Sports stats

OHL Erie Otters

2022 Canadian Hockey League Import Draft Primer

June 29, 2022 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Erie Otters News Release


Erie, Pennsylvania - The City of Erie and the Otters organization will get their guaranteed time in the worldwide spotlight on Friday, July 1 at 11 A.M. for the Canadian Hockey League's 30th Annual Import Draft.

The CHL Import Draft - first implemented in 1992 - is an opportunity for the Ontario, Quebec, and Western Hockey Leagues to break outside of their region-locked North American scouting waters to find hockey talent abroad. This is the only draft every year that involves all three Major Junior hockey leagues simultaneously and collaboratively, and is the only crossover between leagues outside of the Memorial Cup. As well, this is the final CHL event of the 2021-22 season, with the end of the Import Draft marking the official start of the new season across the league(s).

Erie has had terrific success in the CHL Import Draft historically, from as recently as 2021-22 rostered defenseman Artyem Kulakov, to all-time Otters legends like Oscar Dansk (G, 2012 #3 overall), 2022 (and two-time) Stanley Cup Champion Andre Burakovsky (F, 2013 #5 overall), and two-time Stanley Cup Champion Erik Cernak (D, 2015 #49 overall).

In the 2022 edition of the Import Draft, the Erie Otters are eligible to select two players from the two rounds, with a 'Linear Draft' being executed, ensuring Erie and all CHL member teams the same draft order in both rounds. The picks are as follows for Erie:

Round 1, #5 pick

Erie will pick fifth overall - second from the OHL - due to the results of the OHL Priority Selection Lottery. The additional 16 teams are sorted based on finish in the OHL Post-Season.

This is Erie's lowest pick in the Import Draft since taking two-time Stanley Cup champion Andre Burkaovsky in 2013

Round 2, #65 pick

This is Erie's highest pick in the Import Draft since 2012

In the team's 25 previous Import Drafts, Erie has selected 35 total players - with 20 players appearing on the roster for the Otters:

2007 1 2 Erie Jaroslav Janus 6.00 187 1989-09-21 G Bratislava Slovan Jr. Slovakian

2012 1 3 Erie Oscar Dansk 6.02.5 187 1995-02-28 G Brynas IF Jr. Swedish

2008 1 4 Erie Edgar Rybakov 6.01 185 1991-05-02 C Moscow HC CSKA-2 Lithuanian

2013 1 5 Erie Andre Burakovsky 6.01 178 1995-02-09 LW Malmo IF Redhawks Swedish

1998 1 5 Erie Nikita Alexeyev 6.06 227 1981-12-27 RW Krylia Sovetov Moskva-2 Russian

2019 1 8 Erie Marat Khusnutdinov 5.09 154 2002-07-12 C Podolsk Vityaz U18 Russian

2003 1 12 Erie Ilya Yakolev 6.02 180 1986-07-24 F Chelyabinsk Traktor-2 Russian

2018 1 12 Erie Petr Cajka 6.00 163 2000-12-11 C Zug EV Jr. Czech

2006 1 12 Erie Stanislav Polodna 6.00 176 1989-04-03 RW Ceske Budejovice Jr. Czech

1996 1 21 Erie Arvids Rekis 6.00 216 1979-01-01 RD Dubuque Fighting Saints Latvian

2020 1 22 Erie Alexei Kolosov 6.00 165 2002-01-04 G Team Belarus U20 Belarusian

2005 1 28 Erie Ivan Maximkin 6.02 183 1988-03-05 LD Togliatti Lada-2 Russian

2000 1 28 Erie Lubor Dibelka 6.03 183 1983-02-22 RW Zlin Jr. Czech

2010 1 29 Erie Timofey Tankeev 6.02 180 1993-02-17 F St. Louis Jr. Blues Russian

2011 1 31 Erie Sondre Olden 6.04 180 1992-08-29 LW Modo Jr. Norwegian

2004 1 31 Erie Vladimir Tyufyakov 6.02 195 1987-05-17 LW Novosibirsk Sibir U18 Russian

