Rockets set to make single selection in 2023 CHL Import Draft
The Kelowna Rockets are set to make a single selection in Wednesday’s 32nd annual Canadian Hockey League Import Draft. The draft will take place online on July 5, 2023, 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 2023 CHL Import Draft.
The Rockets will make one pick in the draft, selecting 12th overall pick in the first round.
It will be the Rockets highest pick in the Import Draft since 2007 when Kelowna took Slovakian centre Milan Kytnar seventh overall. To view all of the Rockets previous draft picks made click here.
Kelowna currently has two European skaters on the roster, forward Gabriel Szturc and defenceman Marek Rocak. Both of their rights will remain on the Rockets protected list.
Selected 44th overall in the first round of the 2021 CHL Import Draft, Szturc posted 79 points (24G, 55A), 44 penalty minutes and a +9 plus/minus rating through 56 games in his second season with the Rockets. He was named the Rockets captain in January. He earned an invite to the Tampa Bay Lightning’s development camp after going undrafted at the NHL Draft last week. Born in 2003, Szturc is entering his 20-year-old season.
Rocak registered seven points (1G, 6A) through 24 games in his first season with Kelowna, he joined the team following the holiday break. The Czechia product was picked 43rd overall in the first round of the 2022 CHL Import Draft last July.
As was the case a year ago, Russian and Belarusian players will be ineligible for selection in the 2023 CHL Import Draft. For the 2023 CHL Import Draft, players who have been a resident in Russia or Belarus at any time over the past 24 months are ineligible to be drafted. The only exception is a Russian or Belarussian player who was previously drafted by a CHL club and subsequently deleted on or before the cut-down date in 2023.
The Rockets have drafted 39 import players since 1992. Here is a breakdown of those picks:
| Draft Picks by Country: |
| Czechia: 15 |
| 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: 8 |
| 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 2023 CHL Import Draft
| 1-1 | Erie | 1-31 | Peterborough | 2-61 | Niagara | 2-91 | Peterborough |
| 1-2 | Acadie-Bathurst | 1-32 | Chicoutimi | 2-62 | Acadie-Bathurst | 2-92 | Chicoutimi |
| 1-3 | Edmonton | 1-33 | Calgary | 2-63 | Edmonton | 2-93 | Calgary |
| 1-4 | Niagara | 1-34 | Guelph | 2-64 | Erie | 2-94 | Guelph |
| 1-5 | Val-d’Or | 1-35 | Moncton | 2-65 | Val-d’Or | 2-95 | Moncton |
| 1-6 | Spokane | 1-36 | Regina | 2-66 | Spokane | 2-96 | Regina |
| 1-7 | Sault Ste. Marie | 1-37 | Flint | 2-67 | Sault Ste. Marie | 2-97 | Flint |
| 1-8 | Blainville-Boisbriand | 1-38 | Rouyn-Noranda | 2-68 | Blainville-Boisbriand | 2-98 | Rouyn-Noranda |
| 1-9 | Victoria | 1-39 | Tri-City | 2-69 | Victoria | 2-99 | Tri-City |
| 1-10 | Kingston | 1-40 | Saginaw | 2-70 | Kingston | 2-100 | Saginaw |
| 1-11 | Saint John | 1-41 | Victoriaville | 2-71 | Saint John | 2-101 | Victoriaville |
| 1-12 | Kelowna | 1-42 | Lethbridge | 2-72 | 2-102 | Lethbridge | |
| 1-13 | Oshawa | 1-43 | Sarnia | 2-73 | Oshawa | 2-103 | Sarnia |
| 1-14 | Charlottetown | 1-44 | Gatineau | 2-74 | Charlottetown | 2-104 | Gatineau |
| 1-15 | Prince Albert | 1-45 | Prince George | 2-75 | Prince Albert | 2-105 | Prince George |
| 1-16 | Mississauga | 1-46 | London | 2-76 | Mississauga | 2-106 | London |
| 1-17 | Drummondville | 1-47 | Sherbrooke | 2-77 | Drummondville | 2-107 | Sherbrooke |
| 1-18 | Brandon | 1-48 | Moose Jaw | 2-78 | Brandon | 2-108 | Moose Jaw |
| 1-19 | Brantford | 1-49 | Barrie | 2-79 | Brantford | 2-109 | Barrie |
| 1-20 | Shawinigan | 1-50 | Halifax | 2-80 | Shawinigan | 2-110 | Halifax |
| 1-21 | Vancouver | 1-51 | Portland | 2-81 | Vancouver | 2-111 | Portland |
| 1-22 | Sudbury | 1-52 | Windsor | 2-82 | Sudbury | 2-112 | Windsor |
| 1-23 | Cape Breton | 1-53 | Quebec | 2-83 | Cape Breton | 2-113 | Quebec |
| 1-24 | Swift Current | 1-54 | Red Deer | 2-84 | Swift Current | 2-114 | Red Deer |
| 1-25 | Kitchener | 1-55 | North Bay | 2-85 | Kitchener | 2-115 | North Bay |
| 1-26 | Baie-Comeau | 1-56 | Saskatoon | 2-86 | Baie-Comeau | 2-116 | Saskatoon |
| 1-27 | Medicine Hat | 1-57 | Ottawa | 2-87 | Medicine Hat | 2-117 | Ottawa |
| 1-28 | Owen Sound | 1-58 | Kamloops | 2-88 | Owen Sound | 2-118 | Kamloops |
| 1-29 | Rimouski | 1-59 | Seattle | 2-89 | Rimouski | 2-119 | Seattle |
| 1-30 | Everett | 1-60 | Winnipeg | 2-90 | Everett | 2-120 | Winnipeg |
