 draft choice Shea Weber
Shea Weber
Shea Michael Weber is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman in the National Hockey League . An NHL All-Star and Olympic gold medalist, he is the captain of the Nashville Predators....
. In two seasons with the Rockets, Dārziņš recorded 32 goals and 67 points in 90 games, helping the Rockets win the Ed Chynoweth Cup in 2005, although they failed to repeat as Memorial Cup champions.
Return to Europe
After completing two seasons with the Rockets, Dārziņš went unsigned the Predators and opted to return to Finland in 2006, signing with Ilves Tampere of the SM-liigaSM-liiga
The SM-liiga is the top professional ice hockey league in Finland. As of March 2008, it is ranked by the IIHF as the second strongest league in Europe. It was created in 1975 to replace the SM-sarja, which was fundamentally an amateur league. The SM-liiga is not directly overseen by the Finnish Ice...
. After just thirteen games, Dārziņš moved to HC Vsetin, then of the Czech Extraliga
Czech Extraliga
The Czech Extraliga is the highest-level ice hockey league in the Czech Republic. As of 2009, it is ranked by the IIHF as the third strongest league in Europe....
, where he again played just thirteen games, scoring three goals.
In the summer of 2007, Dārziņš signed on with HC Trinec, but played just one game for the club before latching on with HK Gomel
HK Gomel
HK Homiel is an ice hockey team in Homiel in Belarus. The team was founded in 2000, and participates in the Belarusian Extraliga.- Honours :*Belarusian Extraliga:**Winners : 2003*Belarusian Cup :...
of the Belarusian Extraleague. Dārziņš finally broke through professionally with a strong campaign for the Belarusian side, with seventeen goals and 34 points in 32 games in the 2007-08 campaign, leading the team in goals and points. This strong season garnered him some attention among stronger Eastern European clubs, and on May 27, 2008, he signed on with Russian club HC MVD of the newly re-branded Russian SuperLeague
Kontinental Hockey League
The Kontinental Hockey League is an international professional ice hockey league in Eurasia founded in 2008. As of 2009, it is ranked as the strongest hockey league in Europe....
.
Dinamo Riga
Dārziņš would never play a game for MVD, and eventually landed with the resurrected Dinamo RigaDinamo Riga
Dinamo Riga was an ice hockey club, based in Riga, Latvia. It was founded in 1946 and disestablished in 1995 as Pārdaugava Rīga.-History of Dinamo Riga:...
club in his hometown for the team's inaugural campaign. Dārziņš scored just eight goals and seventeen points in 56 games, and the team scored just 132 goals total, but found their way into the playoffs before getting swept in the first round by Dynamo Moscow
HC Dynamo Moscow
HC Dynamo Moscow was a Russian professional ice hockey club based in Moscow. They were members of the Bobrov Division in the Kontinental Hockey League...
.
Dārziņš would return to Riga in 2009-10, and enjoyed a breakout season. The winger scored fourteen goals, third-most on the team, and 31 total points in 54 games. Riga returned to the playoffs, upsetting top-seeded SKA Saint Petersburg
SKA Saint Petersburg
SKA Saint Petersburg is a Russian professional ice hockey club that plays in the Kontinental Hockey League. SKA is an abbreviation for "Sports Club of the Army"...
three games to one, but falling in the second round to MVD four games to one. Dārziņš scored two goals and four points in nine playoff games.
In the spring of 2010, Dārziņš' contract with Riga expired. After being briefly linked with Russian powerhouse club Ak Bars Kazan, Dārziņš revealed that he had been in contact with scouts with the NHL club that drafted him, the Nashville Predators
Nashville Predators
The Nashville Predators are a professional ice hockey team based in Nashville, Tennessee. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
, about a possible return to North American hockey. At the end of the 2009-10 season, Dārziņš was the fourth-leading scorer in Riga's two-year history, with 47 points in 112 games.
Dārziņš ultimately spurned any forays into North America in favor of another season with his hometown club. He was rewarded with his best offensive totals at any level, scoring 21 goals and 23 assists in 45 games for Dinamo, leading the team in goals and points. Dārziņš was named to the 2011 KHL All-Star Game
3rd Kontinental Hockey League All-Star Game
The 3rd Kontinental Hockey League All-Star Game was the All-Star game for the 2010–11 season of the Kontinental Hockey League . It took place on 5 February 2011 at the Ice Palace in Saint Petersburg, Russia...
in St. Petersburg as part of Team Yashin and finished 16th in the KHL in scoring. Dinamo returned to the Gagarin Cup playoffs, with Dārziņš scoring ten points in eleven games as Riga upset Dynamo Moscow
UHC Dynamo
Unified Hockey Club Dynamo , or simply Dynamo Moscow, is a Russian professional ice hockey club based in Moscow. They are members of the Kontinental Hockey League. The team was created in 2010 after the merger of HC Dynamo and HC MVD...
four games to two in the first round.
