Helmuts Balderis facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Helmuts Balderis |
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Balderis in 2014
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| Born | 31 July 1952 Riga, Latvian SSR, Soviet Union |
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| Height | 5 ft 11 in (180 cm) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 190 lb (86 kg; 13 st 8 lb) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Right Wing | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Shot | Left | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Played for | Dinamo Riga CSKA Moscow Minnesota North Stars |
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| National team |  Soviet Union and Latvia |
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| NHL Draft | 238th overall, 1989 Minnesota North Stars |
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| Playing career | 1973–1985 1989–1996 |
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Medal record
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Helmuts Balderis-Sildedzis (born July 31, 1952) is a famous former ice hockey player from Latvia. He played for both the Soviet Union and Latvian national teams. As a right wing, he was known for his incredible scoring ability.
Balderis was part of the Soviet team at the 1980 Winter Olympics. In a famous game known as the "Miracle on Ice", his team had a surprising loss to the United States. He also played one season in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Minnesota North Stars. He made history by becoming the oldest player ever drafted by an NHL team, at age 36. In 1998, his amazing career was honored when he was added to the International Ice Hockey Federation Hall of Fame.
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Hockey Career in the Soviet Union
Balderis spent most of his career playing in the Soviet Hockey League. He played for two main clubs: Dinamo Riga (from 1969 to 1977 and again from 1980 to 1985) and CSKA Moscow (from 1977 to 1980).
Moving to the CSKA Moscow team was a big step. It was a requirement for him to join the Soviet national team, which was one of the best in the world. He was a top scorer in the league in 1977 and 1984. In 1977, he was even named the league's Player of the Year. Throughout his time in the Soviet league, he scored an incredible 333 goals.
Playing for the National Team
Balderis represented the Soviet Union in many international tournaments. He helped the team win a silver medal at the 1980 Winter Olympics. He also won three gold medals at the World Championships in 1978, 1979, and 1983.
He played in a total of five World Championships and was named the Best Forward at the 1977 tournament. After he returned to his home team, Dinamo Riga, in 1980, he was not chosen for the 1984 Olympic team.
A Surprising Return to Hockey
In 1985, Balderis decided to retire from playing and became a coach in Japan. But his hockey story wasn't over. In 1989, rules changed, and Soviet players were allowed to join the NHL in North America.
The Minnesota North Stars drafted Balderis, making him the oldest player ever drafted at 36 years old. He played 26 games for the team, scoring 3 goals and 6 assists. He also became the oldest player to score his first NHL goal, at age 37.
After one season in the NHL, he retired again. However, when Latvia became an independent country, he came out of retirement a second time. In 1992, he played for the new Latvian national team as its captain, scoring two goals.
Life After Playing
After finally hanging up his skates, Balderis stayed involved in hockey. He coached the Latvian national team and also worked as its general manager. He has also served as a board member of the Latvian Ice Hockey Federation, helping to guide the sport in his home country.
Awards and Honors
Balderis received many awards during his career for his outstanding skill.
- Soviet League First All-Star Team: 1977
- Izvestia Trophy (Top Scorer in Soviet League): 1977, 1983
- Soviet League Player of the Year: 1977
- World Championships All-Star Team: 1977
- Best Forward at the World Championships: 1977
- Top Scorer of the Latvian League: 1993
- IIHF Hall of Fame: Inducted in 1998
Career Statistics
These numbers show how many goals and assists Balderis scored during his long career.
Club Teams
- Soviet League: 462 games, 333 goals, 247 assists (580 total points)
- Latvian League: 53 games, 126 goals, 130 assists (256 total points)
- NHL (Minnesota North Stars): 26 games, 3 goals, 6 assists (9 total points)
International Teams
- Soviet Union (Senior Team): 59 games, 35 goals, 33 assists (68 total points)
- Soviet Union (Junior Team): 5 games, 10 goals, 1 assist (11 total points)
