Busy CHL Import Draft for QMJHL teams

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

As expected, the Saint John Sea Dogs did not select in Wednesday's CHL Import Draft.

The Sea Dogs, who held the 11th overall pick in the CHL-wide draft, were the first team to pass on their selection. Only four teams in the first 40 picks did not select — and, oddly, all four were QMJHL teams (Saint John, Drummondville, Baie-Comeau and Rouyn-Noranda).

Saint John also entered the draft with the 71st overall pick.

This is the first time the Sea Dogs have passed on a pick since 2019 and the first time they've passed on both since 2011. Only two other times in team history — 2008 and 2011 — has Saint John not made a selection at all.

Forwards Pavel Simek and Eriks Mateiko will both return for second seasons with the Sea Dogs and makeup the squad's import duo. Both are coming off solid rookie campaigns after being selected in last year's CHL Import Draft.

While it was a quiet day for Saint John, it was a busy day for a number of other QMJHL teams. Here are a few notes from the draft.

• Slovakian forward Martin Misiak was taken first overall by the OHL's Erie Otters. Misiak joined the USHL champion Youngstown Phantoms (roughly 90 minutes away from Erie) after the world juniors and went on to be selected in the second round of the NHL Draft by the Chicago Blackhawks. Notably, he was taken second overall by the Saginaw Spirit in last year's CHL Import Draft.
• With the second overall pick, the Acadie-Bathurst Titan picked Slovakian forward Juraj Pekarcik, a third round selection of the St. Louis Blues in last week's NHL Draft.
• The Moncton Wildcats used both of their picks on Wednesday, taking Czech defenseman Ales Zielinski and Czech forward Sebastian Glas. Moncton also signed German forward Julius Sumpf this week — who does not count as an import as he is also a Canadian citizen.
• The Halifax Mooseheads made one pick, selecting Swiss forward Yannik Ponzetto. The Mooseheads confirmed that Czech defenceman David Moravec will return to the club while captain Attilio Biasca will play professionally in Switzerland next season.
• German defenseman Norwin Panocha, a seventh round pick of the Buffalo Sabres last week, was picked by the Chicoutimi Sagueneens 32nd overall.
• With the 37th overall pick, the OHL's Flint Firebirds selected Swedish forward Markas Samenas, who spent last season with the Titan.
• In the second round, the Titan drafted soon-to-turn-19-years-old goaltender Antoine Keller, who was a seventh round pick of the Washington Capitals in last week's NHL Draft. Keller, who is a French and Swiss citizen, played in Switzerland last season but was also a member of France's national junior team.
• The OHL's Brantford Bulldogs (formerly known as the Hamilton Bulldogs), selected Czech defenseman Adam Jiricek, a top prospect for the 2024 NHL Draft and the younger brother of Columbus Blue Jackets prospect David Jiricek.
• The WHL's Wenatchee Wild (formerly known as the Winnipeg Ice), selected Japanese forward Kenta Isogai with the final pick of the first round. Isogai, who will turn 19 in August, has spent the past three seasons with the USHL's Youngstown Phantoms.
• Kristers Ansons, the younger brother of former Sea Dogs forward Raivis Ansons, was taken in the second round by the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada.
• Alex Cajkovic, the younger brother of former Sea Dogs forward Maxim Cajkovic, was taken in the second round by the OHL's North Bay Battalion.
• Only one Russian was taken: forward Valentin Zhugin was picked by the OHL's Saginaw Spirit. Zhugin was eligible for the draft because he has spent the past two seasons with the OHL's Guelph Storm.
• Ukrainian forward Ihnat Pazii, who has spent the past couple seasons in the United States, was taken 55th overall by North Bay.
• 28 of the 75 players picked on Wednesday were from Czechia.