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Cincinnati player among those selected by Mighty Ducks of Anaheim on second day of NHL Entry Draft

June 27, 2004 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Cincinnati RailRaiders News Release


CINCINNATI, Ohio -- The Cincinnati Mighty Ducks NHL affiliate - the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim - selected four players Sunday on the second day of the 2004 NHL Entry Draft in Raleigh, North Carolina. Anaheim drafted a total of eight players (four forwards, three defensemen and one goaltender) over the course of the two-day event, including Saturday's selections of defenseman Ladislav Smid (first round, ninth overall), defenseman Jordan Smith (second round, 39th overall), defenseman Kyle Klubertanz (third round, 74th overall) and center Tim Brent (third round, 75th overall).

Anaheim used its sixth round selection Sunday to pick right wing Matt Auffrey of the United States National Under-18 Team. A native of Cincinnati, Ohio, the 6-foot-2, 203-pounder had 14 goals and 16 assists with 42 penalty minutes in 53 games during the 2003-04 season. Auffrey had two goals and three assists in six games in the 2004 World Under-18 Championships, helping the United States to a silver medal. Auffrey is expected to play for the University of Wisconsin next season.

In the seventh round with the 203rd overall selection, Anaheim took 19-year-old goaltender Gabriel Bouthillette from Gatineau of the QMJHL. In 27 games in 2003-04, the 6-foot-3, 200-pound native of Sorel, Quebec went 17-2-4 with a 2.20 goals-against average, helping Gatineau to the best regular-season record in the QMJHL.

Anaheim used its eighth round pick (236th overall) to select Matt Christie, a 5-foot-10, 185-pound center from Miami University (Ohio). Christie, 19, had 21 goals and 12 assists in 38 games for Miami in 2003-04. He was the CCHA's top power play goal scorer last season, recording six power play goals in conference play and eight overall which helped lead him to an All-Rookie team selection. The Toronto, Ontario native is expected to play his sophmore season at Miami in 2004-05.

With its final pick in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft, Anaheim selected forward Janne Pesonen in the ninth round (269th overall). Pesonen, 22, played with Karpat Oulu in the Finnish Elite League last season, recording 17 goals and 13 assists with 28 penalty minutes in 56 games. He added one goal and one assist in 15 postseason games, as he helped his club win the league championship.

"In Sunday's draft, we were primarily focused on taking who we felt was the best player available, rather than focusing on a particular position," said Tim Murray, Anaheim's director of scouting. "With continued hard work and dedication, each of these players will have the opportunity to play at the NHL level."

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