The Tampa Bay Lightning have selected Klavs Veinbergs with the 224th overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft.
Klavs Veinbergs
Veinbergs, 18, played for two teams last season. First, Veinbergs played for HK Riga of the MHL. For Riga, the left winger recorded 24 points in 47 games played. Later in the season he moved to the Latvian league for Zemgale. He only played five games for his new team but in those five games he recorded five points. Veinbergs will likely remain in Latvia for the next few seasons.
The Latvian-born player stands a tall 6’3″ while weighing 193 pounds. The European scout for Tampa Bay must have had a good feeling about Klavs, as he is unranked on all prospect rankings. In the coming years, Veinbergs must move to a league that offers more competition and chance for him to grow. Right now he will be limited by his league. In what was probably the most off-the-board pick of the draft, Veinbergs is a mystery. Only time will tell whether this was a genius pick or just another seventh-rounder.
Lightning Picks
1st Round, 31st overall: Isaac Howard, LW, USA U-18 (NTDP)
3rd Round, 86th overall: Lucas Edmonds, RW, Kingston (OHL)
5th Round, 160th overall: Nick Malik, G, KooKoo (Liiga)
6th Round, 192nd overall: Connor Kurth, RW, Dubuque (USHL)
7th Round, 223rd overall: Dyllan Gill, D, Rouyn-Noranda (QMJHL)
7th Round 224th overall: Klavs Veinbergs, LW, Zemgale (Latvia)