Artūrs Irbe (Born - February 2, 1967 in Riga, Latvia) is a Latvian Professional Hockey goaltender in the National Hockey League who has played for the San Jose Sharks, Dallas Stars, Vancouver Canucks and Carolina Hurricanes.

Playing career

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Artūrs Irbe was drafted in the 10th round, 196th overall by the Minnesota North Stars in the 1989 NHL Entry Draft His first professional hockey team was Dinamo Riga of the Soviet League (from 1987 to 1991). After playing in only 2 games during the 1986-1987 season Irbe got a chance to become Dinamo Riga's number one goaltender during the 1987-1988 season when their starting goaltender and Olympic champion, Vitaliy Samoylov went down with a long term injury. In his only full professional season, Irbe was outstanding in helping Dinamo Riga make it to the finals of the Soviet Elite League where they eventually lost to perennial Soviet champions CSKA Moscow. Irbe is currently playing Hockey in Germany with Red Bulls Salzburg.

During this period he also played for the Soviet Union in the World Championships in 1989 and 1990. The Soviet team won those two championships and Irbe was honoured as the best goalkeeper of the 1990 tournament. He refused to play for the Soviet Union in 1991 because Latvia had proclaimed independence from the Soviet Union in May 4, 1990 and the Soviet government attempted to use military force in January 1991 to stop Latvia's independence. After Latvia's independence was recognized during August.

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