2023 CHL Import Draft

[pgfan66]

Mišiak was drafted last year by Saginaw. I would say Juraj Pekarcik (STL pick) would be a big candidate for top pick.

Saginaw had to drop him because Matyas Sapovaliv and Pavel Mintyukov both returned from NHL camps. They also picked Petr Hauser, whom they had to drop along with Misiak.

 

[SergeConstantin74]

Since opening this thread, quite a bit has happened. Brandl, Bicker and Niehus all signed DEL deals, so they're probably out. From the above list, the only ones I could still see are Sumpf, Ruckdäschel and Panocha, although Sumpf and Ruckdäschel will have the chance to play pro for Salzburg and/or Munich next season while Panocha has the option to be a 7 or 8D for Berlin while getting regular time in the DEL2. So it could be up to 3 but 0 wouldn't surprise me either.

Sumpf has been signed by the Moncton Wildcats. He has dual citizenship so he won’t be considered as an import player.

 

[Hockey7492]

Mišiak was drafted last year by Saginaw. I would say Juraj Pekarcik (STL pick) would be a big candidate for top pick.

Forget Pekarcik he is going to Sweden

 

[pgfan66]

Forget Pekarcik he is going to Sweden

Where did you hear this?

 

[pgfan66]

Where did you hear this?

The reason I'm asking is that looking at your past posts, it appears like you only show up here to share import draft names but so far you were wrong most of the time.

 

[Wooren]

For selfish reasons, I would like to see all the top Czech prospect stay in Europe. But if I had to pick a couple who could benefit from the CHL, it would be forward Adam Jecho and defenseman Dominik Badinka. Jecho has all the tools to be a good pro, but his quickness of play needs to get better, which the smaller rinks should help accomplish. Badinka I think could use a step up in terms of competition from the Finnish U20 (not that he dominated, but he did well, at least stat-wise) and I am not sure he's good enough for Liiga yet. Also, just a hunch, but I feel like playing in the CHL could do wonders for his draft stock and lock him as a 1st rounder (personally, I lean towards 2nd/3rd round as of now.)
HM to defenseman Tomas Galvas, who is physically so weak I doubt he can make much impact at Extraliga level (assuming he even makes the squad), but the potential is undeniable and spending a season in the Czech U20 league would be a waste, terrible quality unfortunately. I have no idea how good could he be in the CHL, but I think a player of his talent would adjust just fine eventually.

Either way, the Import draft is a total crapshoot and I am just curious who the truly elite teams, such as London or Halifax, pick.

 

[Antiillafire]

Forget Pekarcik he is going to Sweden

I haven’t heard about this. Pekarcik is either playing in Nitra or the CHL. And I’m guessing it’s 65/35 in favour of Nitra considering the blues seem to be set on leaving their euros in Europe.

 

[Atlantic Hockey Hub]

Hello, fellow CHL enthusiasts!

I am absolutely thrilled to join the incredible online community known as HF Boards. As the founder of Atlantic Hockey Hub, a business venture dedicated to all things hockey in the Atlantic region, I couldn't be more excited to join this dynamic group of individuals and share my passion for the game.

Having been a devoted follower of this board for quite some time, I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute and connect with all of you. With the highly anticipated 2023 CHL Import Draft taking place tomorrow, I wanted to take this moment to unveil a graphic I have made up.

I encourage you all to stay tuned for more exciting updates! Should you have any questions or suggestions, please don't hesitate to reach out. It is truly an honor to be part of such an extraordinary community, and I am eagerly looking forward to embarking on this journey with each and every one of you.

Feel free to follow along on Instagram at @atlantichockeyhub for more posts and updates as well.

 

[AttackSound]

This draft is a bit more of a shot in the dark then an actual guarentee thing.

From following the drafts and the OHL for nearly 3 decades has taught me a think or two, one thing is that this draft may seem like a sure thing for teams but in actuality it's more of sure blind luck a lot of the time. Every GM in the CHL could have a list of X number of names and by the time their pick comes up the kid they're interested in could be picked already.