International career
Dārziņš has been a regular fixture on the Latvian national team at varying levels since 2002. At 17, he made his debut with the national team at the Division I (second tier) IIHF World U18 ChampionshipsIIHF World U18 Championships
The IIHF World U18 Championship is an annual event organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation for national under-18 ice hockey teams from around the world. The tournament is usually played in April and is organized according to a system similar to Ice Hockey World Championships and World...
, scoring two goals and three total points in five games. Dārziņš returned to the U18s the following year, posting one goal and two points in five games. He broke through with the Under-20 team in 2003 and would go on to play in three Division I IIHF World U20 Championships, where he would score 12 goals and 24 points in 15 games over three tournaments.
In 2006, Dārziņš made his debut with the full national team as a 21-year-old in the 2006 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships
2006 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships
The 2006 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships was the 70th such event hosted by the International Ice Hockey Federation. Teams representing 45 countries participated in four levels of competition. The competition also served as qualifications for the 2007 competition...
, which were held in his hometown of Riga
Riga
Riga is the capital and largest city of Latvia. With 702,891 inhabitants Riga is the largest city of the Baltic states, one of the largest cities in Northern Europe and home to more than one third of Latvia's population. The city is an important seaport and a major industrial, commercial,...
. He has not missed the tournament since his debut, scoring nine goals and twelve points in 23 games over four tournaments.
In February 2010, Dārziņš represented Latvia at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, recording one assist in four games.
Regular season and playoffs
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season Season (sports) In an organized sports league, a season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session. For example, in Major League Baseball, one season lasts approximately from April 1 through October 1; in Association football, it is generally from August until May In an... |
Team | League | GP | G Goal (ice hockey) In ice hockey, a goal is scored when the puck completely crosses the goal line between the two goal posts and below the goal crossbar. A goal awards one point to the team attacking the goal scored upon, regardless of which team the player who actually deflected the puck into the goal belongs to... |
A Assist (ice hockey) In ice hockey, an assist is attributed to up to two players of the scoring team who shot, passed or deflected the puck towards the scoring teammate, or touched it in any other way which enabled the goal, meaning that they were "assisting" in the goal. There can be a maximum of two assists per goal... |
Pts Point (ice hockey) Point in ice hockey has three official meanings:* A point is awarded to a player for each goal scored or assist earned. The total number of goals plus assists equals total points. In some European leagues, a goal counts as two points, and an assist counts as one... |
PIM Penalty (ice hockey) A penalty in ice hockey is a punishment for inappropriate behavior. Most penalties are enforced by detaining the offending player within a penalty box for a set number of minutes, during which, the player can not participate in play. The offending team usually may not replace the player on the ice,... |
GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 2004–05 2004-05 WHL season The 2004–05 WHL season was the 39th season for the Western Hockey League. Twenty teams completed a 72 game schedule. The Kelowna Rockets won the President's Cup.-Eastern Conference:-Western Conference:-Scoring leaders:... |
Kelowna Rockets Kelowna Rockets The Kelowna Rockets are a major junior ice hockey team based in Kelowna, British Columbia. The Rockets play in the Western Hockey League , out of the Canadian Hockey League . They play their home games at Prospera Place.... |
WHL Western Hockey League The Western Hockey League is a major junior ice hockey league based in Western Canada and the Northwestern United States. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitute the Canadian Hockey League as the highest level of junior hockey in Canada... |
53 | 19 | 15 | 34 | 38 | 24 | 7 | 7 | 14 | 10 | ||
| 2005–06 2005-06 WHL season The 2005–06 WHL season was the 40th season for the Western Hockey League. Twenty teams completed a 72 game schedule. The Vancouver Giants won the President's Cup.-League notes:... |
Kelowna Rockets | WHL | 47 | 13 | 20 | 33 | 26 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 2 | ||
| 2006–07 | Ilves Tampere | SM-l SM-liiga The SM-liiga is the top professional ice hockey league in Finland. As of March 2008, it is ranked by the IIHF as the second strongest league in Europe. It was created in 1975 to replace the SM-sarja, which was fundamentally an amateur league. The SM-liiga is not directly overseen by the Finnish Ice... |
13 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2006–07 | HC Vsetin | CZE Czech Extraliga The Czech Extraliga is the highest-level ice hockey league in the Czech Republic. As of 2009, it is ranked by the IIHF as the third strongest league in Europe.... |
13 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 22 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2007–08 | HC Trinec | CZE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2007–08 | HK Gomel HK Gomel HK Homiel is an ice hockey team in Homiel in Belarus. The team was founded in 2000, and participates in the Belarusian Extraliga.- Honours :*Belarusian Extraliga:**Winners : 2003*Belarusian Cup :... |
BLR Belarusian Extraliga The Belarusian Extraleague , officially formed in 2006, is the top ice hockey league in Belarus... |
