6th year net minder Kristers Gudlevskis(50) has decided it’s best to head back home to play for Dinamo Riga, the team he’d played three years of stellar junior hockey with.
He did actually play a pair of KHL contests for the team in the year before coming to North America.
The big frame goalie was set to become a group 6 unrestricted free agent after guarding the cage for Bridgeport Sound Tigers last season, while under a 1-year deal with New York Islanders after a trade sent him over, but didn’t see anytime in the big league.
He had a 12-16 record with three shutouts and a 2.83 GAA and .897 SV% on a non-playoff team in 37 AHL games.
In his four seasons with Tampa Bay Lightning, he received looks on three separate occasions and leaves with a 1-0 record, 1.37 GAA and .947 SV%.
We are putting money on the soon to be 26-year old having an amazing campaign in Russia’s top hockey and being given a new contract to return for some more NHL action.
Kristers Gudlevskis (35)
Tampa Bay Lightning 5th round pick in the 2013 draft (#124 overall) Latvian goalie Kristers Gudlevskis(35) was reassigned to start his rookie season with ECHL affiliate Florida Everblades.
He was quickly recalled and has made the north-south trips already a few times in his first half year pro.
The still somewhat lanky 6’3″ 189 lbs. net minder had pretty stellar numbers in 11 games with the ‘Blades, where he went 7-4 with a 1.83 GAA and .928 SV%.
Currently up with Syracuse Crunch, he’s already appeared in 18 AHL games posting another winning mark of 10-5-2-2 with a 2.48 GAA and .910 SV%.
Signed to a three-year entry level deal through 2016, he played in a pair of KHL games last season with Dinamo Riga.
The 21-year was named CCM/AHL Player Of The Week for January 6-12 recording back-to-back weekend shutouts and a midweek victory.
He was also chosen to represent his country in the upcoming Sochi Olympics.
He’ll likely need to continue to prove himself on the way up.