It's not a sure thing for teams and a lot of it comes from GMs having connections on the pro ranks and a lot of luck. If you're lucky to get a kid that could be half decent on paper the next thing is hopefully he is as advertised and reports to training camp. Beyond that it's all up to whether or not the team can get him to sign.

We'll see how tomorrow shakes out and what type of talent pool the European junior ranks hold.

 

[pgfan66]

This draft is a bit more of a shot in the dark then an actual guarentee thing.

From following the drafts and the OHL for nearly 3 decades has taught me a think or two, one thing is that this draft may seem like a sure thing for teams but in actuality it's more of sure blind luck a lot of the time. Every GM in the CHL could have a list of X number of names and by the time their pick comes up the kid they're interested in could be picked already.

It's not a sure thing for teams and a lot of it comes from GMs having connections on the pro ranks and a lot of luck. If you're lucky to get a kid that could be half decent on paper the next thing is hopefully he is as advertised and reports to training camp. Beyond that it's all up to whether or not the team can get him to sign.

We'll see how tomorrow shakes out and what type of talent pool the European junior ranks hold.

It really depends on the team. Some of them have European scouts, others have GMs that take scouting trips to Europe. But yes, no guarantees for anything.

 

[Dirtyf1ghter]

An import draft that has never been so Czechoslovak.

A Slovenian, a Norwegian, a Pole caught in the top 15.

Can't wait to see how Ewan Huet will evolve in CHL.

Too bad there is always this stupid decision not to select Russians and Belarusians. The famous CHL tolerance.

 

[SimonRM93]

Things get interesting...Barrie got Michael Nygard selected !

 

[Flamesfan62]

Hitmen take Flames pick Axel Hurtig… good move as they’ll have him right in their backyard if he comes.

 

[SimonRM93]

That could be a clever move indeed by he Hitmen !

 

[SimonRM93]

Wow Kitchener trow a dart at the board...Kivuharju with their second selection.

Highly doubt gonna happen but hey, if you are 2K$ loose on your budget why not !

 

[S E P H]

Just rename this the Czech Import Draft. Yikes, all these teams selected random Czech U20 players it feels like. Seriously, Latvia, Germany, Denmark, Suisse, or Norway haven't made higher-rated players than the bottom 6 Czech players for these CHL team scouts?

 

[Juniorhockeyguru]

Anyone have any insight on Matteo Koci and Vojtech Vochvest? Both drafted by Kamloops.

 

[superdeluxe]

Praying to the hockey gods that Nashville liked Lambert’s progression in juniors. Kiiskinen would look fantastic next year

 

[Speyer]

Just rename this the Czech Import Draft. Yikes, all these teams selected random Czech U20 players it feels like. Seriously, Latvia, Germany, Denmark, Suisse, or Norway haven't made higher-rated players than the bottom 6 Czech players for these CHL team scouts?

Swiss 04 and 05 players drafted in the last couple of years really disappointed. So the low amount of Swiss picks might be a reaction to that. Kind of a bummer since there were really a lot of 06 born prospects left on the shelf that could play a really good role in the CHL eventually.

 

[pgfan66]

Here's my take on the picks and whether or not they're likely to report.

