In this great SHL league is seven Latvian players, famoust Latvian there is GK Lauris Prikulis from Winnipeg Jets, but in SMJHL is six players, and three of them Krists Zommers, Janis Vitols and Roberts Birkavs have 17+ points right now in this season. But this story will not be about all Latvians, this beginning was only a facts about Latvians in this great league, this story will be more about first Detroit Falcons players, who is from Latvia, Janis Vitols and Roberts Birkavs.


Nobody know them? Detroit pulled possibly the two biggest draft steals.
September 17, Vancouver, BC, that was the day and place where SMJHL draft was, everyone was excited, a lot of European and other continent hockey players this was a first time, that they have been traveled to the North America, especially in this hockey country Canada. Roberts and Janis was unknown to every one in that draft, but Detroit Falcons GM after the draft in interview said: “Truth be told, I didn’t know much about either player when we drafted them. I just knew that they were both from Latvia. What I didn’t realize is how dedicated both these men were to succeeding in North America. These guys are always in the gym working out and getting better, and to see how well these guys fit into the locker room was awesome. I couldn’t be happier.”

Nurmi Interview after the draft.

Detroit Falcons drafted Janis Vitols in 4th round with 19. overall pick, but Roberts Birkavs in 5th with 26 overall pick.
The Detroit scouts after the draft said that "Vitols is a smooth skating defenseman who excels at putting the puck in the net more than setting up his teammates while Birkavs is a play-making center who is great in the dot while bringing a very balanced game to the table."

Pre-season games, what they can do?
If Janis Vitols game in pre-season made a little bit a suprise to Detroit organization, then Birkavs game do not suprise, Vitols in 10 games as a defencmen had 3+5, than Birkavs as a first line centre got only 2+1. Everyone wanted to find a problem, why Roberts game in pre-season is very bad, and Janis said, wait in the season, he will be the leader in team... And what is right now is happening in the season with Birkavs statistic?

Roberts Birkavs and Janis Vitols before first official game as a Falcons.

Dreams to be famous in North America, now is in a close touch, what the stats looks like?

Season 15 is now underway in SMJHL, and Detroit Falcons is the leaders in all SMJHL, the one suprise was that Rookie Janis Vitols has been announced as a Detroit Falcons team captain.

Captain Janis Vitols (Number 19th) score a goal, to earn for his team three points.
Roberts in 21 game have 4+14, but Janis have 6+11, Roberts is a team leader in assists and split 3rd place in assists, in all league. Janis is a team leader in +/- with +12 and league leader in +/- too.

Roberts Birkavs funny celebration, after a goal.

The stats say about these two guys all, they can bring a energy in a team, they have both two dreams, to become famous in SHL and succes there and one time to be a member of Latvian National hockey team, and compete in IHF tourney.

Thank you all, and have a great week!

Love this guy to death

Oliver Cleary || Defence || Seattle Argonauts
---------------------------------
Player Name: Oliver Cleary
SHL Team: Seattle Argonauts
SMJHL Team: Detroit Falcons
Position: Defence
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 215 lbs
Born: Toronto, Ontario
---------------------------------
SHL Regular Season Statistics:
S48: GP: 50 | G: 3 | A: 9 | P: 12 | -12 | PIM: 38 | H: 84 | SB: 61
S49: GP: 50 | G: 3 | A: 7 | P: 10 | 7 | PIM: 62 | H: 135 | SB: 68
S50: GP: 50 | G: 5 | A: 13 | P: 18 | -3 | PIM: 52 | H: 148 | SB: 81
S51: GP: 50 | G: 7 | A: 19 | P: 26 | 17 | PIM: 130 | H: 119 | SB: 67
S52: GP: 50 | G: 1 | A: 12 | P: 13 | -3 | PIM: 89 | H: 157 | SB: 61
S53: GP: 50 | G: 16 | A: 20 | P: 36 | 19 | PIM: 22 | H: 58 | SB: 53
S54: GP: 50 | G: 7 | A: 23 | P: 30 | 14 | PIM: 12 | H: 100 | SB: 64
S55: GP: 50 | G: 8 | A: 16 | P: 24 | -14 | PIM: 24 | H: 92 | SB: 96
---------------------------------
SHL Playoff Statistics:
S48: Did Not Qualify
[pbl]S49: GP: 6 | G: 0 | A: 1 | P: 1 | -3 | PIM: 11 | H: 13 | SB: 8
S50: GP: 5 | G: 1 | A: 1 | P: 2 | -5 | PIM: 17 | H: 15 | SB: 15
S51: GP: 15 | G: 3 | A: 8 | P: 11 | 8 | PIM: 33 | H: 40 | SB: 20
S52: GP: 7 | G: 0 | A: 5 | P: 5 | -3 | PIM: 26 | H: 25 | SB: 7
S53: GP: 11 | G: 1 | A: 2 | P: 3 | 0 | PIM: 0 | H: 19 | SB: 17
S54: GP: 12 | G: 0 | A: 7 | P: 7 | -1 | PIM: 4 | H: 24 | SB: 20
S55: Did Not Qualify
[pbl]---------------------------------
SMJHL Regular Season Statistics:
S46: Did Not Play
S47: GP: 50 | G: 1 | A: 5 | P: 6 | 0 | PIM: 48 | H: 81 | SB: 51
---------------------------------
SMJHL Playoff Statistics:
S46: GP: 9 | G: 0 | A: 0 | P: 0 | -2 | PIM: 6 | H: 4 | SB: 0
S47: GP: 10 | G: 2 | A: 3 | P: 5 | 7 | PIM: 8 | H: 14 | SB: 4
---------------------------------
Transactions:
S46: Signed as pre-draft free agent with Detroit Falcons
S47: Drafted 14th Overall by Montreal Militia
S47: Traded to Detroit Falcons
S48: Drafted 4th overall to the Los Angeles Panthers
S48: Signed 3 years/1M Contract with Los Angeles Panthers
S48: Called up from Detroit to Los Angeles
S51: Re-signed 3 years/3M with Los Angeles Panthers
S54: Re-signed 2 years/6M with Los Angeles Panthers
S56: Traded to Manhattan Rage
S56: Signed 4 years/6M with Manhattan Rage
————————————————
Awards
S47: Golden Aardvark Award for a contract holdout with the Montreal Militia  

