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The Kelowna Rockets strengthened their backend during this morning’s CHL Import Draft.
Bruce Hamilton and company selected Czech defenseman Michael Krutil with the 24th-overall pick in the draft, although it was the 20th selection of the day after four teams ahead of Kelowna passed.
With the 24th-overall selection in the 2020 #CHLImportDraft, the @Kelowna_Rockets select 🇨🇿 defenceman Michael Krutil! pic.twitter.com/wyfYEmwleh
— The WHL (@TheWHL) June 30, 2020
The 18-year-old has played just 70 games over the last two seasons due to injuries, but he’s ranked 27th out of European skater for the 2020 NHL Entry Draft and could be a late-round selection.
“Krutil is a two-way defenseman that I see developing into more of a defensive defenseman as he progresses in coming seasons,” reads Krutil’s DobberProspects scouting report.
“He is a solid skater, who is really smooth in his own zone and can skate out of trouble if necessary. Those troubles do not happen very often as he is the type of player who rather goes the safe route instead of playing a more risky defensive game.”
The 6’3”, 202 lbs blueliner played at multiple levels in the Czech league this year and even managed to get into one contest with HC Sparta Praha in the top men’s league.
He recently participated in the Czech Republic’s U20 summer training camp alongside Pavel Novak.
It’s expected that Krutil will report to Kelowna in the fall and play for the Rockets next season.
Jonas Peterek, who the Rockets acquired from the Calgary Hitmen at the trade deadline and released last week to make room for Krutil, was scooped back up by Calgary in today’s draft with the 36th overall pick.
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