Rk	Team	Name	DOB	Pos	Last Team	Nationality	Notes
1	Erie	Misiak, Martin	2004-09-30	C	Youngstown Phantoms	Slovakian	I know Erie fans don't love the fit for a 19-year-old import with the current roster, but Misiak is a very good prospect. I probably would've gone Pekarcik over Misiak but this was a good pick nonetheless.
2	Acadie-Bathurst	Pekarcik, Juraj	2005-09-12	LW	Nitra Jr.	Slovakian	Another very exciting pick. I heard St. Louis wanted him in the OHL but I still think he'll report.
3	Edmonton	Jecho, Adam	2006-03-24	RW	Tappara Tampere U18	Czech	Very curious to see this one unfold. I heard he won't report but he has the same agent as Luca Hauf, whom Edmonton traded away to make this pick. Good chance he reports. An exciting prospect for the 2024 NHL Draft.
4	Niagara	Podrekar, Urban	2005-02-14	LD	HK Olimpija Ljubljana	Slovenian	Honestly never heard of this kid before but don't think Niagara would've picked him this high if he wasn't a guarantee to report.
5	Val-d'Or	Fiala, Samuel	2005-04-09	C	Liberec Bili Tygri Jr.	Czech	Another somewhat surprising pick. Not a U18 national team player and hasn't put up extraordinary numbers in Czech U20. A bit high for my taste but I'm sure this means he'll report too.
6	Spokane	Kral, Lukas	2006-02-03	LW	Hradec Kralove Jr.	Czech	Kral was one of my favourites whenever I watched the Czech 06 group. I think he has very high upside but also has a lot to prove at the next level. Interesting pick, will report.
7	Soo	Karki, Arttu	2004-12-08	LD	Tappara Tampere	Finnish	I heard Kärki wanted to go to the CHL a while ago, so not surprised to see him picked high. Very curious to see how he'll do in the CHL. I think the smaller rink and higher pace could hurt his game at both ends.
8	Blainville-Boisbriand	Kupec, Samuel	2006-01-04	RD	Reprezentacia SR U18	Slovakian	A big, physical D who skates well. Not sure there's much offensive upside there but I like the pick. Will report.
9	Victoria	Evensen, Casper	2005-08-21	C	Valerenga	Norwegian	Evensen didn't really stand out at the U18s and his numbers in Norway aren't extraordinary either. Small forward, could have a tough time in the dub. Looking forward to seeing him there, I think he'll report.
10	Kingston	Pieniniemi, Emil	2005-03-02	LD	Karpat Oulu U20	Finnish	Great pick, one of the top 05 D in Finland. Don't think Kingston would've picked him top 10 if he didn't report.
11	Saint John	PASS
12	Kelowna	Stancl, Jakub	2005-04-10	LW	Vaxjo Lakers HC Jr.	Czech	Would've expected better numbers in Sweden but I still like the player. Another Blues draft pick who should report.
13	Oshawa	Kumpulainen, Rasmus	2005-08-08	C	Pelicans Lahti U20	Finnish	I always liked Kumpulainen as a 2-way C when I watched Finland's 05 group. Good player, good chance he reports.
14	Charlottetown	Maruna, Ondrej	2006-06-29	C	SR U18	Slovakian	Big guy who has a lot to prove but has everything it takes for major junior. Looking forward to following his progress. Will report.
15	Prince Albert	Macias, Krzyzstof	2004-05-14	LW	Vitkovice Ostrave Jr.	Polish	Not a high-end prospect but as a 19 he should be a good import. Should report.
16	Mississauga	Fibigr, Jakub	2006-07-22	LD	Vitkovice Ostrave Jr.	Czech	One of my favourites among the 06 Czechs, really like his offensive upside, especially in junior. I heard he wants to play pro but I personally don't think he's ready. Might start the year at home, then come later.
17	Drummondville	PASS
18	Brandon	Petr, Dominik	2005-04-30	LW	Lukko Rauma U20	Czech	Really weird season for Petr. Awful club season, strong with the national team, surprisingly undrafted. Will report to Brandon and has a chance to prove NHL teams wrong.
19	Brantford	Jiricek, Adam	2006-06-28	RD	Plzen Jr.	Czech	Probably the second-best player picked in this draft but the chances of him reporting are near 0. Already led his pro team in ice time multiple times and his brother showed him how it's done.
