Rihards Bukarts

Rihards Bukarts
Born (1995-12-31) December 31, 1995
Jūrmala, Latvia
Height 5 ft 10 in (178 cm)
Weight 185 lb (84 kg; 13 st 3 lb)
Position Forward
Shoots Right
AHL team
Former teams		 Springfield Thunderbirds
Kapitan Stupino
HK Riga
NHL Draft Undrafted
Playing career 2009–present

Rihards Bukarts (born 31 December 1995 in Jūrmala, Latvia) is a Latvian professional ice hockey forward. He is currently playing for Springfield Thunderbirds of the American Hockey League (AHL). Bukarts was selected 9th overall in the 2012 KHL Junior Draft by the Dinamo Riga.[1] With the selection Bukarts became the highest drafted Latvian in KHL history, 4 spots higher than his brother Roberts Bukarts in 2009.

Playing career

Bukarts is youngest player ever who score in MHL on September 15, 2011 [2] On July 2, 2012 Rihards Bukarts signed with Dinamo Riga two-way contract.[3] Bukarts was selected 7th overall in the 2013 CHL Import Draft by Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL). [4]

Bukarts was the highest drafted player in Wheat Kings history. In the summer of 2013, Bukarts broke contract with Dinamo Riga and left for North America to play for the Brandon Wheat Kings of the Western Hockey League. He officially signed a contract on July 19, 2013, with the major junior team.[5] In his first season in North America in 2013–14, Bukarts in 65 games scored (28) goals (WHL Most Goals by Rookie) and gave 26 assists.

In the following 2014–15 season, he featured in 62 games, scoring (33) goals in totalling the most goals scored by a European player in teams history (single season record) as well as adding 41 assists. On February, 8 2015, Bukarts was named-Denny's WHL Player of the Week. In the post-season, Bukarted helped the Wheat Kings reach the WHL finals, suffering defeat against the Kelowna Rockets. In 16 play off games, Bukarts scored 4 goals and 18 points.

Undrafted, Bukarts accepteed a try-out over the summer to attend the 2015 NHL training camp of the Edmonton Oilers. After his release from the Oilers, Bukarts returned to the Wheat Kings for the 2015–16 season before he was traded to the Portland Winterhawks on October 29, 2015.[6] On December, 14 2015, Rihards Bukarts was named 2nd time in his career as the WHL player of the Week. In 55 games with the Winterhawks, Bukarts amassed 53 points. At the conclusion of his major junior career, Bukarts joined the Portland Pirates of the AHL, an affiliate to the Florida Panthers, on an amateur try-out basis to complete the season. He recorded an assist in a solitary game.

Bukarts attended the Panthers rookie camp after signing a one-year deal with the Panthers inaugural AHL affiliate, the Springfield Thunderbirds. After attending Florida's main training camp, before he was re-assigned to begin the 2016–17 season with the Thunderbirds.

International play

Bukarts participated at the 2012 and 2013 IIHF World U18 Championships and also 2013 IIHF World U20 Championships he was a member of the Latvia men's national junior ice hockey team.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2008–09 SK Saga LHL 2 14 9 5 14  —  —  —  —  —  —
2009–10 SK Riga 18 LHL U18 9 7 11 18 2  —  —  —  —  —
2010–11 SK Saga LHL 2 19 19 30 49 10  —  —  —  —  —
2011–12 Kapitan Stupino MHL 47 11 11 22 22  —  —  —  —  —
2011–12 SK Saga LHL 2 11 28 31 59 12  —  —  —  —  —
2012–13 HK Riga MHL 62 18 17 35 44 3 0 0 0 0
2012–13 HK Juniors Riga LHL  —  —  —  —  — 2 0 1 1 0
2013–14 Brandon Wheat Kings WHL 65 28 26 54 50 9 0 4 4 0
2014–15 Brandon Wheat Kings WHL 62 33 41 74 21 16 4 14 18 8
2015–16 Brandon Wheat Kings WHL 10 5 4 9 11  —  —  —  —  —
2015–16 Portland Winterhawks WHL 55 26 27 53 24 4 2 1 3 6
2015–16 Portland Pirates AHL 1 0 1 1 0  —  —  —  —  —
AHL totals 1 0 1 1 0 — — — — —

International

Year Team Event GP G A Pts PIM
2012 Latvia WJC U18 6 0 5 5 2
2013 Latvia WJC U18 6 1 1 2 0
2013 Latvia WJC 6 0 1 1 4
Junior totals 18 1 7 8 6

References

  1. ↑ "Dinamo" draftē Bukartu un Golovkovu" (in Latvian). Sportacentrs.com. May 26, 2012. Retrieved May 26, 2012.
  2. ↑ "Rihards Bukarts gūst pirmos vārtus MHL čempionātā" (in Latvian). Delfi.lv. September 16, 2011. Retrieved September 16, 2011.
  3. ↑ "Dinamo" paraksta līgumu ar Rihardu Bukartu" (in Latvian). Sportacentrs.com. July 2, 2012. Retrieved July 2, 2012.
  4. ↑ "CHL draftā ar 7. numuru izvēlēts Rihards Bukarts" (in Latvian). Nra.lv. July 3, 2013. Retrieved July 3, 2013.
  5. ↑ "Rihards Bukarts un Golovkovs karjeru turpinās Kanādā" (in Latvian). Tvnet.lv. July 19, 2013. Retrieved July 19, 2013.
  6. ↑ "Winterhawks acquire Rihards Bukarts". Portland Winterhawks. 2015-10-29. Retrieved 2015-10-29.
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