WHL Clubs select 32 players from 12 countries in 2021 CHL Import Draft

Calgary, Alta. –  The Western Hockey League announced today that 32 players have been selected from 12 different countries by WHL Clubs as the 2021 CHL Import Draft was completed.

The two-round draft took place online with the order of selection rotating through each of the CHL’s three leagues. All CHL Clubs are permitted to carry two import players on their roster each season.

The Everett Silvertips held the top selection of all WHL Clubs, using the second-overall pick to claim Finnish right winger Niko Huuhtanen of Tappara Tampere U20. The 6-foot-2, 204-pound forward registered 34 points (20G-14A0 in 37 games at the U20 level during the 2020-21 season. He also represented Finland at the 2021 IIHF U18 World Championship in Texas, recording five points (2G-3A) in seven appearances. The Finnish forward is ranked 49th overall among European skaters by NHL Central Scouting, and is expected to have his name called in the 2021 NHL Draft.

The Swift Current Broncos rounded out the top five of the 2021 CHL Import Draft by selecting left defenceman Rayan Bettahar of Germany in the fifth-overall slot. Bettahar represented his country at the 2021 IIHF U18 World Championship in Texas, skating in three contests.

The Vancouver Giants represented the final WHL Club to select in the top 10 of the 2021 CHL Import Draft, opting to choose Swedish goaltender Jesper Vikman with the eighth-overall pick. Vikman, a 6-foot-3, 179-pound netminder from Stockholm, is a prospect of the NHL’s Vegas Golden Knights, having been selected in the fifth round (125th overall) of the 2020 NHL Draft.

The 2021 CHL Import Draft saw WHL Clubs select five players listed in the final NHL Central Scouting International Skater rankings for the 2021 NHL Draft, including Huuhtanen (49th), Edmonton Oil Kings selection Jakub Demek (2003, Slovakia; 129th), Moose Jaw Warriors selection Robert Baco (2003, Slovakia; 66th), Tri-City Americans selection Petr Moravec (2003, Czech Republic; 82nd), and Winnipeg ICE selection Martin Bohm (2003, Czech Republic; 127th).

For the first time since 2008, a Italian was chosen in the CHL Import Draft, as the Seattle Thunderbirds selected right winger Alessandro Segafredo of Asiago, Italy with the 41st overall pick. The last Italian selected in the CHL Import Draft was left winger Marco Insam, who was taken in back-to-back CHL Import Drafts (2007 and 2008) by the Regina Pats and Niagara Ice Dogs, respectively.

Complete results from the 2021 CHL Import Draft are available at CHL.ca/draft.