20	Shawinigan	Klima, Jiri	2006-03-13	LW	Hradec Kralove Jr.	Czech	I like the stickhandling, don't like much else about him. Curious to see how he'll do. Will report.
21	Vancouver	Titlbach, Adam	2006-02-15	C	Plzen Jr.	Czech	I don't really like Titlbach but he's one of the best offensive producers everywhere he goes. Can't wait to see if this will continue in Vancouver. Will report.
22	Sudbury	Vondras, Jakub	2004-05-21	G	Skoda Plzen HC	Czech	First goalie off the board. Don't know much about him. Will report.
23	Cape Breton	Milota, Jakub	2006-04-14	G	Trinec Jr. B	Czech	The next goalie, this time an 06. Always tough to play in the CHL as a 17-year-old goalie, not sure if he'll report but feel like they wouldn't have picked him otherwise.
24	Swift Current	Pavelec, Petr	2005-02-10	LW	Vitkovice Ostrave Jr.	Czech	A little underwhelming for a first-rounder but I guess Swift just wanted someone who'll report.
25	Kitchener	Pobezal, Tomas	2006-09-18	C	Nitra U18	Slovakian	Kitchener shooting for the fences. I love the player but don't think he'll report right away. Same agent as Mesar, Chromiak, Misiak and many other top Slovaks, who all reported a few months into the season.
26	Baie-Comeau	PASS
27	Medicine Hat	Petrovics, Bruno	2006-04-27	LD	Sport Vaasa U18	Latvian	Their European scout (Jakub Hromada) shared his thoughts on Twitter and seems to like Petrovics. I didn't have much time for him when I saw him. But I'll trust that their scout did the necessary homework on this kid. Will report.
28	Owen Sound	Matejicek, Martin	2005-08-04	LD	Dukla Jihlava Jr.	Czech	A decent pick but not a high-end prospect. Wants to be a two-way player, not sure if he has the skill. Will report.
29	Rimouski	Hes, Lukas	2005-01-12	RW	Berani Zlin Jr.	Czech	I only saw Hes a couple times. Looked very raw and has a lot of growing to do but I really like the upside. Good pick. Will report.
30	Everett	Miettinen, Julius	2006-01-20	LW	HIFK Helsinki U20	Finnish	Everett usually gets high-end imports and this year is no different. A big forward who can skate and put the puck in the net. Excellent pick. Will report.
31	Peterborough	Kaiser, Rio	2006-10-07	LD	EC Red Bull Salzburg U20 EBYSL	German	Only saw Kaiser a few times and really didn't like what I saw. I think another year in the Red Bull Academy would be good for him. Curious to find out if he reports.
32	Chicoutimi	Panocha, Norwin	2005-02-24	LD	Eisbaren Berlin Jr.	German	Interesting landing spot, but I'd heard he had some interest from all three leagues. Excellent pick, especially at 32. Should report.
33	Calgary	Hurtig, Axel	2005-06-10	LD	Rogle BK Jr.	Swedish	Great move by the Hitmen to secure a Flames draft pick. I don't really like the player but would love to see him prove me wrong. Will report.
34	Guelph	Alriksson, Vilmer	2005-02-18	LW	Djurgardens IF Jr.	Swedish	Don't know the player, don't know if he'll report.
35	Moncton	Zielinski, Ales	2006-03-06	RD	Ocelari Trinec Jr.	Czech	A bottom-pairing guy for the high-end Czech 06 D group. I've seen flashes that I liked but wouldn't expect a high-end import. Will report.
36	Regina	Huet, Ewan	2005-02-08	G	Lausanne Jr.	Swiss	Interesting pick, figured he'd be selected. Will report.
37	Flint	Samenas, Markas	2004-02-02	LW	Acadie-Bathurst Titan	Swedish	With Samenas we already have a pretty good idea of what he can be in the CHL – and it's not that much. Not sure if the OHL is really a better fit than the Q. At least they know they're getting a player who wants to play in the CHL and already knows what it's like.
38	Rouyn-Noranda	PASS
39	Tri-City	Curran, Maxmilian	2006-08-27	C	Slavia Praha Jr. B	Czech	Tri-Cities had a couple very good imports in Mechura and Moravec in recent years. I like Curran, not sure if he'll be at the same level as the other two. Will report.
40	Saginaw	Zhugin, Valentin	2004-12-13	LW	Guelph Storm	Russian	Looks like Guelph preferred an 05 over an 04. I can't see any other reason why they would've dropped Zhugin. Saginaw will be happy. He'll report.