Great article bud

    -             -     

Sweet Read

#DatDetroitDraftin

[pbchi] Niccolo Livius || LW/C || San Francisco|| TPE: 805

Name: Niccolo Livius
Age: 21
Birthplace: Florance, Italy
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 300 lbs
Number: 31
------------------------------------------------------------
Career Statistics:
SMJHL Regular Season:
Newfoundland Berserkers S53->S57, Anaheim Outlaws S57
S53 | 50 GP | 7 G | 5 A | 12 P | +10 | 48 Hits | 12 PIM | 0/0 FW/FT
S54 | 50 GP | 6 G | 11 A | 17 P | +5 | 86 Hits | 30 PIM | 4/6 FW/FT
S55 | 50 GP | 3 G | 7 A | 10 P | +6 | 49 Hits | 49 PIM | 3/7 FW/FT
S56 | 50 GP | 11 G | 8 A | 19 P | +4 | 116 Hits | 80 PIM | 11/12 FW/FT
S57 | 66 GP | 4 G | 9 A | 13 P | -10 | 238 Hits | 133 PIM | 7/17 FW/FT
Career | 266 GP | 31 G | 40 A | 71 P | +15 | 537 Hits | 254 PIM | 25/42 FW/FT
------------------------------------------------------------
SMJHL Playoffs:
S53 | 7 GP | 0 G | 0 A | 0 P | -1 | 9 Hits | 0 PIM | 0/0 FW/FT
S54 | 14 GP | 2 G | 1 A | 3 P | +1 | 19 Hits | 10 PIM | 0/2 FW/FT
S55 | 17 GP | 1 G | 0 A | 1 P | 0 | 12 Hits | 17 PIM | 2/3 FW/FT
S56 | 17 GP | 1 G | 7 A | 8 P | +8 | 34 Hits | 17 PIM | 3/3 FW/FT
S57 | 21 GP | 9 G | 7 A | 16 P | +3 | 104 Hits | 43 PIM | 4/5 FW/FT
Career | 76 GP | 13 G | 15 A | 28 P | +11 | 178 Hits | 87 PIM | 9/13 FW/FT
------------------------------------------------------------
IIHF World Juniors Round Robin - Team World:
S53 | 12 GP | 0 G | 2 A | 2 P | -3 | 19 Hits | 6 PIM | 0/0 FW/FT
S54 | 12 GP | 1 G | 1 A | 2 P | -2 | 17 Hits | 5 PIM | 1/1 FW/FT
S55 | 12 GP | 3 G | 1 A | 4 P | -2 | 17 Hits | 23 PIM | 2/3 FW/FT
S56 | 12 GP |3 G | 3 A | 6 P | -1 | 20 Hits | 12 PIM | 0/2 FW/FT
------------------------------------------------------------
IIHF World Juniors Playoffs - Team World:
S53 | 1 GP | 0 G | 0 A | 0 P | -1 | 1 Hits | 0 PIM | 0/0 FW/FT
S54 | 1 GP | 0 G | 0 A | 0 P | -1 | 0 Hits | 0 PIM | 0/0 FW/FT
S55 | 1 GP | 0 G | 0 A | 0 P | +0 | 0 Hits | 0 PIM | 0/0 FW/FT
S56 | 2 GP | 1 G | 1 A | 2 P | +0 | 5 Hits | 5 PIM | 0/1 FW/FT
------------------------------------------------------------
SHL Regular Season:
San Francisco Pride S58-> Present
S58 | 66 GP | 5 G | 4 A | 9 P | -24 | 249 Hits | 100 PIM | 0/2 FW/FT
S59 | 66 GP | 7 G | 2 A | 9 P | -20 | 191 Hits | 46 PIM | 0/0 FW/FT
S60 | 66 GP | 8 G | 8 A | 16 P | -25 | 376 Hits | 157 PIM | 2/4 FW/FT
Career| 198 GP | 20 G | 14 A | 34 P | -69 | 816 Hits | 303 PIM | 2/4 FW/FT
------------------------------------------------------------
SHL Playoffs:
S59 | 6 GP | 2 G | 1 A | 3 P | +0 | 5 Hits | 0 PIM | 0/0 FW/FT
S60 | 5 GP | 1 G | 0 A | 1 P | -4 | 22 Hits | 4 PIM | 0/0 FW/FT
Career | 11 GP | 3 G | 1 A | 4 P | -4 | 27 Hits | 4 PIM | 0/0 FW/FT
------------------------------------------------------------
Career Notes:
S53 - Drafted R4 OA33 in SMJHL Draft by Newfoundland Berserkers
S54 - Drafted last R5 OA71 in SHL Draft by Chicago Syndicate
S55 - Drafted in SMJHL Expansion Drafted 1OA by Nevada Battleborn
S55 - Traded from Nevada to Newfoundland for a 1st Round Pick and cap space
S57 - Traded from Newfoundland to Anaheim for a 2nd Round Pick
S58 - Signed with San Francisco in SHL
------------------------------------------------------------
Career Awards:
Voted League's Toughest Player: S54 (FHM)
SMJHL Champion: S55
WJC S56: Bronze Medal

Nice!

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