Vikz
Registered User
- Dec 26, 2021
- 166
- 271
The only time Latvia had two top 100 picks in the draft, both of them became NHLers. So that alone would be a big thing for Latvian hockey.Mateiko and Ansons look really promising for next year's draft. Perhaps 2-3 rounders?
Its hard to predict those middle-round tallents a year before the draft. Everything will depend on their next season performance.
Mateiko shows that he can easily go PPG + in the next season. QMJHL is kinda overlooked in comparison with OHL and WHL, but his size and playing style should give him edge over other smallish forwards who get skipped in the draft.
Ansons is a few years ahead of other players from the Latvian league. He will probably get selected in the CHL draft this summer. No point in him staying here, and his older brother, who is a Penguins prospect, played in the CHL. So there probably is will, opportunity and connections to go to Canada. There, everything will depend on his production.
Both of them are listed currently as top 100 picks. But theyre both not elite, so it still can go both ways. Depending on the performance of the U18 and U20, someone hopefully joins them.