41	Victoriaville	PASS
42	Lethbridge	Knoester, Elias	2005-10-29	C	Malmo Redhawks IF Jr.	Swedish	Don't know the player, don't know if he'll report.
43	Sarnia	Kukumberg, Roman	2005-03-21	LW	Slovan Bratislava	Slovakian	This is the second time that Kukumberg has been drafted in the import draft. Will he report this time? Who knows.
44	Gatineau	Golicic, Jan	2006-06-30	LD	Klagenfurter AC EC U18	Slovenian	Surprising pick. Don't think there's a lot there but I'm guessing he'll report.
45	Prince George	PASS
46	London	Ustinkov, Daniil	2006-08-26	LD	GCK Lions Jr.	Swiss	London shooting their shot, as per usual. Signed in Switzerland, don't think he'll come. But if there's one team that can convince him, it's London.
47	Sherbrooke	Dej, Frantisek	2005-02-28	C	Bratislava HC	Slovakian	Another interesting pick. I feel like Dej would've gone much higher if he was a sure thing to report. Sherbrooke isn't really known to be handed sought-after prospects without other teams knowing.
48	Moose Jaw	Tomasec, Andrej	2006-01-13	RW	KooKoo U18	Slovakian	Only saw him a couple times and didn't see a CHL player. Still curious to see how he'll do. Will report.
49	Barrie	Nygard, Michael	2005-10-05	C	Mora IK Jr.	Norwegian	Very interesting pick. Not sure if he'll report but I'm leaning towards no.
50	Halifax	Ponzetto, Yannik	2006-06-08	LW	Kloten Jr.	Swiss	Halifax has a history of drafting high-end Swiss prospects like Timo Meier, Nico Hischier and Attilio Biasca. Ponzetto could be similar to the latter where he needs a while to adjust but has a strong 19-year-old season. I'm guessing he'll report but haven't heard anything.
51	Portland	PASS
52	Windsor	Eichler, Josef	2005-12-14	RD	Plzen Jr.	Czech	A very late 05. Didn't mind him at the U18s but I don't think there's much there. A defensive player with good physicality but a bit undersized for that style of game.
53	Québec	Jalasti, Bruno	2006-03-24	LD	HIFK Helsinki U18	Finnish	Don't know the player, don't know if he'll report.
54	Red Deer	Drancak, Samuel	2006-02-04	C	Ceske Budejovice Jr. B	Czech	There are other players I like more from that 06 Czech group but he should be a decent middle-six guy in a couple years. I think he'll report.
55	North Bay	Pazii, Ihnat	2006-12-04	C	Windy City Storm 16U	Ukrainian	This one was a bit surprising. I heard he's going the NCAA route but definitely an intriguing pick.
56	Saskatoon	Barcik, Samuel	2005-03-22	RD	Zvolen HKM	Slovakian	Barcik had a rough season that was topped off by a rough U18s. Still, I like his junior upside and think he can be a fan favourite in Sask with his physicality and aggressiveness. Will report.
57	Ottawa	Uronen, Tuomas	2005-03-19	RW	HIFK Helsinki U20	Finnish	A high-end pick if he reports – and I think he will.
58	Kamloops	Koci, Matteo	2005-06-07	LD	Karlovy Vary Jr.	Czech	Kamloops is always a popular destination for imports and this one has some potential. I was never a huge fan but good value at 58.
59	Seattle	Kiiskinen, Jesse	2005-08-23	RW	Pelicans Lahti U20	Finnish	A high-end pick if he reports. Same organization as Lambert, perhaps that plays a role. No idea if he reports but I'm leaning towards no.
60	Wenatchee	Isogai, Kenta	2004-08-28	LW	Youngstown Phantoms	Japanese	I like the pick but he's committed to Ohio State. His plans might've changed but I can't find any info on that.
61	Niagara	PASS
62	Acadie-Bathurst	Keller, Antoine	2004-10-06	G	Geneve-Servette Jr.	French	Another goalie from the Swiss league. Don't really know him.
63	Edmonton	PASS
64	Erie	PASS
65	Val-d'Or	PASS
66	Spokane	Ekstrom, Rasmus	2004-10-04	C	Sodertalje SK Jr.	Swedish	I heard Ekström might be an NHL draft candidate. He wasn't drafted but he still seems like a very good import if he reports.
67	Soo	PASS
