Rihards Bukarts

Rihards Bukarts (born 31 December 1995) is a Latvian professional ice hockey forward. He is currently playing for Düsseldorfer EG in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL). Bukarts was selected 9th overall in the 2012 KHL Junior Draft by the Dinamo Riga. 
With the selection Bukarts became the highest drafted Latvian in KHL history, 4 spots higher than his brother Roberts Bukarts in 2009.
==Playing career==
Bukarts is youngest player ever who score in MHL on 15 September 2011 On 2 July 2012 Rihards Bukarts signed with Dinamo Riga two-way contract. Bukarts was selected 7th overall in the 2013 CHL Import Draft by Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL).
Bukarts was the highest drafted player in Wheat Kings history. In the summer of 2013, Bukarts broke contract with Dinamo Riga and left for North America to play for the Brandon Wheat Kings of the Western Hockey League. He officially signed a contract on 19 July 2013, with the major junior team. In his first season in North America in 2013–14, Bukarts in 65 games scored (28) goals (WHL Most Goals by Rookie) and gave 26 assists.
In the following 2014–15 season, he featured in 62 games, scoring (33) goals in totalling the most goals scored by a European player in the team's history (single season record) as well as adding 41 assists. On February 8, 2015, Bukarts was named-Denny's WHL Player of the Week. In the post-season, Bukarted helped the Wheat Kings reach the WHL finals, suffering defeat against the Kelowna Rockets. In 16 play off games, Bukarts scored 4 goals and 18 points.
Undrafted, Bukarts accepted a try-out over the summer to attend the 2015 NHL training camp of the Edmonton Oilers. After his release from the Oilers, Bukarts returned to the Wheat Kings for the 2015–16 season before he was traded to the Portland Winterhawks on 29 October 2015. On December 14, 2015, Rihards Bukarts was named 2nd time in his career as the WHL player of the Week. In 55 games with the Winterhawks, Bukarts amassed 53 points. At the conclusion of his major junior career, Bukarts joined the Portland Pirates of the AHL, an affiliate to the Florida Panthers, on an amateur try-out basis to complete the season. He recorded an assist in a solitary game.
Bukarts attended the Panthers rookie camp after signing a one-year deal with the Panthers inaugural AHL affiliate, the Springfield Thunderbirds. After attending Florida's main training camp, before he was reassigned to begin the 2016–17 season with the Thunderbirds. He split the season between Springfield and the ECHL with the Manchester Monarchs.
As a free agent in the following off-season, Bukarts returned to Europe in agreeing to an initial one-year contract with HC Zlin of the Czech Extraliga on August 21, 2017. In the 2017–18 season, Bukarts left the Czech Republic after 17 games, making appearances in the Kontinental Hockey League with Dinamo Riga before completing the season with German club, Eisbären Berlin of the DEL.
As a free agent, Bukarts opted to continue in the DEL, agreeing to a one-year deal with Schwenninger Wild Wings on July 13, 2018. In the 2018–19 season, Bukarts contributed with 22 points through 42 games, unable to help the Wild Wings progress to the post-season. At the completion of the season, BUkarts left Schwenninger at the conclusion of his contract.
On May 13, 2019, Bukarts secured a one-year contract to continue in the DEL with Düsseldorfer EG.
==International play==
Bukarts participated at the 2012 and 2013 IIHF World U18 Championships and also 2013 IIHF World U20 Championships he was a member of the Latvia men's national junior ice hockey team. He finished with the most penalty minutes in the tournament.
== Career statistics ==
===Regular season and playoffs===
 	 	 		Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season		Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs
Season 	Team 	League 		GP 	G 	A 	Pts 	PIM 		GP 	G 	A 	Pts 	PIM
2008–09 	SK Saga 	LHL 2 		14 	9 	5 	14 	 — 		 — 	 — 	 — 	 — 	 —
2009–10 	SK Riga 18 	LHL U18 		9 	7 	11 	18 	2 		 — 	 — 	 — 	 — 	 —
2010–11 	SK Saga 	LHL 2 		19 	19 	30 	49 	10 		 — 	 — 	 — 	 — 	 —
2011–12 	Kapitan Stupino 	MHL 		47 	11 	11 	22 	22 		 — 	 — 	 — 	 — 	 —
2011–12 	SK Saga 	LHL 2 		11 	28 	31 	59 	12 		 — 	 — 	 — 	 — 	 —
2012–13 	HK Riga 	MHL 		62 	18 	17 	35 	44 		3 	0 	0 	0 	0
2012–13 	HK Juniors Riga 	LHL 		 — 	 — 	 — 	 — 	 — 		2 	0 	1 	1 	0
2013–14 	Brandon Wheat Kings 	WHL 		65 	28 	26 	54 	50 		9 	0 	4 	4 	0
2014–15 	Brandon Wheat Kings 	WHL 		62 	33 	41 	74 	21 		16 	4 	14 	18 	8
2015–16 	Brandon Wheat Kings 	WHL 		10 	5 	4 	9 	11 		 — 	 — 	 — 	 — 	 —
2015–16 	Portland Winterhawks 	WHL 		55 	26 	27 	53 	24 		4 	2 	1 	3 	6
2015–16 	Portland Pirates 	AHL 		1 	0 	1 	1 	0 		 — 	 — 	 — 	 — 	 —
2016–17 	Springfield Thunderbirds	AHL 		14 	0 	3 	3 	4 		 — 	 — 	 — 	 — 	 —
2016–17 	Manchester Monarchs 	ECHL 		37 	16 	17 	33 	26 		 — 	 — 	 — 	 — 	 —
2017–18 	HC Zlín 	ELH 		17 	2 	2 	4 	20 		 — 	 — 	 — 	 — 	 —
2017–18 	Dinamo Riga 	KHL 		14 	1 	0 	1 	0 		 — 	 — 	 — 	 — 	 —
2017–18 	Eisbären Berlin 	DEL 		2 	0 	1 	1 	0 		16 	4 	4 	8 	6
2018–19 	Schwenninger Wild Wings 	DEL 		42 	9 	13 	22 	14 		 — 	 — 	 — 	 — 	 —
2019–20 	Düsseldorfer EG 	DEL 		48 	10 	9 	19 	24 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
KHL totals	KHL totals 	KHL totals		14 	1 	0 	1 	0 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
===International===
Year 	Team 	Event 		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2012 	Latvia 	WJC U18 		6 	0	5	5 	2
2013 	Latvia 	WJC U18 		6 	1	1	2 	0
2013 	Latvia 	WJC 		6 	0	1	1 	4
2017 	Latvia 	WC 		7 	0	3	3 	2
2018 	Latvia 	WC 		8 	1	2	3 	4
2019 	Latvia 	WC 		7 	0	3	3 	4
Junior totals	Junior totals	Junior totals		18	1	7	8 	6
Senior totals	Senior totals	Senior totals		22	1	8	9 	10
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
== References ==
== External links ==
*
* Rihards Bukart's MHL profile
Category:1995 births
Category:Brandon Wheat Kings players
Category:Dinamo Riga players
Category:Düsseldorfer EG players
Category:Eisbären Berlin players
[[Category:Latvian ice hockey forwards]
Category:HK Riga players
Category:Kapitan Stupino players
Category:Manchester Monarchs (ECHL) players
Category:Portland Pirates players
Category:Portland Winterhawks players
Category:Schwenninger Wild Wings players
Category:Springfield Thunderbirds players
Category:PSG Berani Zlín players