Hawks Prepare for 2025 CHL Import Draft

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WHL Portland Winterhawks

Hawks Prepare for 2025 CHL Import Draft

July 1, 2025 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Portland Winterhawks News Release


Portland, Ore. - The CHL Import Draft, the final draft of the 2025 offseason, begins on Wednesday, July 2, at 8:00 am PT.

Back in May, the Portland Winterhawks made two selections in the U.S. Priority Draft and nine in the 2025 WHL Prospects Draft.

The CHL Import Draft is an annual event in which every club in the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) can draft players from outside of North America. The three-round CHL Import Draft will take place online, with the order of selection rotating between the clubs of each of the CHL's three-member leagues.

New this year, each CHL team is permitted to dress a maximum of three import players, up from two previously, who are selected annually through the CHL Import Draft. Teams are also permitted to trade Import Draft picks within their respective league.

On Monday, the Winterhawks traded their second-round pick (95th overall) to the Brandon Wheat Kings for a 2029 sixth-round WHL Prospects Draft selection.

Portland now holds the 34th overall (first round) and 156th overall (3rd round) in Wednesday's draft.

The Winterhawks are excited to have both Max Pšenička and Ondřej Štěbeták returning for the 2025-26 season.

Selected in the second round of the 2025 NHL Draft by the Utah Mammoth on Saturday, Pšenička enjoyed a strong rookie campaign with Portland. His ability to play a responsible game, along with his size and mobility, helped him climb the draft charts after arriving in the Rose City in January.

Measured at 6-foot-5, 185 pounds, at the NHL Scouting Combine, Pšenička impacts the game beyond what shows up on the scoresheet, and saw his average ice time per game increase by over three minutes in the 2025 WHL Playoffs.

Štěbeták appeared in 47 games for the Winterhawks as a 17-year-old rookie, establishing a new career high. He gained valuable experience during the regular season and elevated his game when the lights got brighter in the playoffs.

As Portland made it to the Western Conference Final for the second consecutive year, Štěbeták's performance, on the road, in two Game 7s, was a big reason why. Against the Prince George Cougars in Round One, he stopped 33-of-35 shots. Then, in the second round, against the top-seeded Everett Silvertips, he turned aside 40 of 42 attempts.

Pšenička and Štěbeták will be relied upon in big moments throughout the Winterhawks' 50th Anniversary season.

Portland's long list of success at the CHL Import draft includes: Hockey Hall of Famer Marian Hossa (1997), current NHLers Nino Niederreiter (2009), Oliver Bjorkstrand (2012), Rodrigo Abols (2015), and Henri Jokiharju (2016), who just signed a new three-year contract with the Boston Bruins.

Also drafted by the Winterhawks were current assistant coach Sven Bärtschi (2010), who played 292 NHL games, 2019 WHL Player of the Year, Joachim Blichfeld (2016), and Marek Alscher (2021), who signed an entry-level NHL contract with the Florida Panthers in 2023.

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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.

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