Whalers select Ondrej Otcenas in CHL Import Draft

June 29, 2005 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Plymouth Whalers News Release


PLYMOUTH TOWNSHIP - Plymouth Whalers President, General Manager and Head Coach Mike Vellucci has announced the selection of 18-year-old Slovakian center Ondrej Otcenas in today's Canadian Hockey League Import Draft.

Otcenas - 6-foot-1 and 198 pounds from the HK Dukla Trencin Under-20 team in Slovakia - was taken with the Whalers' first selection in the draft and 25th overall. He scored 11 goals with 22 assists for 33 points with +26 and 66 penalty minutes in 45 games last season for HK Dukla Trencin. Otcenas played well in the team's playoffs, scoring 4 goals and 3 assists for 7 points and +6 in 8 games.

Otcenas also played for Slovakia in the World Under-18 Championships this spring and scored 4 goals with an assist for 5 points in 6 games.

Vellucci credited Plymouth's European scout Willy Langer for recommending Otcenas.

"We received excellent reports about Otcenas through Willy," Vellucci said. "Otcenas is coming off a good year overseas and has a chance to make an impact in Plymouth. We look forward to seeing him in training camp."

The CHL Import Draft is designed to distribute non-North American skaters throughout the league. CHL Teams are currently allowed to play two Import players per season. 19-year-old Vaclav Meidl is the other Import currently playing for the Whalers.

Plymouth also has the 83rd pick in the CHL Import Draft, but with Otcenas and Meidl already on the team, will pass with the selection.

Otcenas is the second Slovakian ever taken by the Whalers since the CHL Import Draft started in 1992. Milan Kostolny played for the team from 1994-96, scoring 18 goals and 32 assists for 50 points and 55 PIM's in 69 games.



Ontario Hockey League Stories from June 29, 2005


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