Latvia has quietly assembled one of the most accomplished goaltending groups in the tournament. Unlike some nations leaning on youth or projection heading into Milan, Latvia enters with proven international performers who hold a track record of delivering on the world stage.
As we break down each career, which of these goaltenders do you trust to carry Latvia when the games matter most at the Olympics?
Elvis Merzļikins (Columbus Blue Jackets)
Age: 31
Merzļikins has been the backbone of Latvian goaltending for over a decade. After establishing himself early as one of the world’s top junior goalies, being named Best Goaltender at the 2011 U18 World Championship, he built a dominant professional résumé in Europe before crossing the Atlantic.
In 2016, Merzļikins was named Goalie of the Year in Switzerland’s National League. That form then translated to the NHL. Elvis has spent six seasons as the primary starter for the Columbus Blue Jackets, until this year where he has been surplanted by a young Jet Greaves. His breakout 2019/20 campaign included five shutouts in just eight starts and a .923 save percentage across 33 games, satisfying his long-awaited arrival to the NHL crease.
Internationally, Merzļikins has been Latvia’s emotional and competitive anchor. A three-time World Championship Top-3 Player for his country, he has repeatedly elevated Latvia beyond expectations, thriving in high-pressure tournament environments.
Artūrs Šilovs (Pittsburgh Penguins)
Age: 24
Šilovs is the next generation of not just Latvian goaltending, but elite NHL goaltenders in general. His résumé already rivals many veterans. Drafted in the sixth round by the Vancouver Canucks in 2019, he steadily climbed through the professional ranks, developing his frantic athleticism into technical efficiency, and is now thriving in his first full NHL season with Pittsburgh.
Šilovs first emerged internationally as a winner, capturing a U18 Division I Gold medal and earning the tournament’s Best GAA honours in 2016/17. However, his true international breakout came at the 2023 World Championships, where he posted a .921% en route to a Bronze Medal and Top Goaltender award at the 2023 World Championships.
Šilovs backstopped the Abbotsford Canucks to an AHL championship in 2024/25, posting a .931 save percentage across 24 playoff games, one of the most dominant postseason runs in recent AHL history. Now with Pittsburgh, he enters Milan as a legitimate challenger for the starting role rather than a developmental option. He has the most NHL playoff experience of any goalie on the roster despite his age.
Kristers Gudļevskis (Fischtown Pinguins)
Age: 33
Gudļevskis is the goaltender who inspired Šilovs to become a goaltender. His career has been defined by reliability and international excellence. Drafted in the fifth round by the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2013, he earned NHL appearances at 21, 23, and 24 before building a dominant European career.
Gudļevskis has twice been named DEL Goalie of the Year and was a championship starter in Sweden’s HockeyAllsvenskan during the 2022/23 season. His international résumé is equally impressive, being a three-time World Championship Top-3 Player at the senior level, and the only goalie on the squad with Olympic experience. Seriously if you haven’t watched Gudļevskis stop 55 of 57 and almost single handedly defeat Canada’s 2014 Olympic team, watch it here! The guy overheated in the third period and had to have a trainer come to the ice to cool him off.
While he may not carry the NHL spotlight of Merzļikins or the upward momentum of Šilovs, Gudļevskis offers Latvia something invaluable: Seven games of Olympic hockey experience over the last 15 years!
Latvia’s Olympic goaltending picture is unusually strong: an established NHL starter, a rising AHL champion and NHL rookie with elite international numbers, and a proven European veteran with a long history of clutch performances.
Who prevails as the starter when all is said and done in Milan?