Several weeks ago, RPI picked up a commitment from Minnesota Wilderness defenseman Gustavs “Goose” Ozolins. The ’03 Latvian played for Team Latvia numerous times in the World Junior Championship and is hopefully the beginning of a strong Latvian pipeline with Coach Zirnis now aboard. Let’s jump into this commitment and see where Gustavs fits into the picture going forward!
Game Breakdown
After watching Ozolins on tape a bit, the two recent RPI players that came to mind were Brady Ferner and Nick Strom. He is not very big at just 5’10 and 180 pounds, but he has a good stick and smart positioning which makes up for it in the defensive end. Gustavs is very sure handed and moves pucks up ice effectively with his excellent passing. Additionally, he has good situational awareness for when to jump into the rush and when to get back and defend. The game he plays is simple and patient, he is the type of player that is well positioned and doesn’t look to do too much. He also seems very comfortable with the puck on his stick and walks the blue line well as he looks to steer pucks on net. My one question mark was his foot speed, which I considered to be just alright. With this being said, I see Gustavs as the type of player that is ready to contribute immediately due to his wealth of junior hockey experience, and he could slot in at 3rd pair LD right away next fall.
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Junior Hockey Journey
First things first, as an ‘03 birth year Ozolins must come to RPI in the fall, which I am sure is a part of the reason the staff offered him. The defense has been a big weakness of this year’s team, so I expect Gustavs was identified as a player that can bring some immediate help to the blue line. He committed to Bemidji State in May of 2021, but decommitted at the end of last season to reopen his recruitment. As you can see from his Elite Prospects page, Gustavs played in Latvia through the 2021 season, where he was a top player in his birth year before coming to the states to play in the USHL. He spent a year in Sioux Falls before moving to the NAHL with Minnesota, where he is serving as captain this year. He is the type of player that screams two-way to me, as he has always produced some offense but is also regarded as a responsible defensive player. Another thing that sticks out to me is his leadership, specifically through the captain roles he has held throughout his junior career.
I see Gustavs as a player that can contribute for RPI right away due to his wealth of junior hockey experience. He possesses a simple, responsible two-way game that should help the Engineers with their possession and puck-movement. I am excited to watch him over his four years here and wanted to congratulate Gustavs and his family on the commitment! Let’s Go Red!