Swindon Wildcats snap up Daniličs (From Swindon Advertiser)

Swindon Wildcats snap up Daniličs

8:37am Wednesday 8th July 2009 in

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SWINDON Wildcats have filled one of their import slots by snapping Latvian forward Raimonds Daniličs for the 2009-10 season.

The 6ft 3in 23-year old Riga-born prospect has represented his country at both Under 18 and Under 20 level, and played in the highly-competitive Latvian and Belarusian leagues with HK Riga 2000.

Winger Daniličs also impressed sufficiently in the junior leagues to be drafted by the National Hockey League's (NHL) Tampa Bay Lightning in the eighth round (255th overall) in the 2003 entry draft.

He eventually returned to his homeland after spells in North America with Tri City Storm in the USHL and Texas Tornado in the NAHL, having fallen foul of the rules concerning the number of non-US citizens teams can have on their roster.

Daniličs becomes the third foreign-trained player to sign up for the Wildcats, alongside fellow forward Jozef Kohut and defenceman Jan Krajicek.

Delighted coach Ryan Aldridge said: "Raimonds is the guy we have been looking for and I know he will be worth the wait.

"You dont get drafted, have interest from the KHL last year and have a career like he has had at a young age if you can't player the game."

"He is just what we are looking for, a skilled guy with a good shot and will be a big part of the power play, another thing in my eyes that we did not have last year.''

Aldridge added: "With Raimond being right-handed I am looking forward to working with him on the power play and to see his line play together."

"From the league Raimond is coming from you know he will be here to work and will be ready to play every night."