Rudolfs Balcers

#22

LW

Player Headshot
Height: 5′11″
Weight: 182 lb
Born: 4/8/1997
Birthplace: Liepaja, LAT
Shoots: L
Draft: 2015, SJS (142nd overall), 5th round, 21st pick

Stats

Career Stats

2018-19Ottawa Senators365914-710340012:21104810.414.3
2019-20Ottawa Senators15123-20000012:0810234.30.0
2020-21San Jose Sharks418917-616010014:43206612.10.0
2021-22San Jose Sharks61111223-320000115:02109811.240.0
2022-23Florida Panthers14224-24000010:5500219.50.0
2022-23Tampa Bay Lightning3101+1000006:5300333.30.0
Career170283462-1950350113:395025910.826.5

Bio

Rudolfs Balcers

The left wing was one of the prospects who came to the Ottawa Senators in the Erik Karlsson trade with the San Jose Sharks on Sept. 13, 2018.

The Latvian made his NHL debut with the Senators Jan. 5, 2019 against the Minnesota Wild and scored his first NHL goal the next night against the Carolina Hurricanes.

Balcers' road to the NHL started in Norway with Lorenskog in 2011-12 before moving on to the Stavanger Oilers in 2013-14. In 2014-15, he scored 21 points in 38 games to help the team win the league championship. He was drafted by the Sharks in the fifth round (No. 142) of the 2015 NHL Draft.

After one more season in Norway, Balcers moved to North America to continue to develop his game. In 2016-17, he had 77 points (40 goals, 37 assists) in 66 games for the Kamloops Blazers in the Western Hockey League. He signed a three-year contract with the Sharks on July 13, 2017. After spending time in the Sharks' training camp, he was assigned to San Jose of the American Hockey League. Balcers led the Barracuda in points with 48 and goals with 23 and was selected for the AHL All-Star Game.

His biggest splash in 2018 came at the IIHF World Championship. He led Latvia with six points and four goals in eight games including a spectacular game-winning OT goal against Norway.

After being traded to the Senators, he started the 2018-19 season with Belleville of the AHL. He scored 31 points (17 goals, 14 assists) in 43 games with Belleville to earn his callup to the NHL. He had 14 points (five goals, nine assists) in 36 games in his debut season with the Senators.

NOTES & TRANSACTIONS

  • Traded to Ottawa by San Jose with Chris Tierney, Dylan DeMelo, Josh Norris, San Jose's 1st-round pick in 2019 or 2020 NHL Draft, a 2nd-round pick in 2019 NHL Draft and two conditional picks for Erik Karlsson and Francis Perron, September 13, 2018.
  • Claimed off waivers by San Jose from Ottawa, January 12, 2021.
  • Signed as a free agent by Florida, July 14, 2022.
  • Claimed off waivers by Tampa Bay from Florida, November 12, 2022.