WHL: 2005 Import Draft Summary

CALGARY, AB — Western Hockey League clubs took the opportunity to inject a little European flavor into their rosters as the Canadian Hockey League conducted its annual import draft on Wednesday, June 29.
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rThe Regina Pats – with the third overall pick – were the first WHL club to select in the draft, taking 18-year-old Czech forward Petr Kalus. The 6-foot-1, 185-pound spent last year with Vitkovice in the Czech Junior League where he netted 20 goals and 31 points in 39 games. Kalus, who is NHL draft-eligible this year, is ranked 26th among European skaters.
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rPats GM Brent Parker is happy to have grabbed Kalus, describing him as a prototypical power forward who plays a North American style game and who should adapt well to the WHL’s brand of hockey.
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rMeanwhile, the Pats took a big chance with their second-round pick, selecting highly touted Slovenian sniper Anze Kopitar. Kopitar, the top-ranked draft-eligible European this year, is considered a sure-fire top-ten pick as soon as the NHL holds the entry draft. However, he is currently under contract with his Swedish team for next year, leaving some uncertainty as to whether he’ll be able to play in the WHL.
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rThe Moose Jaw Warriors, with the sixth overall selection, bolstered their blueline by picking 18-year-old Slovakian defenceman Martin Grundling. The 6-foot-2, 194-pound rearguard spent last season in the Slovak Junior League and was one of Slovakia’s top defencemen at the World U-18 Championships. Grundling is described as a player who plays a very solid defensive game and can contribute in the offensive zone as well.
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rThe Swift Current Broncos also dipped into the Slovak talent pool snapping up 18-year-old left-winger Richard Lelkes with the ninth overall pick. Lelkes, 6-foot-4, 207-pounds, is ranked ninth among this year’s draft-eligible European skaters. The Broncos also picked up 18-year-old Czech center Daniel Rakos with their second-round pick (63rd overall).
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rThe Prince George Cougars used their 12th overall pick to select 19-year-old Swedish forward Fred Wikner. The 6-foot-1, 190-pound right-winger was a sixth-round pick of the Calgary Flames in 2004 and will add grit to the Cougars’ lineup. The Cougars also added 18-year-old Russian pivot Alexandre Alexandrov with their second-round pick (66th overall).
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rThe Spokane Chiefs rounded out the WHL’s first five selections taking 19-year-old Swedish forward Johannes Salmonsson with the 15th overall selection. The 6-foot-2, 187-pound left-winger was the Pittsburgh Penguins’ second-round pick in the 2004 NHL draft and spent last season with Djurgardens in the Swedish Elite League. He also played for Sweden at the 2005 World Junior Championships.
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rThe Kamloops Blazers, with their lone selection of the draft (18th overall), grabbed Swiss pivot Janick Steinmann, who played for the Swiss U-18 team.
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rThe Vancouver Giants, with two picks in the first round, picked up a pair of skilled forwards. The Giants used their first (21st overall) pick to take dynamic 16-year-old Czech winger Michal Repik, who is already being touted as a high first-round pick in the 2007 NHL draft. Vancouver took 18-year-old Slovakian center Mario Bliznak with their second pick (27th overall). Both are expected to play key offensive roles for the Giants in the upcoming season.
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rThe Prince Albert Raiders added youth to their lineup, selecting 16-year-old Slovakian forward Peter Cmorej with their lone pick (24th overall), while the Everett Silvertips selected two-way Czech center Ondrej Fiala with their only pick (30th overall).
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rThe Portland Winter Hawks used their first-round pick (33rd overall) to select 19-year-old Danish forward Jannik Hansen. The 6-foot, 176-pound winger, a ninth-round pick of the Vancouver Canucks in 2004, would become the first player from Denmark to play in the WHL. Meantime, the Hawks grabbed Czech center Stanislav Balan with their second-round pick (61st overall).
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rThe Red Deer Rebels used their lone selection (36th overall) to take towering Slovakian defenceman Vladimir Mihalik. The 6-foot-7, 220-pound 18-year-old was one of only four blueliners taken by WHL clubs in the draft.
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rThe Calgary Hitmen used their two first-round picks to bolster their front lines, selecting 18-year-old Czech center Lukas Vantuch with their first pick (39th overall), and 18-year-old Swedish speedster Fredrik Pettersson with their second pick (48th overall).
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rThe Brandon Wheat Kings picked up 19-year-old Swedish winger John Wikner with their lone pick (42nd overall). Wikner, a ninth-round pick of the Ottawa Senators in 2004, is the twin brother of the Cougars’ first-round import pick Fred Wikner.
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rThe Lethbridge Hurricanes selected 18-year-old Czech rearguard Tomas Kudelka with their only pick (45th overall). The 6-foot-2, 175-pound defenceman is ranked fifth among European draft-eligible skaters.
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rThe Saskatoon Blades were the lone WHL team to select a goaltender, taking 19-year-old Russian Netminder Anton Khudobin with their lone pick (51st overall). Khudobin, drafted by the Minnesota Wild in 2004, started for Russia at the 2005 World Junior championships and played for the Russian Selects in the 2004 ADT Canada/Russia Challenge.
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rThe Medicine Hat Tigers made it a family affair with their lone pick, selecting 19-year-old Czech forward Michal Psurny – the twin brother of current Tigers forward Roman Psurny.
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rThe Kootenay Ice, the 2004-05 WHL regular-season champions, used their first-round pick (56th overall) to select 18-year-old Slovakian defenceman Lukas Bohunicky, while also picking up 19-year-old Czech pivot Marek Curilla with their second pick (71st overall).
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rThe defending WHL champion Kelowna Rockets also grabbed a defenceman with their first pick, selecting 19-year-old Swedish blueliner Alexander Edler with the final pick of the first round (58th overall). The Rockets also selected 19-year-old left-winger Thomas Raffl – the lone Austrian taken by WHL clubs – with their second-round pick (69th overall).
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rThe Tri-City Americans and Seattle Thunderbirds were the only WHL teams who did not make a selection this year.
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