Tigers select Latvian defenceman, Czechian forward in CHL import draft
By James Tubb on July 5, 2023.
The Medicine Hat Tigers selected players on both sides of the puck in Wednesday’s CHL Import Draft. With the 27th and 87th picks in the 2023 Import Draft, the Tigers took Latvian defenceman Bruno Petrovics and Czechian forward Vasyl Spilka. The 17-year-old 6-foot-1 Petrovics had three goals and 12 points in 35 games at the U18 level this season playing for Sports U18 in Finland. He also played five games for Latvia at the U18 World Championships. Spilka, a 6-foot-2 17-year-old, played at both the U17 and U20 level this season with the Liberec HV Bili Jr. B Program. At U17 he had 21 goals and 45 points in 21 games and at U20 he had six goals and 19 points in 25 games. The Tigers still maintain the rights to Latvian defenceman Bogdans Hodass, who has suited up for two seasons in the orange and black since being drafted 71st overall in the 2021 Import Draft. Hodass his 20-year-old season in the WHL and is considered an overager, giving the Tigers the ability to select two more import players. See Thursday’s Medicine Hat News for a full story on Wednesday’s draft for the Tigers. 7-6
