Sandis Vilmanis has been a busy man.
His second pro season has seen him star for the Checkers, debut in the NHL and represent his home country at the Olympics, all in the span of six months.
For the 22-year-old, though, it all boils down to the same approach.
“Every game you just prepare yourself for playing hard, playing your best game and playing simple hockey,” said Vilmanis.
Everything that the young forward has collected along the way this season has been on full display since he rejoined the Checkers on March 7 - to the tune of 16 points in 15 games.
“Just confidence,” said Vilmanis of the key to his strong play. “I was up there [in the NHL], I was at the Olympics, I had a really great time to share with good players and learn from them. I just tried to put everything I learned from them in my game here and play my best hockey.”
That red-hot run in Charlotte includes a record-breaking effort Sunday night against Hershey, when Vilmanis became the first player in franchise history to light the lamp four times in a single game.
“He’s been a great player and a great story,” said Checkers head coach Geordie Kinnear after the win. “Last year he came in and really stepped up in the playoffs for us, and then obviously going to the Olympics and going to the NHL for the first time and making a positive impact there, then coming back and honestly not missing a beat.”
Tracing Vilmanis’ whirlwind of a season to the beginning brings you back to the Queen City. Coming off a rookie campaign that saw him rank 10th on the team with 27 points in 61 games as a 20-year-old, Vilmanis jumped out to 19 points through the first 31 games of this season - snagging himself a share of the team lead at that point on Jan. 5.
Five days later, he got the call from Florida.
“When I got the news I was speechless,” said Vilmanis of his call up. “It was unbelievable.”
Vilmanis joined the Panthers in Ottawa that night for his NHL debut and made a strong first impression.
““He kind of earned some fans in the coaches’ room because I thought he played hard, but he didn’t play not to make a mistake,” said Florida head coach Paul Maurice to the Panthers website after the game.
The young forward would carve out a spot in the Florida lineup from there, appearing in each of the team’s next 14 games.
“Playing hard, that’s the main part,” said Vilmanis of what he wanted to show the coaching staff during his NHL stint. “Putting the puck in the right places and helping your teammates.”
The NHL hit pause on their schedule at that point for the Winter Olympics. It wasn’t much of a rest for Vilmanis, though, as he crossed the Atlantic for the next stage of his journey - representing his home country on the biggest international stage.
“It’s always an honor to put the Latvian jersey on,” said Vilmanis, who skated in all four of Latvia’s contests and helped them win their first Olympic game since 2014. “It was my first time in a big tournament and I had a lot in front of me. It was a great experience. Happy to see the guys, happy to see my family in Milan. It was an amazing and fun time.”
Following the resumption of the NHL schedule Vilmanis went right back into the lineup for Florida’s next five games, then was returned to Charlotte.
“What a great experience for him,” said Maurice in February. “Start in the American Hockey League, come in and be impactful in the National League and then get to go to an Olympics where he performed, I thought, very, very well. Great learning curve for him, so we're excited about Sandis and where he can get to.”
This season has taken Vilmanis across the globe, pitted him against the strongest of opponents and showcased his talents. But the work isn’t done for the young Latvian.
“Every opportunity - especially in the NHL - means a lot,” said Vilmanis. “It doesn’t mean that you have done everything, though, it just means that you have to build from that and grow and be a better player every day. Prepare for the future call ups or national team games.”
Vilmanis is ready to make sure this isn’t the last time the larger hockey world hears his name.
“He has a true love for the game,” said Kinnear. “When someone has a true love for the game and works at it, the sky is the limit.”
