Sandis Ozoliņš: biography and photos

Сандис Озолиньш was born on the third of August, 1972. Latvian hockey player, defender in the game role. It is considered one of the best hockey players in Latvia. Seven times participated in the "All Stars" match of the National Hockey League, is the owner of the Stanley Cup.

Carier start

Сандис Озолиньш, a photo of which can be looked in this article, has begun professional career in the championship of Soviet Union (1990), playing for Riga "Dynamo". In the same year, he liked the American club "San Jose Sharks" and went to play in America.

USA

He made his debut as a member of the "Sharks" already in the season 1992/93. For the year he spent thirty-seven games, earning twenty-three points. December 30, 1992 in a game against the "Philadelphia" received a severe knee injury and missed half the season.

In the following season, 1993/94 Sandis Ozoliņš played eighty-one matches, earning sixty-four points. This was the third result in the team and the first in the entire league on the washers defended by the washers. The result will later be the second in Sandis' career. This season, the Latvian defender helped his team get into the playoffs of the National Hockey League. The result was repeated in the next season, which was shortened due to the lockout. "Sharks" in both seasons "flew" at the semifinal stage of the conference.

Going to Colorado

On October 26, 1995 Sandis Ozoliņš, whose biography is closely connected with the sport, was exchanged for the club "Colorado Avalanche". In the debut season for the new team, he spent sixty-six games and scored fifty points. The following season became significant for him, as the "Colorado" team was able to win the Stanley Cup. Ozolins himself became the key defender of the team, finishing the current season in ninth place in the league on points scored in the playoff stage.

In the next season (1996/97), Colorado got the President's Cup. Ozolins in the league finished in third place, gaining sixty-eight points. This allowed him to settle on the second line of the most effective defenders of the National Hockey League.

The subsequent three seasons for the team did not become outstanding, but the Latvian hockey player himself played at a fairly high level. On December 6, 1999, he made his debut hat-trick in his career. The 1999/00 season was the last for Sandys in Colorado.

"Caroline"

On June 24, 2000, he was exchanged for the Carolina Hurricanes club, where he signed a five-year contract for a total of more than twenty-five million dollars. In the team Sandis met with his friend A. Irbe, with him they started playing at home in Latvia.

Ozolins could not help "Carolina" go into the playoffs, but continued to please his fans with good results. On May 4, 2001, playing against the "Chicago", he repeated the Hittite-trick, adding an assist to him. For "Carolina" Sandis played a year and a half, then he was released into "Florida".

The game for the "panther"

On January 16, 2002 Sandis Ozolins, whose career is closely connected with American clubs, began to play for the Florida Panthers club. And on the very first day he made his debut in the first team. In the new team he did not get the usual eighth number, which was busy. I had to limit myself to the forty-fourth number. The Latvian played for the club thirty-seven games and scored twenty-nine points. But "Florida" could not get into the playoffs. Fifty-one match he played in the next ozone, after which he was given to Anaheim.

"Ducks"

On January 30, 2003 Sandis Ozolins moved to the Anaheim Mighty Ducks. In this team he got his favorite "eight" (number). He immediately became a key defender of the club. With his game, he helped the "ducks" for the first time into the Stanley Cup finals. There she lost to New Jersey. The next season was a failure, the team could not go to the playoffs. Sandis was tormented all season, and he was able to play only thirty-six games.

"New York"

Ozolinsh played for the "duck" seventeen more games and he was given to the club "New York Rangers". It happened in March 2006. In this club he got the twenty-fourth number. In nineteen games, he scored fourteen points, thus being able to help the team get into the playoffs, where the New York club has not played since 1997.

On February 18, 2006, the team was defeated by New Jersey with a crushing score of 1: 6. After this, Sandisz Ozolins was in the draft of refusals and was sent to the club "Hartford Wolf Pack." But the Latvian suffered a knee injury and was forced to go to the infirmary.

Again the "Sharks"

On May 2, 2006, Sandis was arrested by the police for driving a car in a state of intoxication. After treatment for alcohol dependence, he signed a contract with his first American club. In the season 2007-2008. Hockey player played thirty-nine matches and scored sixteen points. After that, the Latvian decided to take a break and rest a little.

Back to Latvia

On the thirtieth of July 2009, Sandis signed a contract with the Riga "Dynamo". There he was immediately made a captain and gave his beloved eighth number. In the 2009/10 season the hockey player was the key defender of the team in the Continental Hockey League. He played forty-three games and scored twenty-five points. On the 30th of January I participated in the game "All the stars" of the Kotinental Hockey League. After the end of the 2011-2012 season. He decided to leave the "Dynamo" and moved to the suburban club "Atlant". Season in the new team was not very successful for him, but Sandis was given second place in the voting for the best player of the club.

The following year, the Latvian returned to the Dynamo. On August 21, 2013, he again became captain of the Riga team and again began wearing his favorite eighth number. And already on May 27, 2014, he decided to complete his sports career.

International career as a hockey player

Сандис Озолиньш, the hockey player making debut on international scene in 1991 Then he has taken part in ЧМ among youth. There, his team was able to pass to the finals, where she lost to Canadians. In 1992, after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the hockey player played for the national team of the CIS. This team was able to take the gold medals of the youth World Cup.

Then until 1998, the Latvian did not participate in international matches. The main reasons for this were the playoff games in America and a series of injuries. In 1998, his then-club "Colorado" quickly flew out of the playoffs and Ozolins decided to join the Latvian team and go with her and make her debut at the highest level.

This World Cup was the second for independent Latvia. At the tournament, the famous hockey player played four matches, scored one goal and scored two assists. The next performance for the team was for the hockey player in 2001. This time, too, was lucky, his club "Carolina" quickly flew from the Stanley Cup. At this championship the national team could only win the thirteenth place.

In 2002 Sandis Ozolins played at the World Cup and even played one match at the Olympics against the Slovak national team. Sandis scored four goals and thus helped his team achieve a neutral result 6: 6.

Three years later, with the help of Ozolins, Latvia was able to get to the 2006 Olympics . After that, the hockey player announced that he was completing his performances for the national team.

Before the World Cup in 2011, he became general manager of the Latvian national team. However, after the tournament, the coaching staff of the national team was dismissed in full force. And in 2014, Sandis decided to return to the national team, became its captain and was a standard bearer at the Olympic Games in Sochi.

Personal life of the famous hockey player

Сандис Озолиньш, whose wife was his girlfriend since a school bench, has lived in marriage fifteen years. In May 2010 they applied for a divorce. The hockey player has two children - Christopher and Roberts. Now he meets with TV host A. Liekkalneyney.

Sandis Ozolins: achievements of the hockey player

• The owner of the Stanley Cup in the "Colorado" (1996).
• Finalist of the Stanley Cup in the "Anaheim" (2003).
• Member of the All Stars National Hockey League game (seven games): 1994/1997/1998/2000/2001/2002/2003.
• Member of the game "All Stars" Continental Hockey League (four games): 2010/2011/2012/2014.
• The owner of the Presidential Cup (1997).
• The owner of the Golden Helmet (2011).
• World Cup youth championship (1991).
• Standard bearer of the national team at the Sochi Olympics, 2014.