WHL Brandon Wheat Kings

Brandon Wheat Kings Insider

June 26, 2008 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Brandon Wheat Kings News Release


Brandon, Manitoba -- The Western Hockey League's Brandon Wheat Kings opted for a Columbus Blue Jackets' prospect as well as a talented young defenceman in the opening round of Thursday's Canadian Hockey League Import Draft.

With the 33rd overall pick, following a trade with Moose Jaw earlier this week, the Wheat Kings selected 19-year old Russian left-winger Maxim Mayorov.

A former fourth round draft choice of the National Hockey League's Blue Jackets (94th overall, 2007), the 6'2" 190 lb. Mayorov is loaded with talent and played eleven games this past with AK Bars Kazan in the Russian Elite Super League. He was the fourth Russian selected in last year's NHL draft.

According to International Scouting Services, Mayorov, who played for Team Russia during last summer's 8-game Super Series has "good size, speed and shot...Very dynamic legs...He moves the puck around very well and is hard to be knocked off."

"Maxim is a player that we feel would have an immediate impact on our club," says Wheat Kings' coach and general manager Kelly McCrimmon. "We will be working with the (Columbus) Blue Jackets in the weeks to come to determine his availability."

With their second pick of round one (39th overall), the Wheat Kings took 17-year old Kirill Gotovets of Belarus.

A member of the Belarus club that competed at this spring's World Under 18 Championships in Russia, the 5'10" 170 lb blueliner scored two goals and 10 points in 45 games with Minsk Junost.

"Kirill is an exciting young defenceman that we feel will be a very good junior player," says McCrimmon. "He really emerged at this year's World Under 18 Championship where he competed as an underage for Belarus."

Mayorov and Gotovets join veteran left-winger Daniel Bartek on Brandon's roster. CHL clubs are permitted to carry a maximum of three overagers and two imports. The Wheat Kings were allowed to select two Europeans this year as Bartek is 20 years of age and is one of five overagers on the team. The others include forwards Andrew Clark and Matt Lowry as well as defencemen Chad Erb and Matt McCue.

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