Tuesday, June 29, 2010

CHL Conducts 2010 Import Draft

Press Release

Toronto, ON – The Canadian Hockey League today announced the final results of the 2010 CHL Import Draft.

The two rounds included a total of 71 players selected from 15 different countries with 26 players selected by OHL clubs.

The Sarnia Sting of the Ontario Hockey League had the second overall pick and selected 16-year-old Russian forward Nail Yakupov who is eligible for the 2012 NHL Entry Draft.

The Prince George Cougars of the Western Hockey League used the first overall pick to select 18-year-old Slovakian-born defenceman Martin Marincin, a second round pick of the Edmonton Oilers, 46th overall at the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, and the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League’s Halifax Mooseheads selected 16-year-old Martin Frk of the Czech Republic with the third overall pick.

The draft also featured two players that competed for Team Russia at the 2009 SUBWAY Super Series including Maxim Kitsyn who was selected by the Mississauga St. Michael's Majors and Igor Bobkov who was selected by the London Knights. Kitsyn scored four goals in six games of the series, while Bobkov was named Player of the Game twice in goal.

Each team in the CHL is permitted to carry two European Import players each season. These players are selected annually at the Import Draft, with the order of selection rotating through each of the three leagues in the CHL using an inverse order of their final regular season standings from the 2009-10 season.

CHL Draft Picks by Country:
Russia – 17
Czech Republic – 12
Slovakia – 11
Sweden – 6
Germany – 5
Switzerland – 5
Finland – 3
Latvia – 3
Belarus – 2
Denmark – 2
Austria - 1
England – 1
Hungary – 1
Norway – 1
Slovenia – 1

CHL Draft Picks by Position:
Forward – 46
Defence – 19
Goaltender – 6

CHL Draft Picks by NHL Status:
2010 Drafted – 7
2011 Eligible – 61
2012 Eligible - 3

Last season, Stanislav Galiev was selected first overall in the 2009 CHL Import Draft by the Saint John Sea Dogs before being chosen with the 86th pick of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft by the Washington Capitals. The Portland Winterhawks used the second overall pick to select Nino Niederreiter, the first European-born player selected in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft and the highest Swiss-born player ever to be drafted when he was chosen fifth overall by the New York Islanders. Alexander Burmistrov of the Barrie Colts was selected by the Atlanta Thrashers eighth overall in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft after being selected 12th overall in the 2009 CHL Import Draft.

(Nathan also is a writer for Maineiacs Post to Post and the Maine Hockey Journal. He can be reached at fourniern@students.nescom.edu)

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