MOOSEJAWTODAY.COM -- The Canadian Hockey League Import Draft was held on Wednesday morning, with major junior teams from all over the country seeking the top talent outside of North America.
The five Saskatchewan-based Western Hockey League teams made a total of seven selections from the two-round event, with the Swift Current Broncos and Saskatoon Blades each picking a pair of players.
Here’s a rundown of each of the team selections, listed by their first pick overall.
REGINA PATS
Vaclav Nestrasil, first round eighth overall
Praha, Czechia
Forward, 17, 6-foot-4, 172 pounds,
2024-25 -- HC Sporta Praha U17 -- 34 GP 29-21-50 World U17 -- 7 GP 4-1-5
“We were very pleased to select Nestrasil in this morning’s CHL Import Draft. Vaclav is a very talented young player, big body, with great skill, hockey sense and touch. He projects as a top NHL Draft prospect. We look forward to our discussions with Vaclav, his family and his representatives about the opportunity with the Pats.”
-- Alan Miller, Regina general manager
* Nestrasil is committed to the University of Massachusetts and played the end of last season in the USHL with the Muskegon Lumberjacks.
PRINCE ALBERT RAIDERS
Norwin Panocha, first round, 26th overall
Bayreuth, Germany
Defence, 19, 6-foot-2, 192 pounds
2024-25 -- QMJHL Chicoutimi -- 52 GP 0-15-15 World U20 -- 5 GP 1-0-1
“We think he’s a guy that can come in and provide good competition, but support some of our younger defencemen as well and give us really good depth. I think it will be a very easy transition for him to get here and we’re really excited about it.”
-- Curtis Hunt, Prince Albert general manager
* Panocha was selected by and played last season with Chicoutimi of the QMJHL but was released in advance of the 2024 CHL Import Draft
SWIFT CURRENT BRONCOS
Adam Kral, first round 50th overall
Havlickuv Brod, Czechia
Defence, 18, 6-foot-2, 181 pounds
2024-25 -- Bili Tygri Liberec U20 -- 50 GP 6-13-19 World U18 -- 5 GP 0-0-0
“Adam is a big body defender who skates well. He has represented his country on the international stage and will be a guy that should fit into a top four pairing and log a lot of minutes for us.”
-- Chad Leslie, Swift Current general manager
William Morin, second round 110th overall
Boden, Sweden
Forward, 17, 6-foot-1, 170 pounds
2024-25 -- Lulea HF -- 41 GP 14-14-28 World U17 -- 6 GP 0-0-0
“William has a good frame and has offensive upside. His lack of physical strength is dictating for him at this point, and I feel there is a lot of ceiling left in his game.”
-- Leslie
MOOSE JAW WARRIORS
Dominik Pavlik, first round 53rd overall
Trutnov, Czechia
Forward, 17, 6-foot-1, 187 pounds
2024-25 -- Karpat Finland -- 40 GP 21-13-35 World U17 -- 8 GP 2-1-3
“We’re getting a big centreman who plays a heavy game, has some skill and shoots well and is a good skater. He compliments our ‘07 group and is a good player for us as we build toward our future here.”
-- Jason Ripplinger, Moose Jaw general manager
SASKATOON BLADES
Vlastimil Blazek, first round 60th overall
Czechia
Forward, 16, 5-foot-9, 152 pounds
2024-25 -- HC Energie Karlovy Vary -- 44 GP 40-39-76
“Vlasti is a skilled, explosive player who is a late 2007 birthday which means he is still two years away from his NHL draft year. Meeting with him on Zoom we were reminded a lot of the energy and passion that Egor Sidorov had when we first met him. He had two points per game in the Czech U17 league last year and began playing internationally for Czechia. He already speaks excellent English and is very outgoing so I believe he will transition to North America faster than some other European players that come over.”
-- Colin Priestner, Saskatoon general manager
David Lewandowski, second round 120th overall
Germany
Forward, 17, 6-foot-1, 172 pounds
2024-25 -- Dusseldorfer EG -- 35 GP, 16-37-53 World U18 Hlinka -- 5 GP 2-5-7
“We feel that David is probably the best German prospect in the last two years in the Import Draft. We felt he was Germany’s best player last summer in the Hlinka tournament as an underage and his potential shows all the tools to be a high NHL draft pick next June.”
-- Priestner
* Lewandowski is committed to begin the 2024-25 season in the German Elite League but Saskatoon remains hopeful he will join the Blades at some point
