[REVISION HISTORY]

Latvian players in Florida Panthers preseason and NHL

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2026-11-05 08:21 UTC → 2026-11-07 19:34 UTC · added ~~removed~~

Latvian players Sandis Vilmanis and Uvis Balinskis have begun participating in the Florida Panthers’ NHL preseason training camp. Initially, team leadership expressed confidence in Vilmanis, citing his experience with the Latvian national team and his recent two-year contract extension. General Manager Bill Zito noted that Vilmanis’s performance in the World Championships helped build the confidence necessary to become a stable NHL player. Head coach Paul Maurice noted Vilmanis’s physical strength, puck protection, and stick skills as he earned a spot in the opening preseason lines alongside Anton Lundell and Etu Luostarinen. During a preseason game against the Tampa Bay Lightning, Vilmanis scored an empty-net goal following an assist from Balinskis, contributing to a 5-3 victory. In the Panthers’ final NHL preseason game, Vilmanis recorded a goal and successfully converted a penalty shot. Transitioning into the regular season, Vilmanis recorded his first NHL point by assisting Anton Lundell, followed by his first NHL goal in a 3-2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. Following recent training, Vilmanis was promoted to the second line alongside Sam Reinhart and Carter Verhaeghe. Vilmanis recently achieved a historic performance by recording two goals and two assists in a 5-3 win against the Chicago Blackhawks. This feat made him only the second Latvian player in NHL history to record four points in a single game, joining Sandis Ozoliņš. Teammate Uvis Jānis Balinskis noted that Vilmanis has seen increased success following a lineup change and a period where he observed games from the stands to better understand play. ~~Other Latvian players remain active in~~ During a game against the ~~league, including Albert Šmits with~~ Washington Capitals, Vilmanis was injured in the ~~New York Rangers, Zemgus Girgensons with~~ first period after being hit from behind by Tom Wilson. The hit, which sent Vilmanis head-first toward the ~~Tampa Bay Lightning,~~ boards and ~~Artūrs Šilovs with the Pittsburgh Penguins.~~ glass, resulted in a major penalty and a game misconduct for Wilson.

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