ICE, Wheat Kings Bolster Rosters in CHL Import Draft

The Winnipeg Ice had the 4^thand 64^thoverall selections, while the Brandon Wheat Kings selected 22^ndand 82^ndrespectively. The order of selection for the two-round draft rotated between the CHL’s three leagues, using an inverse order of final regular season standings from last year.  

With their first pick, the Ice selected 6’3, 187-pound forward Michal Teply (2001) with the fourth overall pick. The 18-year-old from Havlickuv Brod, CZE played 23 games for HC Benatky nad Jizerou in Czech2 during the 2018-2019 regular season, scoring four goals and 10 points. 

Teply, chosen in the fourth round, 105^thoverall by the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2019 NHL draft, also represented his country at the 2019 IIHF U18 World Championship this past April, compiling three assists in five tournament games.  

The Wheat Kings added a pair of players to their roster who were taken in the 2019 NHL draft last week.  With the 22^ndoverall pick, Brandon chose Finnish forward Marcus Kallionkieli.  The 6’2, 195 pounder from Helsinki played for the USHL’s Sioux City Muskateers this past season, firing home 29 goals and finishing with 83 points in 58 games and was ultimately named to the USHL’s All Rookie All Star Team.  The 18-year-old was chosen 139^thoverall by the Vegas Golden Knights in the 2019 NHL entry draft last week.  

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With their second pick, Brandon stayed in the USHL, selecting Russian left-winger Vladislav Firstov 82^ndoverall. Firstov was taken in the second round, 48^thoverall by the Minnesota Wild in the 2019 NHL entry draft.  The 18-year-old scored 26 goals and finished with 58 points with the Waterloo Black Hawks last season.  The 6’1, 181-pounder has committed to play the 2019-20 season in the NCAA with the University of Connecticut.