Helmuts Balderis

Helmuts Balderis-Sildedzis (born 31 July 1952) is a former Soviet and Latvian professional ice hockey player. He played on the right wing and participated at the 1980 Winter Olympics, where the Soviet team unexpectedly lost to the United States. He played part of a single season in the National Hockey League after being drafted in 1989 by the Minnesota North Stars, becoming the oldest player to be drafted by an NHL team at the age of 36. In 1998, he was inducted into International Ice Hockey Federation Hall of Fame.

Helmuts Balderis
Balderis in 2014
Born	(1952-07-31) 31 July 1952 Riga, Latvian SSR, Soviet Union
Height	5 ft 11 in (180 cm)
Weight	190 lb (86 kg; 13 st 8 lb)
Position	Right Wing
Shot	Left
Played for	Dinamo Riga CSKA Moscow Minnesota North Stars
National team	Soviet Union and Latvia
NHL draft	238th overall, 1989 Minnesota North Stars
Playing career	1973–1985 1989–1996
Medal record Representing Soviet Union Men's ice hockey Olympic Games 1980 Lake Placid Ice hockey World Championships 1978 Czechoslovakia Ice hockey 1979 Soviet Union Ice hockey 1983 West Germany Ice hockey 1976 Poland Ice hockey 1977 Austria Ice hockey

Playing career

Balderis on a 2000 Latvian stamp

Balderis played in the Soviet Hockey League for Dinamo Riga (1969–1977, 1980–1985) and CSKA Moscow (1977–80), having been transferred to the latter as a precondition for being accepted in the Soviet national team. He was the leading scorer in the 1977 and 1984 seasons, winning the Player of the Year award in 1977. He was the best player of the Latvian SSR in the 1970s and 1980s and the most prolific scorer from the republic, tallying 333 goals in Soviet league play.

Balderis played for the Soviet national team at multiple tournaments, winning the silver medal at the 1980 Winter Olympics and gold medals at the World Championships in 1978, 1979 and 1983. Overall, Balderis played in five World Championships (1976–1979, 1983), 1976 Canada Cup and 1980 Winter Olympics. He was named Best Forward in the 1977 World Championships. Balderis was not selected for the USSR's 1984 Olympic team and played in only one major international tournament after he left CSKA Moscow to go back to play for Dinamo Riga in 1980.

In 1985, Balderis retired and became a coach in Japan. He returned in 1989, when Soviet players were allowed to play in the NHL. Balderis was drafted by the Minnesota North Stars, playing 26 games and scoring 3 goals with 6 assists. He became the oldest player drafted by an NHL team (36) and the oldest player to score his first goal (37). He retired again after one season in Minnesota, but came out of retirement for the second time when Latvia regained its independence. Balderis played several games for the newly recreated Latvian national team (in 1992), serving as its captain and scoring 2 goals. He later coached the team and served as its general manager. As of 2017, he serves as a board member of the Latvian Ice Hockey Federation.

Awards

• Soviet league First All-Star Team (1977)
• Izvestia Trophy (Soviet League Top Scorer) (1977, 1983)
• Soviet League Player of the Year (1977)
• World Championships All-Star Team (1977)
• Named Best Forward at the World Championships (1977)
• Leading Scorer of the Latvian League (1993)
• In 1998, he was inducted into International Ice Hockey Federation Hall of Fame.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1967–68	Dinamo Riga	Soviet II		—	—	—	—	—		—	—	—	—	—
1968–69	Dinamo Riga	Soviet III		—	—	—	—	—		—	—	—	—	—
1969–70	Dinamo Riga	Soviet II		—	12	—	12	—		—	—	—	—	—
1970–71	Dinamo Riga	Soviet II		—	10	—	10	—		—	—	—	—	—
1971–72	Dinamo Riga	Soviet II		—	14	9	23	—		—	—	—	—	—
1972–73	Dinamo Riga	Soviet II		—	27	15	42	—		—	—	—	—	—
1973–74	Dinamo Riga	Soviet		24	9	6	15	13		—	—	—	—	—
1974–75	Dinamo Riga	Soviet		36	34	14	48	20		—	—	—	—	—
1975–76	Dinamo Riga	Soviet		36	31	14	45	18		—	—	—	—	—
1976–77	Dinamo Riga	Soviet		35	40	23	63	57		—	—	—	—	—
1977–78	CSKA Moscow	Soviet		36	17	17	34	30		—	—	—	—	—
1978–79	CSKA Moscow	Soviet		41	24	24	48	53		—	—	—	—	—
1979–80	CSKA Moscow	Soviet		42	26	35	61	21		—	—	—	—	—
1980–81	Dinamo Riga	Soviet		44	26	24	50	28		—	—	—	—	—
1981–82	Dinamo Riga	Soviet		41	24	19	43	48		9	15	5	20	2
1982–83	Dinamo Riga	Soviet		40	32	31	63	39		—	—	—	—	—
1983–84	Dinamo Riga	Soviet		39	24	15	39	18		—	—	—	—	—
1984–85	Dinamo Riga	Soviet		39	31	20	51	52		—	—	—	—	—
1989–90	Minnesota North Stars	NHL		26	3	6	9	2		—	—	—	—	—
1991–92	HK Sāga Ķekava Riga	Latvia		7	23	18	41	27		—	—	—	—	—
1991–92	RSHVM-Energo Riga	CIS III		16	14	12	26	10		—	—	—	—	—
1991–92	Vecmeistars Riga	Latvia		7	23	18	41	27		—	—	—	—	—
1992–93	Latvijas zelts Riga	Latvia		22	76	66	142	16		—	—	—	—	—
1993–94	Latvijas zelts Riga	Latvia		7	9	9	18	39		—	—	—	—	—
1994–95	Essamika Ogre	Latvia		1	0	1	1	0		—	—	—	—	—
1995–96	Essamika Ogre	Latvia		30	18	36	54	—		—	—	—	—	—
Soviet totals				462	333	247	580	399		9	15	5	20	2
Latvia totals				53	126	130	256	—		—	—	—	—	—

International

Year	Team	Event		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1971	Soviet Union	EJC		5	10	1	11	4
1976	Soviet Union	WC		10	3	7	10	6
1976	Soviet Union	CC		5	2	3	5	6
1977	Soviet Union	WC		9	8	7	15	4
1978	Soviet Union	WC		10	9	2	11	8
1979	Soviet Union	WC		8	4	5	9	9
1980	Soviet Union	OLY		7	5	4	9	5
1983	Soviet Union	WC		10	4	5	9	22
Senior totals				59	35	33	68	50

External links

• Biographical information and career statistics from NHL.com, or Eliteprospects.com, or Eurohockey.com, or Hockey-Reference.com, or The Internet Hockey Database
• Helmut Balderis at Team CCCP International
• (in Latvian) Helmūts Balderis-Sildedzis at The Latvian Olympic Committee
• (in Russian) Helmuts Balderis at The Russian Ice Hockey Federation