Spokane Chief forward Levko Koper has been selected in the seventh round by the Atlanta Thrashers in the NHL Entry Draft."We were watching it with family and my sister saw my name on the board and that is how I found out," Koper said. "I wasn't going to watch it but everyone else was. I'm pretty excited to go to Atlanta and happy that the draft is over.
"This is where it starts," Koper said about the next step in his career. "It doesn't matter where you're drafted. Now, it is all about how you're going to get better from here on out. It's exciting and gives me motivation to work that much harder in the off-season."
Koper was listed by the Chiefs in November, 2005 and debuted as a 16-year-old in 2006-07. That season, he tallied three goals and five points in 50 games. The following season, Koper appeared in 69 games and improved his numbers to 12 goals and 26 points.
During the Chiefs run to the 2008 Memorial Cup Championship, Koper scored four goals and nine points in 21 playoff games. The Edmonton native added an overtime game winner against the Belleville Bulls in the first game of the Memorial Cup.
This past season he improved his stats to career highs in goals (23) assists (36) and points (59). Koper finished the season fourth on the team in goals scored and points. He appeared in 71 games, missing just one to appear at the Top Prospects game in January. Koper scored a goal at the event reserved for the top 40 draft eligible players in the Canadian Hockey League. In 12 playoff games, Koper scored three goals and 10 points.
In total, Koper has played 190 games in a Spokane jersey, scored 38 goals and 90 points. He has also played 42 post-season games, including the Memorial Cup, in three seasons.
The Thrashers used their first round pick, fourth overall, to take Evander Kane of the Vancouver Giants, a team that Koper and the Chiefs have played the last two years in the playoffs.
"He's a very talented player and you can see why the Thrashers used their first pick on him," Koper said.
Koper joins Jared Cowen, who was the ninth overall pick by the Ottawa Senators, as drafted Chiefs this year.
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