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Although it has only been an independent country for just 17 years, Latvia has a long and proud hockey tradition that predates the rise of Soviet hockey.
While Latvian hockey (like the country itself) was dominated by the Russian system for much of the 20th Century, the first Latvian hockey team was formed in 1931, 15 years before the “Father of Russian Hockey,” Anatoli Tarasov, was first instructed by the Kremlin to assemble and train an ice hockey team.
While Latvian hockey (like the country itself) was dominated by the Russian system for much of the 20th Century, the first Latvian hockey team was formed in 1931, 15 years before the “Father of Russian Hockey,” Anatoli Tarasov, was first instructed by the Kremlin to assemble and train an ice hockey team.
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Colorado Avalanche defenseman Karlis Skrastins is one of several native-Latvian NHL players who got their start in the former Dinamo Riga system.
Veca will enjoy reading it once she gets over her pneumonia and pleurisy. 
I hope she feels better soon. 
