Kaspars Daugaviņš

Kaspars Daugaviņš (born May 18, 1988 in Riga) is a Latvian professional ice hockey player currently playing for the Vityaz Podolsk of the KHL. He was selected by the Senators in the third round, 91st overall in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft.

Early years
During his first years of career, Daugaviņš played mostly in Latvia. He played with HK Rīga 2000 of the EEHL and BHL lately, Prizma Riga of the Latvijas hokeja līga and for the CSKA Moskva-2 of the Pervenstvo VHL.

Toronto/Mississauga St. Michael's Majors
After being drafted by the Ottawa Senators at the 2006 NHL Entry Draft, Daugaviņš moved from Latvia, where he spent the 2005-06 season with HK Riga 2000 of the LHL, and joined the Toronto St. Michael's Majors of the OHL, as he was drafted with the third overall pick in the 2006 CHL Import Draft.

In his first season with the Majors in 2006-07, Daugaviņš had 18 goals and 60 points in 61 games, good enough to finish second in team scoring. He scored his first OHL goal against Andrew Perugini of the Barrie Colts in his first OHL game. The Majors struggled and failed to qualify for the post-season.

Before the 2007-08, the Majors relocated to Mississauga, Ontario, and was renamed the Mississauga St. Michael's Majors. Daugaviņš had a breakout season, leading Mississauga with 40 goals and 74 points, helping the club into the playoffs. In four playoff games, Daugaviņš had two goals and three points, as Mississauga was swept by the Niagara IceDogs in the first round.

Daugaviņš spent the second half of the 2008-09 with the Majors, after spending the first part of the season with the Binghamton Senators of the AHL. In 30 games with Mississauga, Daugaviņš had 11 goals and 28 points, helping the team to the post-season for the second straight season. In 11 playoff games, Daugaviņš had two goals and nine points, as Mississauga fell to the Brampton Battalion in the Eastern Conference finals.

Ottawa Senators
After the Toronto St. Michael's Majors failed to qualify for the playoffs in the 2006-07 season, the Ottawa Senators assigned Daugaviņš to their AHL team, the Binghamton Senators, to finish the season. In 11 games with Binghamton, Daugaviņš had two goals. He scored both of his goals in a game against the Albany River Rats, beating Tyler Weiman twice in a 5-4 Senators win. On June 1, 2007, Daugaviņš signed a three-year entry level contract with the Senators.

In 2007-08, Daugaviņš appeared in three games with Binghamton, earning an assist, as he joined the team after the Mississauga St. Michael's Majors were eliminated from the OHL playoffs.

Daugaviņš spent the first half of the 2008-09 season with Binghamton, playing in 23 games, scoring two goals and three points, before being sent back to the Mississauga St. Michael's Majors to finish the hockey season. After the season, Daugaviņš was selected by Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod of the KHL in the 2009 KHL Junior Draft.

He spent the 2009-10 in Binghamton, as Daugaviņš appeared in 72 games, scoring 21 goals and 46 points, however, the club failed to reach the playoffs. Daugaviņš also made his NHL debut in the 2009-10 season, appearing in one game with Ottawa. He played with the NHL club on January 14, 2010 against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden, going pointless in 8:26 of ice time, as the Senators shutout the Rangers 2-0.

Daugaviņš returned to the AHL for the 2010-11 season, appearing in 74 games, scoring 19 goals and 54 points to finish fourth in team scoring, and helping Binghamton to the playoffs. In 23 playoff games, Daugaviņš had 10 goals and 20 points, as Binghamton won the 2011 Calder Cup, defeating the Houston Aeros in six games in the Calder Cup finals.

Daugaviņš scored his first ever NHL goal on October 30, 2011, beating Jonas Gustavsson of the Toronto Maple Leafs in a 3-2 Ottawa victory.

Daugaviņš stayed in America until the end of the 2012-13 season. At the end of this season, Daugaviņš was traded in Boston Bruins. During the 2012 NHL Lockout, Daugaviņš played with Dinamo Riga of the KHL.

Back in Europe
After his return to Europe, he played one season in NLA for Genève-Servette HC. Since 2014, Daugaviņš plays for Russian teams of the KHL. He played in Dynamo Moskva at the 2014-15 season and at the beginning of the 2015-16 season. Most of that season played Daugaviņš for Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod and he stayed here until the end of the 2017-18 season. In 2018 - 2020, Daugaviņš played for Spartak Moskva. Since 2020, he plays with Vityaz Podolsk.

International
Daugaviņš represents Latvia at international hockey events. In 2004, Daugaviņš played for Latvia at the 2004 World U18 Championship Division I as a 15 year old, earning two assists in five games, as Latvia finished in fourth place in their division. Daugaviņš came back for the 2005 IIHF World U18 Championship Division I with Latvia, scoring two goals and three points, helping the Latvian team to a second place finish in that division. At the 2006 IIHF World U18 Championship Division I, Daugaviņš had five goals and nine points in five games, helping Latvia finish with a perfect 5-0-0 record, and a first place finish in their division.

Daugaviņš participated with Latvia at the 2006 World Junior Championship as an 17 year old recording 2 assists in 6 games and at the 2007 World Junior Championship Division I as an 18 year old, where he had three goals and 10 points in five games, as Latvia finished in second place in their division. At the 2007 IIHF World Championship held in Moscow, Russia, Daugaviņš had three goals and six points in six games, as Latvia finished in 13th place in the tournament.

In 2008, Daugaviņš played at the 2008 World Junior Championship Division I, where he had two goals and 10 points in five games, helping Latvia win their division. He once again represented Latvia at the 2008 IIHF World Championship held in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and Quebec City, Quebec, earning no points in six games, as Latvia finished in 11th place.

At the 2010 Winter Olympics held in Vancouver, British Columbia, Daugaviņš appeared in four games for Latvia, getting no points, as the Latvians finished 12th in the tournament. He also participated at the 2010 IIHF World Championship held in Cologne, Germany, Mannheim, Germany and Gelsenkirchen, Germany, scoring two goals and three points in six games, as Latvia finished in 11th place.

He appeared also at the 2012 World Championship where he recorded one goal and one assist in 7 games.

His next big tournament were the 2014 Olympics where recorded 2 assists in 4 games. Lately that year, Daugaviņš also participated at the 2014 World Championship as the alternate captain playing in 7 games and recording 5 points just as incredible 42 penalty minutes.

Since 2015, Daugaviņš plays at big tournaments as the captain of Latvian National Team. That list includes 2015 World Championship where he did very well recording 9 points in 7 games, 2016 World Championship and 2017 World Championship. He also participated at the 2016 Olympic Qualification for 2018 Olympics, but Latvia was unsuccessful and did not qualify.

Awards
2010-11 AHL Calder Cup with the Binghamton Senators