Jānis Jaks

Jānis Jaks
Jānis Jaks, 2023
Born (1995-08-22) 22 August 1995 (age 29)
Riga, Latvia
Height 6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Weight 190 lb (86 kg; 13 st 8 lb)
Position Defense
Shoots Right
team
Former teams		 Free Agent
Dinamo Riga
Bakersfield Condors
HC Sochi
National team  Latvia
NHL draft Undrafted
Playing career 2014–present

Jānis Jaks (born 22 August 1995) is a Latvian professional ice hockey defenceman currently an unrestricted free agent. He most recently played for HC Sochi of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL).

Playing career

Collegiate

Jaks joined the Yellow Jackets for the 2016–17 campaign and quickly became a mainstay of their blue line, scoring five goals and six assists for 11 points as a freshman, including two game-winning goals.[1]

Professional

On 30 March 2020, Jaks was signed to a one-year contract with the Bakersfield Condors of the AHL for the 2020–21 season.[2] With the commencement of the 2020–21 North American season delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Jaks was signed to a try-out contract with Latvian-based KHL club, Dinamo Riga, on 23 August 2020.[3] Jaks appeared in 17 contests with Dinamo, collecting 1 goal and 4 points before returning to the AHL and the Condors. In completing his first professional season, Jaks contributed with two goals and 6 points from the blueline with the Condors.

Jaks left North America as a free agent and signed a one-year contract to return to the KHL with Russian-based club HC Sochi on 19 July 2021.[4]

International play

Medal record
Representing  Latvia
Ice hockey
World Championships
Bronze medal – third place 2023 Finland/Latvia

Jaks played for Latvia's junior team at the 2013 and 2014 World Junior Championships. He played his first game at the senior international level in the 2014 World Championships for Latvia's national team against Russia's national team.[5][6]

He represented Latvia at the 2023 IIHF World Championship where he recorded two goals and five assists and won a bronze medal, Latvia's first ever IIHF World Championship medal.[7]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2012–13 HK Riga MHL 30 0 3 3 20 — — — — —
2013–14 HK Riga MHL 38 0 2 2 22 10 1 1 2 12
2014–15 Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees NAHL 2 0 0 0 0 — — — — —
2014–15 Minnesota Wilderness NAHL 41 2 11 13 63 11 1 1 2 4
2015–16 Minnesota Wilderness NAHL 56 7 20 27 80 9 1 3 4 18
2016–17 American International AHC 27 5 6 11 10 — — — — —
2017–18 American International AHC 37 8 15 23 20 — — — — —
2018–19 American International AHC 38 4 10 14 12 — — — — —
2019–20 American International AHC 33 6 9 15 6 — — — — —
2020–21 Dinamo Riga KHL 17 1 3 4 12 — — — — —
2020–21 HK Zemgale LHL 1 0 0 0 2 — — — — —
2020–21 Bakersfield Condors AHL 20 2 4 6 21 — — — — —
2021–22 HC Sochi KHL 41 6 12 18 22 — — — — —
KHL totals 58 7 15 22 34 — — — — —

International

Year Team Event Result GP G A Pts PIM
2013 Latvia U18 10th 6 1 1 2 6
2014 Latvia WJC-D1 12th 4 2 2 4 2
2014 Latvia WC 11th 3 0 0 0 0
2015 Latvia WJC-D1 13th 5 1 1 2 12
2017 Latvia WC 10th 4 0 0 0 0
2019 Latvia WC 10th 3 2 0 2 0
2021 Latvia WC 11th 6 0 0 0 2
2021 Latvia OGQ Q 3 1 1 2 0
2022 Latvia OG 11th 4 0 0 0 2
2022 Latvia WC 10th 7 1 2 3 2
2023 Latvia WC 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) 10 2 5 7 10
Junior totals 15 4 4 8 20
Senior totals 40 6 8 14 16

Awards and honors

Award Year
All-Atlantic Hockey Third Team 2017–18 [8]
Atlantic Hockey All-Tournament Team 2019 [9]

References

  1. ^ "American International College Yellow Jackets – 2016–2017 Men's Ice Hockey Cumulative Statistics". aicyellowjackets.com. Retrieved 29 November 2017.
  2. ^ "CHRISTENSEN AND JAKS SIGN AHL DEALS". 30 March 2020. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
  3. ^ "Dinamo Riga sign probation contract with Janis Jaks" (in Latvian). Dinamo Riga. 23 August 2020. Retrieved 23 August 2020.
  4. ^ "Strengthening of the defense" (in Russian). HC Sochi. 19 July 2021. Retrieved 19 July 2021.
  5. ^ "Roster forming – 2014 WM – International Ice Hockey Federation IIHF". iihfworlds2014.com. Retrieved 9 May 2014.
  6. ^ IIHF (17 May 2014). "GAME SUMMARY" (PDF). IIHF. Archived (PDF) from the original on 5 February 2018. Retrieved 17 May 2014.
  7. ^ "Latvia wins historic bronze in OT". IIHF. 28 May 2023. Retrieved 28 May 2023.
  8. ^ "AWARDS - NCAA (AHA) THIRD ALL-Conference TEAM". Elite Prospects. Retrieved 26 April 2018.
  9. ^ "AIC Wins First Atlantic Hockey Championship as Reinhardt Nets OT Winner". Atlantic Hockey. 24 March 2019. Retrieved 25 March 2019.
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