Vasiljevs Prepares for Sochi

They will in their fifth Olympic (the first was in 1936) for the nation of two million and foward Herbert (Herbie) Vasiljevs this will be his third and likely his last as a player and lepnums abounds in him and his family’s relation with Latvian hockey.

"It doesn`t get any better. The Olympics is a dream come true for every athlete. It`s amazing to see every time what they come up with the atmosphere, the hype...”

For Vasiljevs, the preparation for Sochi games to be hosted by Russia in the Black Sea resort town being transformed into a winter galaxy for an international community has not been traditional experience for him.

He has been rehabbing a broken ankle suffered during the pre-season for the German DEL season in which he had successful surgery. Vasiljevs finally got his first regular season action last Friday against Iserlohn a 4-1 loss in which he scored the lone goal. He picked up and assist in a 3-1 over  Schwenninger on Sunday.

He is in his 11th DEL season (10th straight with the Krefeld Penguins) and is sporting the C on his jersey. Vasiljevs thought his injury might prevent him from getting a crack at sporting the maroon and white colors of the national flag one more time.

"The injury really threw me back. It happened in the pre-season, and since then I have seen the rehab more than the rink. My main goal was to be back before the end of the season. It`s only a bonus and to be honest, a little surprise that I was picked for the national team,” said Vasiljevs via e-mail.

He had a similar experience for Latvia’s first appearance in 2001-2002 when he was a member of the Vancouver Canucks playing for their then AHL affiliate Manitoba Moose when he suffered a knee injury that ended his dream that year. Despite his subsequent two Olympic appearances in Turin, Italy and Vancouver, BC, Canada he never forgot how bad he felt then.

"That was a real blow. I was looking forward to it, had my bags packed, ready to go and then in the last game I got hurt. It sucked...big time, but thank God we qualified for Turin and Vancouver. So then I had the chance to see what I missed out the first time.”

He laced up the skates and donned the maroon and white jersey in Turin, Italy and Vancouver, BC, Canada

"Turin was simply breathtaking. Vancouver was very special, because the Canadians are crazy about hockey. The rinks were packed, and some people recognized me when I had played for the Canucks,” said Vasiljevs.

Latvia has drawn a very tough pool Group C to start the Sochi games with Sweden, Czech Republic and Switzerland."

He is one of 19 Latvians to play in the NHL including goalies Arturs Irbe one of this year’s Latvia Olympic teams assistant coaches, Petr Skudra now a head coach with Torpedo Novgorod in the KHL, Helmut Balderis who played on several USSR squads and enforcer Raitais Ivanans who played with in the NHL with the Los Angeles Kings, Montreal Canadiens and Calgary Flames.

Irbe, Balderis and Sandis Ozonlins who is on this year’s Latvian team that are also the only Latvians in the IIHF Hall of Fame.

Latvian hockey has been a major source of pride in the Vasiljevs family. His father Haralds coached the Latvian World Championship team from 1999-2001 and which he played on.

Haralds, also played for Dynamo Riga in the Soviet era (1967-1983) and was followed by his brother Edmunds (1969-1982) Herbie’s uncle, who won a gold medal in 1973-1974 with the Soviet team in what was then called the U-20 tournament that has become the wildly popular World Junior Hockey Tournament.

"My uncle was my coach growing up. He helped me a lot. My dad gave me a lot of tips and pushed me to the limit. He was my coach after we moved to Germany when I was 14. I was just another player, but it was something special having my dad coach me with the national team, ".

His pro hockey career has taken him all over the world and Germany has been home as his parents emigrated when father Haralds coached the Krefeld junior hockey program after ending his playing days with ERC Dortmund. He is still coaching in Austria with the EC Graz 99’ers junior program.

Latvia sits along the Baltic Sea with Estonia to its North and Lithuania to the South 1,579 miles (2,541km) is the distance from Riga to Sochi for the hockey loving Latvians-it’s a distance easily traveled. The players like Vasiljevs appreciate the passion they bring to the arena when they play.

"Our fans are the best in the world. I can´t praise them enough. We are not a wealthy country, but the people love their hockey and in the summer and (during the) Olympics they practically live hockey 24/7. To win a game in the Olympics would be the best present we could give our fans, our country.”

The Latvian team is scheduled to commence training February 3rd will play two exhibition games before leaving on February 6th. The team will be under the guidance of current Buffalo Sabres head coach Ted Nolan in Riga. The dynamics of playing for a non-Latvian head coach and in such a short space of time has its pluses and minuses.

"Of course, it`s not a perfect situation. But we have other coaches that are helping him out. I`m not sure what kind of role I`ll be playing on the team, but very proud to be a part of it. We are all professionals and we have to be able to adjust no matter how little time we have. It`s the same problem for every team”.

The game with Russia still is one of immense intensity even after 22 years since the USSR disappeared, the 70 year plus occupation still resonates with Latvians.

"It is always a special game, but we all know how good a team Russia is going to be,” remarked Vasiljevs who played in the Russian Super League the forerunner top the KHL in his first European season after leaving the North American pro hockey scene.

Latvia has just one win in its Olympic hockey history a 4-2 win over Austria in 2002 getting a win is the first step to gaining a shot at a medal.

Vasiljevs is realistic about their chances at a medal considering their pool draw.

"Ha, ha. I don’t know about a medal. A couple of wins would be a great result for Latvia”.

Playing in the Olympic hockey arena will add to a strong list of great arenas he has played in.

"Madison Square Garden, Hamburg, Prague, Riga, Vancouver and there is a lot more. All these places have great rinks. It’s been great to play in them.”

Vasiljevs became a German citizen in 2011 it ended his participation with the Latvian National team that competes in the springtime World Championship tournament which he represented the nation 10 times making this appearance likely his last for his country of birth.

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