Rockets set to make single selection in 2022 CHL Import Draft
The Kelowna Rockets are set to make a single selection in Friday’s 31st annual Canadian Hockey League Import Draft. The draft will take place online on Friday, July 1, 2022, beginning at 8:00 am PT, the draft can be followed online on the CHL’s website.
Each of the 60 CHL Clubs are permitted to make a maximum of two selections in the 2022 CHL Import Draft.
The CHL announced Tuesday the Order of Selections, Kelowna will pick 43rd overall and will only select one player–.Czechia forward Gabriel Szturc will return for the 2022-23 WHL season.
Selected 44th overall in the first round of the 2021 CHL Import Draft, Szturc posted 41 points (16G, 25A), six penalty minutes and a +12 plus/minus rating through 67 games in his first season with the Rockets.
Pavel Novak, the Rockets other European player, announced last Friday that he will be stepping away from hockey this upcoming season following a diagnosis. In his statement, Novak shared that he has been diagnosed with an oncological disease. The 2002 born forward will remain on the Rockets protected list.
The Medicine Hat Tigers hold the first-overall selection, to be followed by the Ontario Hockey League’s Saginaw Spirit and the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League’s Cape Breton Eagles. To view a breakdown of the order selection please scroll to the end of this article.
The Rockets have drafted 38 import players since 1992. Here is a breakdown of those picks:
| Draft Picks by Country: |
| Czechia: 14 |
| Slovakia: 6 |
| Finland: 5 |
| Sweden: 4 |
| Latvia: 2 |
| Switzerland: 2 |
| Russia: 2 |
| Austria: 1 |
| Slovenia: 1 |
| Norway: 1 |
| Draft Picks by Position: |
| Forwards: 31 |
| Defencemen: 7 |
| Goaltenders: 0 |
| European skaters drafted by an NHL club after playing for the Rockets: |
| Pavel Novak – 2020 round 5 #146 overall by Minnesota Wild |
| Lassi Thomson – 2019 round 1 #19 overall by Ottawa Senators |
| Calvin Thurkauf – 2016 round 7 #185 overall by Columbus Blue Jackets |
| Karel Betik – 1997 round 5 #112 overall by Tampa Bay Lightning |
| Notable European skaters drafted by an NHL club before playing for the Rockets: |
| Mikael Backlund – 2007 round 1 #24 overall by Calgary Flames |
| Alex Edler – 2004 round 3 #91 overall by Vancouver Canucks |
| Vaclav Varada – 1994 round 4 #89 overall by San Jose Sharks |
| Michal Grosek – 1993 round 6 #145 overall by Winnipeg Jets |
Order of Selections for 2022 CHL Import Draft
| 1-1 | Medicine Hat | 1-31 | Lethbridge | 2-61 | Medicine Hat | 2-91 | Lethbridge |
| 1-2 | Saginaw | 1-32 | Owen Sound | 2-62 | Saginaw | 2-92 | Owen Sound |
| 1-3 | Cape Breton | 1-33 | Halifax | 2-63 | Cape Breton | 2-93 | Halifax |
| 1-4 | Tri-City | 1-34 | Brandon | 2-64 | Tri-City | 2-94 | Brandon |
| 1-5 | Erie | 1-35 | Guelph | 2-65 | Erie | 2-95 | Guelph |
| 1-6 | Victoriaville | 1-36 | Shawinigan | 2-66 | Victoriaville | 2-96 | Shawinigan |
| 1-7 | Victoria | 1-37 | Saskatoon | 2-67 | Victoria | 2-97 | Saskatoon |
| 1-8 | Sudbury | 1-38 | Mississauga | 2-68 | Sudbury | 2-98 | Mississauga |
| 1-9 | Baie-Comeau | 1-39 | Acadie-Bathurst | 2-69 | Baie-Comeau | 2-99 | Acadie-Bathurst |
| 1-10 | Vancouver | 1-40 | Moose Jaw | 2-70 | Vancouver | 2-100 | Moose Jaw |
| 1-11 | Niagara | 1-41 | London | 2-71 | Niagara | 2-101 | London |
| 1-12 | Val-d’Or | 1-42 | Gatineau | 2-72 | Val-d’Or | 2-102 | Gatineau |
| 1-13 | Spokane | 1-43 | Kelowna | 2-73 | Spokane | 2-103 | |
| 1-14 | Sarnia | 1-44 | Soo | 2-74 | Sarnia | 2-104 | Soo |
| 1-15 | Chicoutimi | 1-45 | Sherbrooke | 2-75 | Chicoutimi | 2-105 | Sherbrooke |
| 1-16 | Prince George | 1-46 | Seattle | 2-76 | Prince George | 2-106 | Seattle |
| 1-17 | Peterborough | 1-47 | Kingston | 2-77 | Peterborough | 2-107 | Kingston |
| 1-18 | Rouyn-Noranda | 1-48 | Saint John | 2-78 | Rouyn-Noranda | 2-108 | Saint John |
| 1-19 | Calgary | 1-49 | Red Deer | 2-79 | Calgary | 2-109 | Red Deer |
| 1-20 | Ottawa | 1-50 | Flint | 2-80 | Ottawa | 2-110 | Flint |
| 1-21 | Moncton | 1-51 | Charlottetown | 2-81 | Moncton | 2-111 | Charlottetown |
| 1-22 | Swift Current | 1-52 | Portland | 2-82 | Swift Current | 2-112 | Portland |
| 1-23 | Oshawa | 1-53 | North Bay | 2-83 | Oshawa | 2-113 | North Bay |
| 1-24 | Blainville-Boisbriand | 1-54 | Québec | 2-84 | Blainville-Boisbriand | 2-114 | Québec |
| 1-25 | Regina | 1-55 | Kamloops | 2-85 | Regina | 2-115 | Kamloops |
| 1-26 | Kitchener | 1-56 | Windsor | 2-86 | Kitchener | 2-116 | Windsor |
| 1-27 | Drummondville | 1-57 | Everett | 2-87 | Drummondville | 2-117 | Everett |
| 1-28 | Prince Albert | 1-58 | Hamilton | 2-88 | Prince Albert | 2-118 | Hamilton |
| 1-29 | Barrie | 1-59 | Edmonton | 2-89 | Barrie | 2-119 | Edmonton |
| 1-30 | Rimouski | 1-60 | Winnipeg | 2-90 | Rimouski | 2-120 | Winnipeg |
