T-Birds Select Sami Moilanen in CHL Import Draft
June 28, 2016 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Seattle Thunderbirds News Release
KENT - Seattle Thunderbirds general manager Russ Farwell today announced the team selected right wing Sami Moilanen from Finland in the first round, 49th overall, of the CHL Import Draft.
"We are excited to add a player with such high end offensive potential," said Farwell. "Sami has a great reputation for both work ethic and skill."
Moilanen played 38 games last season with the Jokerit U-20 team in Finland. He had 21 goals and 14 assists for 35 points with 20 penalty minutes.
Moilanen was a member of the gold medal winning Finnish team at the U-18 World Championship in April. He played in seven games at the tournament in Grand Forks, North Dakota, and had an assist. Finland beat Sweden 6-1 in the gold medal game.
Moilanen, a 1999-born forward, played for Finland at the 2015 World U-17 Hockey Challenge in November. He appeared in three games and did not register a point.
During the 2014-15 hockey season Moilanen played for the Jokerit U-16, U-18 and U-20 teams. In 37 combined games between the three teams he had 27 goals and 25 assists for 52 points.
Every CHL team is allowed a maximum of two non-North American players on their roster each season. These players must be drafted in the CHL Import Draft held each summer to be eligible to play.
Teams are permitted to select in the Import Draft if they have less than two import players on their current roster. Entering the draft the T-Birds had one Import Player, center Alexander True from Denmark, on the roster.
The two-round draft took place online with the order of selection rotating through each of the CHL's three leagues using an inverse order of final regular season standings within each league from the 2015-16 season.
The T-Birds start the 2016-17 Western Hockey League regular season on the road against the Portland Winterhawks on Saturday, September 24, at 7pm at the Moda Center.
The T-Birds home opener is Saturday, October 1, at 7:05pm against the Winterhawks at ShoWare Center.
Thursday, June 30 is the deadline to receive two FREE tickets to the Home Opener. T-Bird fans who purchase a 24-Flex Ticket Package before the deadline will receive two FREE tickets to the home opener against Portland. For more information, or to order the 24-Flex Package, call the T-Birds at 253-239-7825.
T-Birds single game tickets for the 2016-17 regular season will go on sale Wednesday, August 31, at 10am online on the T-Birds website and at the ShoWare Center box office.
T-Birds 2016-17 season tickets are currently on sale. Season tickets can be purchased by calling the T-Birds office at 253-239-7825.
Western Hockey League Stories from June 28, 2016
- Silvertips Select Right Wingers Eetu Tuulola of Finland and Mario Mucka of Slovakia in CHL Import Dr - Everett Silvertips
- Kubic to Attend Canucks Prospects Camp - Vancouver Giants
- T-Birds Select Sami Moilanen in CHL Import Draft - Seattle Thunderbirds
- Oil Kings Select Artyom Baltruk in CHL Import Draft - Edmonton Oil Kings
- Hitmen Select Two Players In 2016 CHL Import Draft - Calgary Hitmen
- Spokane Takes Pair of Czech Teammates in CHL Import Draft - Spokane Chiefs
- WHL Clubs Select 24 Players in 2016 CHL Import Draft - WHL
- Winterhawks Select Two Players in CHL Import Draft - Portland Winterhawks
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- Pats Select Filip AHL in CHL Import Draft - Regina Pats
- Cougars Select Swedish Forward Axel Jonsson-Fjallby 28th Overall in the 2016 CHL Import Draft - Prince George Cougars
- Blazers Select Rudolfs Balcers in CHL Import Draft - Kamloops Blazers
- Ice Select Two Russians in CHL Import Draft - Kootenay Ice
- Americans Announce 2016-17 Regular Season Schedule - Tri-City Americans
- Warriors Select Zaitsev 33rd Overall - Moose Jaw Warriors
- Blades Land Russian D-man - Saskatoon Blades
- Giants Take Zadina in CHL Import Draft - Vancouver Giants
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