Raitis Ivanāns facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Raitis Ivanāns |
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| Born | January 3, 1979 Riga, Latvian SSR, Soviet Union |
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| Height | 6 ft 4 in (193 cm) | ||
| Weight | 240 lb (109 kg; 17 st 2 lb) | ||
| Position | Left wing | ||
| Shot | Left | ||
| Played for | Montreal Canadiens Los Angeles Kings Calgary Flames Dinamo Riga |
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| National team |  Latvia |
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| NHL Draft | Undrafted | ||
| Playing career | 1997–2013 | ||
Raitis Ivanāns (born January 3, 1979) is a former professional ice hockey player from Latvia. He played as a forward and was known for being an enforcer in the National Hockey League (NHL). An enforcer is a player who helps protect their teammates and sometimes gets into fights during games.
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Playing Career
Starting in North America
Raitis Ivanāns began his hockey journey in North America in 1997. He first played for a team called the Flint Generals. He worked hard to improve his skills on the ice.
Time in the NHL
In 2005, Raitis Ivanāns made his big debut in the NHL with the Montreal Canadiens. He played four games for them. In one of his early games, he got into a fight and suffered an injury near his eye.
On July 13, 2006, he joined the Los Angeles Kings. Ivanāns scored his very first NHL goal on October 12, 2006, against Marty Turco of the Dallas Stars. He became a key player for the Kings. For four years in a row, he led the team in penalty minutes. Penalty minutes are given when a player breaks a rule and has to sit in a special area called the penalty box.
In 2010, Raitis signed with the Calgary Flames. He played his first game for them on October 7, 2010. However, he got a serious head injury (a concussion) during a fight in that game. This injury kept him from playing for a while.
Playing in Europe
After his time in the NHL, Ivanāns moved to Europe. On May 22, 2012, he signed a two-year contract with Dinamo Rīga. This team plays in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). He played 39 games for Dinamo Rīga during the 2012-13 season. He later left the team before his contract ended.
Awards and Achievements
Raitis Ivanāns won an important award during his career.
- He won the Calder Cup in 2004. This is a championship trophy for teams in the AHL.