68	Blainville-Boisbriand	Ansons, Kristers	2006-02-06	LW	HS Riga	Latvian	His brother played for Baie-Commeau and St. John and had a good junior career there. I'm anticipating similar success for Ansons and think he'll report.
69	Victoria	PASS
70	Kingston	PASS
71	Saint John	PASS
72	Kelowna	PASS
73	Oshawa	Svozil, David	2006-03-07	LD	Ilves Tampere U20	Czech	I really like Svozil and would put him in one group with Jiricek, Galvas and Fibigr, who all want to try pro first. However, Svozil's older brother played in Regina, so who knows. For what it's worth, his brother stayed home for his draft year but reported the year after.
74	Charlottetown	Ozols, Aksels	2005-02-09	G	HS Riga	Latvian	Don't know the player, don't know if he'll report.
75	Prince Albert	Kubiesa, Matej	2006-09-11	RW	Ocelari Trinec Jr.	Czech	Not someone I have high hopes for but I guess he'll report.
76	Mississauga	Galvas, Tomas	2006-02-11	LD	Olomouc Jr.	Czech	As mentioned before, Galvas wants to play pro next season. He would be a high, high-end import if he reports, though.
77	Drummondville	PASS
78	Brandon	PASS
79	Brantford	Badinka, Dominik	2005-11-27	LD	Jokerit Helsinki U20	Czech	Would be a great import if he reports, which I don't think he will.
80	Shawinigan	PASS
81	Vancouver	PASS
82	Sudbury	PASS
83	Cape Breton	Stahon, Lubos	2005-06-11	C	Trencin Dukla Jr.	Slovakian	Don't really know him but he's already confirmed to report.
84	Swift Current	PASS
85	Kitchener	Kiviharju, Aron	2006-01-25	LD	TPS Turku	Finnish	I'll just say it: no fricking way he reports.
86	Baie-Comeau	PASS
87	Medicine Hat	Spilka, Vasyl	2006-01-14	LW	Liberec HV Bili Jr. B	Czech	Don't think he has much upside, but again, I'm guessing Med Hat's Euro scout knows him better than myself. So who knows. Will report.
88	Owen Sound	PASS
89	Rimouski	PASS
90	Everett	PASS
91	Peterborough	PASS
92	Chicoutimi	PASS
93	Calgary	PASS
94	Guelph	Slavik, Damian	2005-06-09	G	Reprezentacia SR U18	Slovakian	Don't know the player, don't know if he'll report.
95	Moncton	Glas, Sebastian	2006-12-15	RW	Vitkovice Ostrave Jr.	Czech	He's young, so he has room to grow, but I don't think there's much upside there. On the bright side: he'll report.
96	Regina	Solberg, Stian	2005-12-29	LD	Valerenga	Norwegian	Very good pick. Heard he'll stay in Europe. Perhaps he'll stay for his draft year but report next year.
97	Flint	PASS
98	Rouyn-Noranda	PASS
99	Tri-City	Matecha, Lukas	2005-04-12	G	Dynamo Pardubice Jr.	Czech	Don't know him, don't know if he'll report.
100	Saginaw	PASS
101	Victoriaville	PASS
102	Lethbridge	PASS
103	Sarnia	PASS
104	Gatineau	Wold, Sander	2004-08-11	C	Frolunda HC Jr.	Norwegian	Don't know him, don't know if he'll report.
105	Prince George	PASS
106	London	PASS
107	Sherbrooke	PASS
108	Moose Jaw	Kral, Patrik	2006-05-09	LW	Mlada Bolseslav Jr. B	Czech	Don't think he has much upside but I guess he'll report.
109	Barrie	Meier, Endo	2005-07-20	RW	GCK Lions Jr.	Swiss	Interesting pick. I didn't think he was anything special at the U18s. Will report.
110	Halifax	PASS
111	Portland	PASS
112	Windsor	PASS
113	Québec	PASS
114	Red Deer	PASS
115	North Bay	Cajkovic, Alex	2005-07-15	LD	Malmo IF Redhawks J18E	Slovakian	Don't know him, don't know if he'll report.
116	Saskatoon	PASS
117	Ottawa	Korbler, Kimi	2006-09-25	RW	Davos U17	Swiss	Interesting pick. Don't think he's guaranteed to report and not sure it'd be the right decision for the player, but I'd guess there's a good chance, given it's Ottawa.
118	Kamloops	Vochvest, Vojtech	2005-10-20	LD	Mlada Bolesav Jr.	Czech	Similar to their first pick, there's something there with Vochvest but it isn't a ton of upside. Koci and Vochvest are safe to make them harder to play against, though. Will report.
119	Seattle	PASS
120	Wenatchee	Bukarts, Rodzers	2004-10-05	LW	GCK Lions Jr.	Latvian	One brother played in the dub, the other played a year of AAA in the US, so I'd think it's safe to say Rodzers will follow in their footsteps and report. Tough to make a high-end pick at 120 but Bukarts does have some upside.

