Former Latvia national team goaltender Jānis Kalniņš has officially announced his retirement from professional hockey and transitioned to a new career as a certified fitness trainer.
The 34-year-old netminder, who played parts of two seasons with KHL club Amur Khabarovsk, confirmed the decision via his Instagram profile, stating it was time to close the chapter on his playing days.
“It’s time to officially announce that I’m ending my professional hockey goaltending career. It was a very interesting and exciting journey,” Kalniņš wrote in his social media post.
He expressed deep gratitude to his family for their unwavering support throughout his career, particularly highlighting his wife’s role: “The deepest thanks to my wife for being with me from the very beginning until the end.”
Kalniņš revealed he has completed his studies and obtained certification as a fitness trainer, adding that he has begun developing individualized training programs for young athletes.
His professional journey included stints with Rīgas Dinamo, Helsinki Jokerit, and Tappara Tampere, where he won the Finnish championship in 2022. He also represented Latvia internationally from 2014 to 2022.
Despite opportunities to continue in the KHL, Kalniņš chose to step away from competitive hockey following geopolitical developments that led Latvia to amend its sports law, prohibiting athletes who compete in Russia or Belarus from participating in national team activities or receiving state funding.
Having not played for a professional team this season, Kalniņš now focuses on his new path in fitness coaching, marking the end of an era for one of Latvia’s most recognized goaltenders.
