Florida Panthers winger Sandis Vilmanis scored twice in a pre-tournament World Championship game yesterday, as the youngster is expected to represent Latvia at the event.
The 2025-26 season has been nothing but positive for Florida Panthers winger Sandis Vilmanis.
The 22-year-old earned his first call-up to the NHL and locked down a role on the fourth line for 19 games while other Panthers forwards dealt with injuries. In his NHL stint, he notched three goals and five points, showing potential promise as a bottom-six winger.
Outside of the NHL, Vilmanis followed up his successful AHL rookie season in 2024-25 with a solid showing in his sophomore campaign. He finished with 17 goals and 38 points in 48 games.
The youngster also earned a spot on Latvia's Olympic team, but was unable to record any points in the four games he skated in.
Now, the former fifth-round pick in the 2022 NHL draft will represent Latvia at the 2026 IIHF Men's World Championship.
In a pre-tournament game, Vilmanis won player of the game, scoring two goals in a 3-2 win over Norway.
In his international career, Vilmanis has played for Latvia at the U-18s, World Junior Championship, and the Olympics. He is now set to add the World Championships to an already impressive resume.
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