Western Hockey League clubs selected 26 players as the 2012 CHL Import Draft was held on Wednesday, June 27^th.

The two-round draft took place online with the order of selection rotating through each of the CHL’s three leagues using an inverse order of final regular season standings from the 2011-12 season.  Each team in the CHL is permitted to carry two European import players each season who are selected annually through the CHL Import Draft. 

The Prince Albert Raiders were the first WHL team to pick, selecting 17-year-old forward Leon Draisaitl from Cologne, Germany, with the second overall pick.

Draisaitl, a native of Cologne, Germany, recorded 21 goals and 35 assists for 56 points in 35 games last season for Jungadler Mannheim Under-18. In 2010-2011, left-shooting Draisaitl amassed 97 goals and 95 assists for 192 points in 29 games for his Mannheimer Under-16 team.

The 6’2”, 198-pound forward has international experience, scoring 7 points in 6 games as an underage player at the 2012 World Under-18 Championships this spring. The 16-year-old also played for his country at the 2012 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, scoring 5 points in 5 games.

The Prince George Cougars used the fifth overall selection to grab 18-year-old goaltender Joonas Korpisalo from Pori, Finland.

Korpisalo is 6’2”, 172 pounds and was a third round selection (62^nd overall) of the Columbus Blue Jackets in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft.

With the eighth overall pick, the Seattle Thunderbirds chose 18-year-old winger Alexander Delnov of Moscow, Russia.  Delnov was a fourth-round pick, 114^th overall, by the Florida Panthers in the 2012 NHL Draft.

All but three WHL clubs selected at least one player in the 2012 CHL Import Draft.  The Kamloops Blazers, Saskatoon Blades and Tri-City Americans all elected to pass on their Import Draft selections.

2012 CHL Import Draft Results

ROUND 1 (Pick #; WHL Club; Name; Pos; Birthplace; DOB)

2. Prince Albert Raiders; Leon Draisaitl; LW; Cologne, GER; October, 27, 1995
5. Prince George Cougars; Joonas Korpisalo; G; Pori, FIN; April 28, 1994
8. Seattle Thunderbirds; Alexander Delnov; LW; Moscow, RUS; January 14, 1994
11. Everett Silvertips; Mirco Muller; D; Switzerland; March 21, 1995
14. Victoria Royals; Patrik Polivka; G; Plzen, CZE; March 4, 1994
17. Lethbridge Hurricanes; Axel Blomqvist; RW; Osby, SWE; January 30, 1995
20. Swift Current Broncos; Eetu Laurikainen; G; Jyvaskyla, FIN; February 1, 1993
23. Red Deer Rebels; Jan Bittner; D; Czech Republic; January 1, 1993
26. Portland Winterhawks (from Kelowna); Oliver Bjorkstrand; LW; Herning, DEN; April 10, 1995
29. Kootenay Ice; Petr Vesely; LW; Czech Republic; March 10, 1994
32. Regina Pats; Emil Sylvegard; C; Malmo, SWE; March 22, 1993
35. Brandon Wheat Kings; Richard Nejezchleb; RW; Czech Republic; May 2, 1994
38. Edmonton Oil Kings (from Saskatoon); Edgars Kulda; LW; Belarus; November 13, 1994
41. Spokane Chiefs; Mikulas Rimmel; RW; Kremlin, CZE; September 21, 1995
44. Vancouver Giants; Ales Kilnar; LW; Ostrava, CZE; October 5, 1993
47. Medicine Hat Tigers; Marek Langhammer; G; Moravska Trebova, CZE; July 22, 1994
50. Calgary Hitmen; Pavlo Padakin; RW; Kiev, Ukraine; June 8, 1994
57. Portland Winterhawks; Kirill Vorobyov; D; Moscow, RUS; February 11, 1995
59. Kootenay Ice (from Tri-City); Jakub Prochazka; LW; Czech Republic; November 18, 1994
60. Seattle Thunderbirds (from Edmonton); Roberts Lipsbergs; Latvia; July 29, 1994

ROUND 2

62. Kelowna Rockets (from Prince Albert); Henrik Nyberg; LW; Stockholm, SWE; June 19, 1994
65. Prince George; Rinalds Rosinski; D; Latvia; August 14, 1994
71. Everett Silvertips; Stathis Soumelidis; C; Brno, CZE; January 17, 1994
74. Victoria Royals; Rasmus Bengtsson; D; Landskrona, SWE; May 14, 1993
77. Medicine Hat Tigers (from Lethbridge); Daniel Hansen; D; Denmark; January 19, 1995
86. Moose Jaw Warriors (from Kelowna); Nikita Zagradski; C; Russia; September 20, 1995

For the complete 2012 CHL Import Draft results, CLICK HERE