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WHL Wenatchee Wild

Wild Forward Bukarts Earns Spot on Latvian National Junior Team's Preliminary Roster

December 11, 2023 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Wenatchee Wild News Release


Wenatchee Wild forward Rodzers Bukarts
Wenatchee Wild forward Rodzers Bukarts
(Wenatchee Wild, Credit: Mary Gates/Tri-City Americans)

WENATCHEE, Wash. - The Wenatchee Wild, proud members of the Western Hockey League (WHL), are pleased to announce the selection of forward Rodzers Bukarts to the preliminary roster for Latvia's national junior team, which will compete at the 2024 International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championships. This year's World Junior tournament is set for December 26 through January 5 in Gothenburg, Sweden.

Bukarts brings considerable experience on the international circuit for Team Latvia, and will look to make a return trip to the World Junior championships. He represented Latvia in last year's tournament, earning two points in six appearances. Latvia returns to the tournament for the 2024 edition after sweeping Austria in last year's relegation round. Final rosters for the 10 competing teams will be selected and announced prior to the start of the tournament.

He is one of three Wild players to earn invitations to represent his home country in Sweden, with fellow Wenatchee forwards Conor Geekie and Matthew Savoie announced to Canada's National Junior Team Selection Camp last week. As the Winnipeg ICE, the organization did not have a representative in the World Junior tournament last year, but did send Carson Lambos (Canada) and Maximilian Streule (Switzerland) to the tournament two years ago.

A native of Jurmala, Latvia, Bukarts has been a steady contributor for Wenatchee's offense this season, posting nine goals and six assists over 29 appearances. His firepower has been on display repeatedly this year, including back-to-back two-goal games in early November and another two-goal showing December 3 in a win against the Tri-City Americans.

Following Latvia's selection camp, the team will play a pair of exhibition games in Sweden ahead of the start of the tournament, squaring off with Czechia on December 19 and Norway on December 21. The Latvian squad opens the tournament by facing host team Sweden on December 26 at 10:30 a.m. Wenatchee time.

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Images from this story

Wenatchee Wild forward Rodzers Bukarts
Wenatchee Wild forward Rodzers Bukarts
(Mary Gates/Tri-City Americans)		   



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