Parent Mighty Ducks of Anaheim select four players on first day of NHL entry draft

June 26, 2004 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Cincinnati RailRaiders News Release


CINCINNATI, Ohio -- The Mighty Ducks of Anaheim selected defenseman Ladislav Smid with their first-round pick and the ninth overall selection of the 2004 NHL Entry Draft Saturday, held at the RBC Center in Raleigh, North Carolina. Smid was the second defenseman chosen in the draft after being ranked the fourth best European skater and the top European defenseman in the NHL Central Scouting Bureau Rankings.

Smid has played his entire career in the system of the HC Bili Tygri Liberec team in the Czech Republic. He earned a regular spot on the defensive rotation of the senior team in 2003-04. Smid has played at two Under-18 IIHF World Junior Championships in 2003 and 2004, as well as the 2004 Under-20 IIHF World Junior Championships.

The 6-foot-3, 209-pounder earned a spot on the All-Star team at the 2004 World U-18 Championships while helping to lead the Czechs to a solid third-place finish. At the 2004 Under-20 World Juniors, he had one goal and two assists in three games for the Czechs, who finished fourth.

Anaheim selected defenseman Jordan Smith (6-foot-2, 203 pounds) from Sault-Ste.-Marie of the OHL in the second round (39th overall). With the 74th and 75th picks in the third round, Anaheim selected defenseman Kyle Klubertanz (6-foot-0, 178 pounds) from Green Bay of the USHL and center Tim Brent (5-foot-11, 177 pounds) from Toronto St. Michael's of the OHL, respectively,

Brent was originally selected by Anaheim in the second round of the 2002 NHL Entry Draft (37th overall). He became eligible for this year's draft when the two parties did not come to terms on a contract by June 1, 2004. Brent participated in the Canada/Russia Challenge in November and the OHL All-Star Classic in January and was an assistant-captain on the Canadian squad that brought home a silver medal in the 2004 World Junior Championships.

The draft will conclude Sunday with the final six rounds of the nine-round event.



American Hockey League Stories from June 26, 2004


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