2021 1 33 Erie Jiri Tichacek 5.09 170 2003-01-30 LD Rytiri Kladno Jr. Czech

2009 1 36 Erie Ramis Sadikov 5.02 220 1991-02-26 G Rus Moskva Russian

2011 1 37 Erie Vladimir Tkachyov 6.00 182 1993-10-05 C Kazan Irbis Russian

2001 1 46 Erie Alexander Karaulchuk 6.01 187 1983-07-27 C Kiev Sokol Ukranian

2014 1 48 Erie Anton Karlsson 6.01.25 187 1996-08-03 LW Vastra Frolunda HC Jr. Swedish

2015 1 49 Erie Erik Cernak 6.03.5 211 1997-05-28 RD Kosice HC Slovakian

1996 1 50 Erie Vadim Sharapov 5.10 179 1978-01-13 LW CSKA Moskva-2 Russian

2002 1 51 Erie Tomas Galasek 6.02 225 1985-09-09 LW Olomouc Jr. Czech

2016 1 53 Erie German Poddubnyi 5.10 142 1999-06-09 C Philadelphia Jr. Flyers 16U Russian

2001 1 53 Erie Michal Kokavec 6.05 209 1983-03-01 LW Zilina Jr. Slovakian

2017 1 57 Erie Stephane Patry 5.10 161 2000-02-18 LW Geneve-Servette Jr. Swiss

1999 1 59 Erie Ivan Huml 6.02 198 1981-09-06 RW Rytiri Kladno U20 Czech

2012 2 62 Erie Artem Kuleshov 5.11 162 1995-04-20 LD Moscow Krylya Sovetov U17 Russian

2005 2 70 Erie Christian Olsen 6.02 202 1987-10-08 RW Malmo IF Redhawks Jr. Danish

2014 2 71 Erie Igor Vladykovskyi 6.02 200 1995-07-01 F Springfield Jr. Blues American

2009 2 71 Erie Viktor Perezhogin 6.01 190 1992-04-01 LW Omsk Avangard Junior Russian

2015 1 75 Erie Jakob Mayenschein 5.11 167 1997-04-01 C Landshut EV Jr. German

2020 2 82 Erie Artyom Kulakov 6.02 174 2003-02-14 LD St. Petersburg Spartak U17 Russian

2021 2 90 Erie Juraj Slafkovsky 6.03 216 2004-03-30 RW TPS Turku U20 Slovakian

QUICK FACTS:

Erie has not had a pick in the Import Draft just once - the 1997 season

In the Import Draft, the Otters have selected 35 total players

Of the 35 players, 25 were Forwards, six were Defensemen, four were Goaltenders

Of the 35 players, 13 have been Russian-born, six have been Czechia-born, four have been Slovakian-born, three were Swedish-born, one was Swiss-born, one was German-born, one was Ukrananian-born, one was Lithuanian-born, one was Norwegian-born, one was Latvian-born, one was Belrusian-born, one was Danish-born and one American-born.

Four Stanley Cups have been won by Otters player taken in the CHL Import Draft

Erie's latest (and highest all-time) pick in the CHL Import Draft, Juraj Slafkovsky, is a projected top-three pick in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft.

Every player the Otters have ever drafted top five in the Import Draft has gone on to play for Erie - will the trend continue this year?

Both rounds of the CHL Import Draft will take place on Friday, July 1 at 11 A.M., with results being updated live on the CHL's Import Draft tracker.

2022 CHL Import Draft Order of Selection for Ontario Hockey League teams:

Saginaw Spirit

Erie Otters (#5, #65 overall)

Sudbury Wolves

Niagara IceDogs

Sarnia Sting

Peterborough Petes

Ottawa 67's

Oshawa Generals

Kitchener Rangers

Barrie Colts

Owen Sound Attack

Guelph Storm

Mississauga Steelheads

London Knights

Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds

Kingston Frontenacs

Flint Firebirds

North Bay Battalion

Windsor Spitfires

Hamilton Bulldogs

Check out the Erie Otters Statistics



Ontario Hockey League Stories from June 29, 2022


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

Other Recent Erie Otters Stories



Sports Statistics from the Stats Crew
OurSports Central