Latvian Defenseman Dreams NHL

Every hockey-playing kid’s dream is to one day crack the lineup in the NHL, and Krišs Grundmanis is no exception.

But it has been a long and winding road for this defenseman from Latvia.

The 20-year-old Grundmanis has played in the OHL, USHL, CHL, and ECHL but he hasn’t given up hope to return to North America to play in the big league.

In Nov. 2009, he signed with Dinamo-Juniors Riga, but “to play in [the] NHL is my dream.” Nevertheless Grundmanis admits, “I have a long way to go to get there.”

While perhaps the NHL is a real long shot, the stay-at-home defenseman has spent the past six seasons toiling and perfecting his game in the minors with the hopes that he will be selected by any NHL team. “Team is not that [important], the dream is NHL.”

Grundmanis’s family has been inspiration for his still-burgeoning hockey career that began when the Latvian played on his first team at six years old. Following in the footsteps of his brother and an uncle, Grundmanis became a defenseman. But Artūrs Irbe, the Washington Capitals’ goaltending coach and a 13-year NHL veteran, has been the exceptional role model for Grundmanis. “Artūrs [has] helped me a lot. He always gives good advice, and I had a chance to play with Artūrs and see [his] work ethic.”

Grundmanis has traveled far and wide—and bounced from team to team—in pursuit of the NHL dream. He represented Latvia at both the world and world junior championships, and played for the Toronto St. Michael’s Majors (OHL), Green Bay Gamblers (USHL), as well as the disbanded Youngstown Steelhounds (CHL) and Daytona Bombers (ECHL).

His journey has hit a few hurdles along the way including being released at tryouts by the Johnstown Chiefs (ECHL) in 2007 and 2009 and sustaining injuries over the last two seasons.

Grundmanis signed with Dinamo-Juniors Riga this season, in effect two steps forward and one step back in his career, but he remains confident that he will play in the NHL someday.

“He is still very young … so the jury is still out on him. At this point, [Grundmanis] needs to stick out a full season in the ECHL then move up to the AHL as soon as possible,” said Stephen Heisler of American Pro Hockey.

Grundmanis is considered a strong candidate to make Latvia’s team for the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. “[It’s a] long list of players and I don’t think that I’m near to make team for 2010 [Olympics], but I’m happy to be a candidate.”

Photos courtesy of Grundmanis's Facebook page