Giants Select Czech Left Winger
The Vancouver Giants Hockey Club had the 44th overall pick in today’s Canadian Hockey League Import Draft, and used it to select left winger
Ales Kilnar from Ostrava, Czech Republic.
Kilnar will turn 19 on October 5th (born in 1993), and will be eligible for the 2013 NHL Draft after going unselected in this year’s edition. Listed at 6’0” and 185 lbs, he played last season for Vitkovice Ostrave of the Czech Junior League and registered 28 goals, 23 assists and 107 PIM in 39 games.
“We are excited to have Ales join our team, and look for him to add skill and depth up front”, says Giants Executive VP and General Manager Scott Bonner. “We were told by former NHL & WHL alumni Vladimir Vujtek that Kilnar will suit the North American game extremely well and should be a great fit in a Vancouver Giants uniform.”
The Giants’ other import roster spot is taken by Marek Tvrdon, who in his second season with the Giants posted 31 goals and 43 assists in 60 regular season games. The Slovakian left winger then added 3 goals and 3 assists in 6 playoff games. Tvrdon was drafted by the Detroit Red Wings in the 4th Round, 115th overall, of the 2011 NHL Draft.
Canadian Hockey League teams can have a maximum of two import players on their active roster.