Artūrs Kulda

Artūrs Kulda ( born July 25, 1988 in Leipzig, East Germany ) is a Latvian ice hockey player who stands in October 2013 in Salavat Yulaev Ufa of the Kontinental Hockey League contract.

Career

Kulda began his career at HK Prizma Riga, for the first time he played in the 2003/04 season in the Latvian Hockey League. In the season 2005/ 06 he played for the second team of HK CSKA Moscow before being selected in the NHL Entry Draft in 2006 by the Atlanta Thrashers in the seventh round at 200th place. Shortly thereafter, he was selected in the CHL Import Draft by the Peterborough Petes and played between 2006 and 2008 for this club in the Ontario Hockey League ( OHL ). Shortly before the AHL playoffs the season 2007 /08 he was appointed to the squad of the Chicago Wolves and won with his new team the Calder Cup. As a result, he was a member of the firm AHL squad of Wolves.

In February 2010, he was appointed the first time in the NHL squad of the Atlanta Thrashers and debuted on February 12, 2010 game against the Minnesota Wild. After laying, the Thrashers franchise to Winnipeg, the Canadian Lette decided in July 2011 to sign a new contract with the Winnipeg Jets. Mid- July 2012 Kulda was taken from HK Sibir Novosibirsk of the Kontinental Hockey League under contract and scored in 57 KHL games 16 points scorer for the club. In October 2013 Kulda was obliged Salavat Yulaev Ufa of for two years.

Internationally

Artūrs Kulda played in three World Cups for the Latvian U18 youth team. From 2006 he played for the U20 national team, which descended at the U20 World Youth Championship in Canada from the A group in the Division I. A year later he rose with the U20 selection again in the A group and was voted the best defender of the tournament. With the Latvian selection Kulda seniors participated in the World Championships in 2010 and 2011.

Awards and achievements

• 2008 Best defender of the U20 Junior World Championship Division I
• 2008 Calder Cup win with the Chicago Wolves

NHL stats

(End of season 2011 /12)