32 | 17 | 17 | 34 | 46 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2008–09 | Dinamo Riga Dinamo Riga Dinamo Riga was an ice hockey club, based in Riga, Latvia. It was founded in 1946 and disestablished in 1995 as Pārdaugava Rīga.-History of Dinamo Riga:... |
KHL Kontinental Hockey League The Kontinental Hockey League is an international professional ice hockey league in Eurasia founded in 2008. As of 2009, it is ranked as the strongest hockey league in Europe.... |
56 | 8 | 9 | 17 | 56 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | ||
| 2009–10 | Dinamo Riga | KHL | 54 | 14 | 17 | 31 | 30 | 9 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 12 | ||
| 2010–11 | Dinamo Riga | KHL | 45 | 21 | 23 | 44 | 70 | 11 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 2 | ||
| KHL Totals | 155 | 43 | 48 | 91 | 156 | 23 | 7 | 7 | 14 | 18 | ||||
International
| Year | Team | Comp | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 2002 IIHF World U18 Championships The 2002 IIHF World U18 Championships were held in Piešťany and Trnava, Slovakia. The championships began on April 11, 2002, and finished on April 21, 2002. Games were played at Zimny Stadion in Piešťany and Zimny Stadion in Trnava... |
Latvia | WJC18-D1 IIHF World U18 Championships The IIHF World U18 Championship is an annual event organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation for national under-18 ice hockey teams from around the world. The tournament is usually played in April and is organized according to a system similar to Ice Hockey World Championships and World... |
5 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 |
| 2003 2003 IIHF World U18 Championships -Final standings: and are relegated to Division I for the 2004 IIHF World U18 Championships.- Table :- Table :- Table :- Table :- Table :- Table :-External links:*... |
Latvia | WJC18-D1 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| 2003 2003 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships -Group B:All times local .-Relegation round:Results from any games played during the preliminary round were carried forward to the relegation round.All times local .... |
Latvia | WJC-D1 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships The International Ice Hockey Federation World Under 20 Championship is an annual event organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation for national under-20 ice hockey teams from around the world... |
5 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 0 |
| 2004 2004 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships The 2004 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships was held between December 26, 2003 and January 5, 2004 in Helsinki and Hämeenlinna, Finland... |
Latvia | WJC-D1 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 10 | 6 |
| 2005 2005 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships The 2005 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships was held between December 25, 2004, and January 4, 2005, at the Ralph Engelstad Arena in Grand Forks, North Dakota, and at the Ralph Engelstad Arena in Thief River Falls, Minnesota, United States... |
Latvia | WJC-D1 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 4 |
| 2006 2006 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships The 2006 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships was the 70th such event hosted by the International Ice Hockey Federation. Teams representing 45 countries participated in four levels of competition. The competition also served as qualifications for the 2007 competition... |
Latvia | WC | 6 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 6 |
| 2007 2007 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships -Championship:Final standings# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # — relegated to Division I for 2008# — relegated to Division I for 2008- Group A :Final standings# — promoted to Championship for 2008# # # #... |
Latvia | WC | 6 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 2 |
| 2008 2008 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships The 2008 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships was the 72nd such event hosted by the International Ice Hockey Federation. Teams representing 48 countries will participate in four levels of competition. The competition will also serve as qualifications for the 2009 competition... |
Latvia | WC | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 16 |
| 2009 | Latvia | OQ | 3 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 0 |
| 2009 2009 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships The 2009 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships was the 73rd such event hosted by the International Ice Hockey Federation. Teams representing 46 countries participated in four levels of competition. The competition also served as qualifications for the 2010 competition... |
Latvia | WC | 7 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 18 |
| 2010 Ice hockey at the 2010 Winter Olympics Ice hockey at the 2010 Winter Olympics was held at Canada Hockey Place, home of the National Hockey League's Vancouver Canucks, and at UBC Winter Sports Centre, home of the Canadian Interuniversity Sport's UBC Thunderbirds. Twelve teams competed in the men's event and eight teams competed in the... |
Latvia | OG | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 10 |
| 2011 2011 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships The 2011 IIHF World Championship was the 75th IIHF World Championship, an annual international ice hockey tournament. It took place between the 29 April and the 15 May 2011 in Slovakia. The games were played in the Orange Arena in Bratislava, and the Steel Aréna in Košice... |
Latvia | WC | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| Junior int'l Totals | 25 | 15 | 14 | 29 | 14 | ||
| Senior int'l Totals | 35 | 13 | 5 | 18 | 56 | ||