The Canadian Hockey League held its annual import draft on Friday. The Kelowna Rockets left with a new player.
Selecting 43dr Overall, Kelowna chose 17-year-old Marek Rocak, a 5-foot-10, 168-pound defenseman from Czechia (Czech Republic).
The defender spent last season in an Under-20 league, where he had 10 points (4 goals, 6 assists) in 33 games for HC Ocelari Trinec. Born in 2005, Rocak is not eligible to be drafted until 2023.
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All CHL teams have the option to select two players. However, teams are limited to two imported players, and Kelowna will have one returning from last season.
With 18-year-old center Gabriel Szturc returning to Kelowna for a second season, the Rockets opted not to use their second pick.
Last season, the 5-foot-10 Szturc recorded 16 goals and 41 points in 67 games with the Rockets. And at the end of June, Szturc was invited to the Czechia selection camp for the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championships.
Szturc was selected 44th overall by Kelowna in the CHL 2021 import draft.
Kelowna’s other import, Pavel Novak, will step away from hockey following a cancer diagnosis.
In a statement released to the media last week, Novak said, “Unfortunately, my state of health does not allow me to prepare for the upcoming season. I was diagnosed with an oncological disease a few days ago and I will start treatment soon.”
He went on to say “the next few months will not be easy for me but I firmly believe that everything will turn out well and soon I will fly on the ice again with joy and passion! I will come back stronger!”
Novak was selected in the fifth round, 146th overall, by the Minnesota Wild in the NHL entry draft.
In all, 64 players were selected in Friday’s import draft.
Selecting first overall were the Medicine Hat Tigers, who took on center Adam Sykora of Slovakia 5-10.
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