With the 18th overall pick in the first round of the 2023 CHL Import Draft the Brandon Wheat Kings selected 18-year-old Dominik Petr from Ostrava, Czechia.
The 6’2”, 165-pound Center was an assistant captain with Team Czechia at last year’s U18 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, scoring two goals and two assists in five games played. Petr played 22 games with the U18 national team throughout the season, registering 7 goals and 10 assists for 17 points.
“We view Dominik as a very solid two-way forward that can help us on both sides of the puck,” said Wheat Kings General Manager Marty Murray. “He’s a 200-foot-player with a good frame that we felt has the tools to produce at the WHL level.”
With his club team Lukko, in the U18 Finish Elite League, Petr recorded 9 points in 8 games played, while leading his team in scoring with 4 goals in 6 playoff games.
Dominik comes from hockey bloodlines, as his father Jakub Petr has coached over fifteen seasons of junior hockey in Czechia. He has been the Head Coach of the Czechia World Junior team and most recently coached Petr at the Hlinka Gretzy Cup in Red Deer, Alberta last August.
The Wheat Kings have had success recruiting Czech born players with previous Import Draft picks Daniel Bukac (2016), Richard Nejezchleb (2012), Jakub Sindel (2004), Jiri Jakes (2000), Jan Fadrny (1998) and Ladislav Kohn (1993) all reporting to Brandon.
The Wheat Kings elected to pass with the 78th overall selection in the second round, as the club returns Russian Defenseman Andrei Malyavin (2022-1st Round Import Pick). Malyavin was second on the team in Defencemen scoring with 27 points in 59 games played last season.
CHL clubs are eligible to have two import players on the teams active roster. 20-year-old forward Zakhar Polshakov has been waived by the club to make room for today’s selection.
(Article courtesy of the Brandon Wheat Kings)