2021 CHL Import Draft – WHL Selections

First Round

2. Everett Silvertips: Niko Huuhtanen (RW) – Finland – 6’2” / 204 lbs. – June 26, 2003
3. Swift Current Broncos: Rayan Bettahar (LD) – Germany – 6’1” / 194 lbs. – February 22, 2004
4. Vancouver Giants: Jesper Vikman (G) – Sweden – 6’3” / 179 lbs. – March 11, 2002
5. Lethbridge Hurricanes – Yegor Klavdiev (C) – Belarus – 5’11” / 173 lbs. – July 2, 2003
6. Red Deer Rebels – Frantisek Formanek (F) – Czech Republic – 5’7” / 171 lbs. – May 6, 2004
7. Spokane Chiefs – Timofei Kovgorenya (RD) – Belarus – 6’3” / 203 lbs. – February 13, 2003
8. Saskatoon Blades ­– Yegor Sidorov (RW) – Belarus – 5’10” / 154 lbs. – June 18, 2004
9. Prince George Cougars – Liekit Reichle (RW) – Switzerland – 6’1” / 172 lbs. – January 23, 2003
10. Portland Winterhawks – Marek Alscher (LD) – Czech Republic – 6’2” / 192 lbs. – April 7, 2004
11. Brandon Wheat Kings – Zakhar Polshakov (LW) – Belarus – 5’10” / 170 lbs. – September 18, 2003
12. Regina Pats – Joakim Kemell (RW) – Finland – 5’11” / 161 lbs. – April 27, 2004
13. Calgary Hitmen – Maxim Muranov (F) – Russia – 6’0” / 146 lbs. – June 2, 2004
14. Kamloops Blazers – Roman Makarov (F) – Russia – 6’5” / 214 lbs. – January 29, 2004
15. Seattle Thunderbirds – Alessandro Segafredo (RW) – Italy – 6’1” / 176 lbs. – September 15, 2004
16. Kelowna Rockets – Gabriel Szturc (C) – Czech Republic – 5’11” / 181 lbs. – September 24, 2003
17. Edmonton Oil Kings – Jakub Demek (C) – Slovakia – 6’4” / 196 lbs. – June 6, 2003
18. Moose Jaw Warriors – Robert Baco (RW) – Slovakia – 6’3” / 210 lbs. – February 5, 2003
19. Prince Albert Raiders – Tikhon Chayka (G) – Belarus – 6’0” / 154 lbs. – August 26, 2003
20. Medicine Hat Tigers – Gleb Ivanov (LD) – Russia – 5’10” / 172 lbs. – February 6, 2003
21. Tri-City Americans – Petr Moravec (C) – Czech Republic – 6’0” / 181 lbs. – February 24, 2003
22. Winnipeg ICE – Martin Bohm (LD) – Czech Republic – 5’10” / 176 lbs. – February 8, 2003
23. Victoria Royals – Sebastian Wraneschitz (G) – Austria – 5’10” / 165 lbs. – March 6, 2003

Second Round

65. Winnipeg ICE – Maximilian Streule (LD) – Switzerland – 5’11” / 172 lbs. – October 28, 2003
66. Medicine Hat Tigers – Bogdans Hodass (LD) – Latvia – 6’3” / 194 lbs. – April 13, 2003
67. Seattle Thunderbirds – Leon Okonkwo Prada (RD) – Netherlands – 6’1” / 205 lbs. – July 7, 2003
68. Calgary Hitmen – Anton Astashevich (F) – Belarus – 5’10” / 137 lbs. – March 27, 2004
69. Regina Pats – Alexander Suzdalev (LW) – Sweden – 5’7” / 126 lbs. – March 5, 2004
70. Prince George Cougars – Jozef Viliam Kmec (D) – Slovakia – 6’3” / 198 lbs. – January 2, 2004
71. Saskatoon Blades – Moritz Elias (LW) – Germany – 5’7” / 161 lbs. – March 10, 2004
72. Spokane Chiefs – Yannick Proske (C) – Germany – 6’0” / 174 lbs. – June 10, 2003
73. Lethbridge Hurricanes – Peter Repcik (C) – Slovakia – 5’11” / 163 lbs. – January 9, 2004
74. Swift Current Broncos – Alexei Shanaurin (F) – Russia – 6’0” / 179 lbs. – July 23, 2004

WHL Selections by Country

Belarus – 6
Czech Republic – 5
Russia – 4
Slovakia – 4
Germany – 3
Finland – 2
Sweden – 2
Switzerland – 2
Austria – 1
Italy – 1
Latvia – 1
Netherlands – 1

About the Western Hockey League
Regarded as the world’s finest development league for junior hockey players, the Western Hockey League (WHL) head office is based in Calgary, Alberta. The WHL consists of 22 member Clubs with 17 located in Western Canada and five in the U.S. Pacific Northwest. A member of the Canadian Hockey League, the WHL has been a leading supplier of talent for the National Hockey League for over 50 years. The WHL is also the leading provider of hockey scholarships with over 375 graduates each year receiving WHL Scholarships to pursue a post-secondary education of their choice. Each season, WHL players also form the nucleus of Canada’s National Junior Hockey Team.