Latvian goaltender Kufterins making first impression with Blazers; training camp schedule, rosters released

Added Kamloops Blazers’ head coach and general manager Shaun Clouston: “Initial thoughts are outgoing, great energy, speaks excellent English, very personable young man.”

The Blazers picked Kufterins 13th overall in the CHL Import Draft in July, bringing him in to compete with Logan Edmonstone for the No. 1 job in the crease.

Both goaltenders are entering their 18-year-old campaigns.

“I love the competition,” said Kufterins, who started for his country at the 2025 Under-18 World Hockey Championship this past spring in Texas. “It makes me and my teammates better teammates, better goalies. Every day, every season, you need to be a better goalie, so I’m just trying to focus on that and every other thing is going to come.”

The Latvian backstop has made a good first impression off the ice and will aim to do the same on the ice when training camp gets underway on Friday, with a goalies-only session running from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m.

“I’m a pretty athletic goalie,” he said. “I’m a fast goalie and, yeah, trying to be the best type of player.”

Kufterins was passed over in the 2025 NHL Draft, but made an impression with the Utah Mammoth.

He participated in their development camp earlier this year and will join the NHL club for its rookie camp in September.

“They’re high on him,” Clouston said of the Mammoth. “He didn’t get drafted, but he was in consideration and I think they believe he has potential to be an NHL goalie one day.”

Added Kufterins: “For every hockey player who wants to play in the NHL, that’s the dream.”

Kufterins posted a 4.17 goals-against average and .891 save percentage in 25 games last season for Riga in the top Latvian professional league, a 17-year-old toiling against men.

“We had a lot of shots, a lot of practice,” he said. “I think it developed me. It helped me a lot.”

Clouston is confident the Blazers have assembled a deep group of goaltenders, each of whom will get to work with goaltending coach Dan De Palma at camp.

“The frontrunners obviously right now are Ivans and Eddie, Eddie and Ivans,” Clouston said. “There’s going to be some healthy competition for the No. 1 spot. As camp plays out, we’ll see where the rest of the guys fit in, but we’ve got some good young goaltenders and we’ve got an excellent goalie coach.”

CAMP NOTES

Eighty-eight players are expected to be at Blazers’ training camp, with on-ice sessions beginning on Friday and wrapping up on Monday.

See the complete schedule below.

Participants have been divided into four teams named after alumni – Logan Stankoven, Fraser Minten, Dylan Garand and Connor Zary.

See the team rosters below.

Defenceman Harrison Brunicke and forward Vit Zahejsky will not participate at training camp.

Brunicke is expected to take part in an NHLPA rookie showcase event while Zahejsky is on international duty with Czechia.

The Blazers will begin pre-season play on Sept. 3, when they host the Vancouver Giants at Sandman Centre.

Game time is 7 p.m.

TRAINING CAMP SCHEDULE

Friday, Aug. 29
8:00am – 9:00am Goalie Ice (All Goalies)
9:30am – 10:30am Team Minten (Grey) – Practice
10:45am – 11:45am Team Stankoven (Blue) – Practice
12:00pm – 1:00pm Team Zary (White) – Practice
1:15pm – 2:15pm Team Garand (Orange) – Practice
5:30pm – 6:20pm Team Minten (Grey) vs. Team Stankoven (Blue)
6:35pm – 7:25pm Team Zary (White) vs. Team Garand (Orange)

Saturday, Aug. 30
9:00am – 9:50am Team Minten (Grey) vs. Team Zary (White)
10:05am – 10:55am Team Garand (Orange) vs. Team Stankoven (Blue)
11:10am – 12:00pm Team Minten (Grey) vs. Team Garand (Orange)
12:15pm – 1:05pm Team Stankoven (Blue) vs. Team Zary (White)
4:00pm – 4:45pm Goalie Ice (All Goalies)
5:00pm – 6:15pm 3rd Place Game
6:30pm – 7:45pm 1st Place Game

Sunday, Aug. 31 (3 on 3 10 minute games)
9:00am – 9:20am Team 1 (Grey 1) vs. Team 2 (White 1)
9:20am – 9:40am Team 3 (Orange 1) vs. Team 4 (Blue 1)
9:40am – 10:00am Team 1 (Grey 1) vs. Team 3 (Orange 1)
10:15am – 10:35am Team 2 (White 1) vs. Team 4 (Blue 1)
10:35am – 10:55am Team 2 (White 1) vs. Team 3 (Orange 1)
10:55am – 11:15am Team 1 (Grey 1) vs. Team 4 (Blue 1)
11:30am – 11:50am Team 5 (Grey 2) vs. Team 6 (White 2)
11:50am – 12:10pm Team 7 (Orange 2) vs. Team 8 (Blue 2)
12:10pm – 12:30pm Team 5 (Grey 2) vs. Team 7 (Orange 2)
12:45pm – 1:05pm Team 6 (White 2) vs. Team 8 (Blue 2)
1:05pm – 1:25pm Team 6 (White 2) vs. Team 7 (Orange 2)
1:25pm – 1:45pm Team 5 (Grey 2) vs. Team 8 (Blue 2)

5:00pm – 5:20pm 3rd vs. 4th (Pool 1)
5:20pm – 5:40pm 3rd vs. 4th (Pool 2)
5:40pm – 6:00pm 1st vs. 2nd (Pool 1)
6:15pm – 6:35pm 1st vs. 2nd (Pool 2)
6:35pm – 7:00pm Losers 3rd vs. 4th
7:00pm – 7:25pm Winners 3rd vs. 4th
7:40pm – 8:05pm Losers 1st vs. 2nd
8:05pm – 8:30pm Winners 1st vs. 2nd

Monday, Sept. 1
7:45am – 9:30am Team Blue vs. Team White (2009/2010 Players)
9:45am – 11:30am Team Grey vs. Team Orange (2005-2010 Players)

TEAM ROSTERS

TEAM MINTEN

TEAM STANKOVEN

TEAM ZARY

TEAM GARAND

by Marty Hastings

Latvian goaltender Kufterins making first impression with Blazers; training camp schedule, rosters released

Our Community