Mogo captain Gints Meija in action against Nottingham Panthers at the 2026 IIHF Continental Cup Final
photo: Joshua Day / Panthers Images
HK Mogo is a relatively new name in Latvian hockey – but the Riga-based club is starting to build a big reputation.
This year it became the first Latvian team to reach the Continental Cup final since 2008. It had to battle from the first qualifying round to get to Nottingham, a rare achievement in a competition where group-winning teams tend to struggle in the next round.
Incredibly, four of the players who won silver with Riga-2000 back in 2008 were involved here: Gints Meija, Kristaps Sotnieks, Krisjanis Redlihs and Elviss Zelubovskis all rolled back the years to take part in the 2026 final. Head coach Girts Ankipans also played on that 2008 roster.
But this team is no Dad’s Army. It’s committed to nurturing a new generation of home-grown talent. Players like Kaspars Ziemins, 23, Ernests Krums and Niks Fenenko, both 21, all made notable contributions in Nottingham.
For Zelubovkis, who also acts as club GM, giving opportunities to rising stars is a big part of the club’s DNA.
“Every year we pick out some young guys and we mix them with more experienced players,” he said. “It’s a good opportunity for them to learn from people who played in the KHL, who have been to 10 or 15 World Championships with the national team.
“They can learn a lot from that.”
This year it became the first Latvian team to reach the Continental Cup final since 2008. It had to battle from the first qualifying round to get to Nottingham, a rare achievement in a competition where group-winning teams tend to struggle in the next round.
Incredibly, four of the players who won silver with Riga-2000 back in 2008 were involved here: Gints Meija, Kristaps Sotnieks, Krisjanis Redlihs and Elviss Zelubovskis all rolled back the years to take part in the 2026 final. Head coach Girts Ankipans also played on that 2008 roster.
But this team is no Dad’s Army. It’s committed to nurturing a new generation of home-grown talent. Players like Kaspars Ziemins, 23, Ernests Krums and Niks Fenenko, both 21, all made notable contributions in Nottingham.
For Zelubovkis, who also acts as club GM, giving opportunities to rising stars is a big part of the club’s DNA.
“Every year we pick out some young guys and we mix them with more experienced players,” he said. “It’s a good opportunity for them to learn from people who played in the KHL, who have been to 10 or 15 World Championships with the national team.
“They can learn a lot from that.”
Promising Latvian defender Niks Fenenko in action against Hungary's Gyergyoi in the Continental Cup Semi Final group in Angers, France
photo: Theo Bariller-Krine
With the previous pathway through the Dinamo Riga organisation to a high level of club hockey closed in 2022, Latvian hockey has had to adapt. Clubs like Mogo, founded in 2014, are playing a big role in bridging the gap between junior academies and men’s hockey.
And this year’s Continental Cup run shows that the combination of youth and experience can make an impact across Europe.
“We’ve been a few places in this competition,” said Deivids Sarkanis, a much-travelled forward whose previous clubs include Nottingham Panthers. “Some of them might know about us, but probably a lot of people did not know what to expect,” he added after a battling opening-night display that gave the eventual champion something to think about in the first period.
Back home, the combination of youth and experience has the team competing at the top of the Optibet League, a cross-border competition that unites the Baltic States.
The likes of Meija, Redlihs, Sotnieks and, until recently, Olympic bound Latvian legend Kaspars Daugavins have brought a wealth of high-level experience for the next generation to absorb.
However, Meija, 38, insists that the younger players are not just the supporting cast.
“We have older guys with great experience, but the younger guys are pretty good too,” he said. “We have a good balance, the younger players bring speed and energy.
“And it’s great to see Latvian players getting an opportunity to play at a higher level. A lot of guys missed that chance.”
Both Zelubovskis and Meija see signs of growth each year. Sustained success at home – 2023 runner up, then back-to-back titles in 2024 and 2025 – paves the way for progress in Europe. Last year’s Continental Cup campaign ended in the second round; this season it went all the way to Nottingham and an eventual fifth-placed finish.
“We’re always pushing for more. We’re moving in the right direction,” said Zelubovskis.
“I think we are growing slowly every year,” Meija added. “We are growing as a team. It’s a little bit for us and a little bit for Latvia.”
And this year’s Continental Cup run shows that the combination of youth and experience can make an impact across Europe.
“We’ve been a few places in this competition,” said Deivids Sarkanis, a much-travelled forward whose previous clubs include Nottingham Panthers. “Some of them might know about us, but probably a lot of people did not know what to expect,” he added after a battling opening-night display that gave the eventual champion something to think about in the first period.
Back home, the combination of youth and experience has the team competing at the top of the Optibet League, a cross-border competition that unites the Baltic States.
The likes of Meija, Redlihs, Sotnieks and, until recently, Olympic bound Latvian legend Kaspars Daugavins have brought a wealth of high-level experience for the next generation to absorb.
However, Meija, 38, insists that the younger players are not just the supporting cast.
“We have older guys with great experience, but the younger guys are pretty good too,” he said. “We have a good balance, the younger players bring speed and energy.
“And it’s great to see Latvian players getting an opportunity to play at a higher level. A lot of guys missed that chance.”
Both Zelubovskis and Meija see signs of growth each year. Sustained success at home – 2023 runner up, then back-to-back titles in 2024 and 2025 – paves the way for progress in Europe. Last year’s Continental Cup campaign ended in the second round; this season it went all the way to Nottingham and an eventual fifth-placed finish.
“We’re always pushing for more. We’re moving in the right direction,” said Zelubovskis.
“I think we are growing slowly every year,” Meija added. “We are growing as a team. It’s a little bit for us and a little bit for Latvia.”