Formed with HK Pardaugava Riga, Laviņš topped the charts at the 1994 World Junior Championship by collecting 9 assists, the best total of the tournament, and a goal. After a four seasons stint in North America, chiefly in the ECHL and International Hockey League, he comes back to Europe to play with Jokerit Helsinki of the SM-Liiga and AIK IF of the Elitserien in 1998-99. A well travelled veteran, he also spent time in the Deutsch Eishockey Liga, the Russian Superleague, the Latvian Championship and the Belarus Open League. Laviņš signed with the Metallurg Novokuznetsk in September 2007.