Release from 15.07.2022

NHL and KHL experience for the VSV

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Latvian defender Arturs Kulda signed on with the EC iDM Wärmepumpen VSV and brings plenty of experience from the NHL (15 games) and KHL (395 games) to Villach. Most recently, the 33-year-old two-times Olympian was under contract with the Krefeld Pinguine in the PENNY DEL (55 games - 13 points).

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Arturs Kulda was born in Leipzig, Germany, and began his career with Prizma Riga in Latvia as well as with CSKA Moscow. In 2006, he was drafted by the Atlanta Thrashers. From the Canadian Junior League (OHL) he made the jump to the Chicago Wolves in the American Hockey League, with whom he reached the playoffs and eventually also won the Calder Cup in 2007/2008.

After a total of five seasons in the AHL and several appearances in the best hockey league in the world, he returned to Russia to the KHL. There he skated successfully for several clubs - including Jokerit Helsinki or Dinamo Riga - before moving to Germany in 2020 to the DEL to the Nürnberg Ice Tigers.

Kulda also appeared on the ice in a total of 95 games for Latvia at World Championships and Olympic Games. In addition, Kulda was the player in the KHL with the most blocked shots (113) in the 2014/2015 season and just one year later he took part in the prestigious Spengler Cup with Jokerit Helsinki and was selected to the All Star Team.

Arturs Kulda describes himself as a physically strong player who is not afraid to take hard checks and can also open up the build-up play very well: "I am really looking forward to Villach. I spoke with Robert Sabolic, with whom I played together in the DEL - he told me that VSV is a real traditional club with big goals. I want to be successful and win the title here!"