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A Czech running mate for Connolly |
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Written by
Jim Swanson, Citizen Sports Editor
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Wednesday, 01 July 2009 |
Cougars select 17-year-old in import draft
If all goes according to plan, the Prince George Cougars figure they have themselves a Czech running mate for Brett Connolly.
And not just for one year, but for as many as three to come.
The Cougars used the 11th overall selection on Tuesday, an early pick in the Canadian Hockey League import draft, to secure the rights of left-winger Jaroslav Vlach of the Czech Republic.
The six-foot-three, 205-pounder is a 1992-born player, which makes him a 17-year-old for the coming season -- the same age as Connolly, who is coming off a 30-goal season that saw him earn WHL and CHL top rookie honours.
Both Vlach and Connolly will be watched closely heading to next summer's draft.
"This is one of the first times we didn't have to pick two players (in the import draft)," said Cougars general manager Dallas Thompson.
"It'd be nice to get into a rotation, so we went with a younger guy. We're trying very hard to build around that 1992 age group. He's a big guy who is supposed to skate well and compete, and likes to use his size to advantage. From what we've gotten from talking to his agent (Craig Oster of Newport Sports Management) and some NHL guys, he should be able to grow into a guy who can play in our top six forwards, and maybe even on the top line."
Vlach (pronounced vuh-LATCH) has been a member of under-16 and under-17 national teams, seeing action in nine international games. He had 43 points, including 15 goals, in 24 games for the HC Liberec White Tigers midget team, and another four goals and seven points in 13 games for that program's junior club.
Thompson said there are no concerns about Vlach's ability to report and join a roster that already includes Slovakian star Marek Viedensky, who was drafted by the San Jose Sharks last weekend.
The question now lies ahead -- what happens if German centre Jerome Flaake, a Toronto Maple Leafs draft choice taken last summer, decides to report? Flaake, who played in last winter's world junior tournament, has yet to get his release, and WHL teams are limited to two European players.
"There's no urgency there. We're going to continue to try and pursue him, and it's still up in the air if we'll get him or not," said Thompson, adding that Vlach and Viedensky will likely be flown over on the same flights in late August.
"We'll continue. We have two Europeans now. (Vlach) will come over and will report, and someday if we
have three and have to make a decision, we'll be OK with that. The paperwork is already in on Vlach, and we don't think there will be any problems there."
Vlach also speaks enough English to be comfortable from the day he arrives, said Thompson.
Thompson said he came close to trading the 11th overall choice, but the offers weren't high enough. The Cougars did swap their second-round spot with Tri-City, allowing the Americans to move up, and the Cougars then passed on making a second selection. The Cougars own an additional 13th-round bantam pick in 2010 for that exchange.
The Saint John Sea Dogs of the QMJHL made Stanislav Galiev, a Russian who played for Indiana of the USHL last season, the top overall pick, while the Portland Winterhawks chose Swiss forward Nino Niederreiter, with the second pick.
n The Lethbridge Hurricanes named former NHL player and assistant coach Rich Preston the head coach and GM on Tuesday. Preston takes the spots opened up when the embattled board of the community-owned team fired GM Roy Stasiuk just days after Stasiuk had fired Mike Dyck.
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 01 July 2009 )
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