With the 2026 Winter Olympics just around the corner in Milano- Cortina, Italy, men’s hockey teams’ rosters have begun to be announced. Latvia has announced its roster, including a handful of players that hockey fans know (Zemgus Girgensons, Elvis Merzlikins, and Artūrs Šilovs). The roster may not contain a ton of top-end, known talent, but there are still a few worth keeping an eye on.
F Eduards Tralmaks
Eduards Tralmaks may not come with the notoriety of some of the other forwards on the Latvian roster, but he brings plenty of international experience. He most recently played in the Olympic Qualifier last year for Latvia and the World Championships. At the World Championships, he put up seven points in seven games played and was one of Latvia’s most consistent threats.
He finally made the jump to the North American professional game this season after signing with the Detroit Red Wings and has spent the entire season in the American Hockey League with the Grand Rapids Griffins. At 28 years old, he is far from being a “prospect”, but his size (6-foot-4) and overall game have fit in well with the Griffins. On the AHL’s best team, Tralmaks finds himself second on the team in power play goals and has carved out a strong role with the Griffins.
Related: Guide to the 2026 Winter Olympics Men’s Hockey Tournament
At the Olympics, Tralmaks will be a key player in Latvia’s lineup. His offensive game, power play production, and overall two-way, hard-working style of play (which seems to be the Latvian style) should stand out and make him a strong performer throughout the games.
G Artūrs Šilovs
The goaltender position could end up seeing both NHL netminders getting their fair share of playing time, but Artūrs Šilovs may end up having the inside track over Elvis Merzlikins. After being traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins this past offseason, Šilovs has had a solid season for a team trying to make one last push for a playoff run with the core players on its roster.
He has not seen as much international playing time as Merzlikins, but he has played well for the Latvians when he has represented his home country. With Latvia lacking the firepower of some other countries at the Olympics, goaltending will need to be at the top of its game. If he gets the starting job, he will be heavily relied upon to help keep his team in games when they face superior talent.
D Alberts Šmits
The youngest player on the Latvian roster is going to be one of the most-watched players at the Olympics this year. Coming into the Olympics after really putting his game on display at the 2026 World Junior Championship (WJC), Alberts Šmits has a real chance to put himself toward the top of the 2026 Draft with a strong showing for Latvia. After being ranked number two amongst all international skaters in the 2026 class in the NHL Central Scouting’s Mid-Term Rankings, Šmits has all of the tools to become a full-fledged top-four defenseman at the NHL level.
The Olympics will truly help see where he stands in his draft-year season, as he is going to be going up against the best talent he has likely played against in his young hockey career. Šmits is certainly going to be looked to as a top-four defenseman in the lineup for Latvia. He has the all-around game to be a difference-maker at both ends of the ice and will be an important player for the Latvians to have any success throughout the Olympics.
Latvia Needs the Best From Its Top Players
Latvia is placed in Group C at the 2026 Winter Olympics, along with the United States, Germany, and Denmark, so if they can get the most out of their top players in group play, they could find themselves in a position to reach the Quarterfinals.