 

[Atlantic Hockey Hub]

Here’s a full recap of yesterdays CHL Import Draft along with how each of the 6 Maritime teams in the QMJHL faired out.

* Note that Saint John didn’t use either pick as they return Pavel Simek and Eriks Mateiko.

​

 

[S E P H]

Swiss 04 and 05 players drafted in the last couple of years really disappointed. So the low amount of Swiss picks might be a reaction to that. Kind of a bummer since there were really a lot of 06 born prospects left on the shelf that could play a really good role in the CHL eventually.

You're saying that someone like Alessandro Lurati could not have been a pick for some CHL clubs than them drafting legit 4th line talent from the Czech league? Lurati was drafted by a team in the USHL. I don't buy that there wasn't talented available from the nations I mentioned, only a handful of Swedes were drafted for the import draft so there was talent available, I think a lot of teams just played it super safe since they probably have a hard time getting Swedes and Finns to come over.

Alessandro Lurati - Stats, Contract, Salary & More

Eliteprospects.com hockey player profile of Alessandro Lurati, 2004-06-23 Sorengo, SUI Switzerland. Most recently in the SL with EHC Visp. Complete player biography and stats.

www.eliteprospects.com

 

[Speyer]

You're saying that someone like Alessandro Lurati could not have been a pick for some CHL clubs than them drafting legit 4th line talent from the Czech league? Lurati was drafted by a team in the USHL. I don't buy that there wasn't talented available from the nations I mentioned, only a handful of Swedes were drafted for the import draft so there was talent available, I think a lot of teams just played it super safe since they probably have a hard time getting Swedes and Finns to come over.

Alessandro Lurati - Stats, Contract, Salary & More

Eliteprospects.com hockey player profile of Alessandro Lurati, 2004-06-23 Sorengo, SUI Switzerland. Most recently in the SL with EHC Visp. Complete player biography and stats.

www.eliteprospects.com

I meant the players born in 04 and especially 05 that were already picked in the Import draft. Guys like Hull and Kimo Gruber who were supposed to be big contributors in the CHL but disappointed. As far as Lurati goes, I am not super familiar with him. But putting up good numbers in the very weak Swiss U20 league doesn't guarantee CHL success. Just look at Liekit Reichle for example, who put up better numbers than Lurati while being a year younger and still ended up a very pedestrian WHL player. Maybe the Czech players you mentioned are even significantly less promising than that, but I can't comment on them. As far as Switzerland is concerned however, you want to look at about a dozen 06 born players before you are even thinking about someone like Lurati. There is where the potential value is at right now. Finland and Sweden seem to be doing fine developing their players in their own domestic systems, so the attraction of the CHL to those prospects is probably pretty low as you already pointed out.

 

[Wooren]

Just rename this the Czech Import Draft. Yikes, all these teams selected random Czech U20 players it feels like. Seriously, Latvia, Germany, Denmark, Suisse, or Norway haven't made higher-rated players than the bottom 6 Czech players for these CHL team scouts?

Who are the shit Czechs selected and who are the left out Latvain/German/Danish/Swiss/Norwegian studs?

 

[S E P H]

Who are the shit Czechs selected and who are the left out Latvain/German/Danish/Swiss/Norwegian studs?

I've seen enough history of CHL import drafts to know that the majority of the players selected will have 20 career-high points and play bottom-six roles. You are out to lunch if you think all these Czech picks will be successful. They got this many because CHL teams are scared to take Russians for geopolitical strife.