The Barrie Colts continue to bolster their offensive attack, this time grabbing two talented European forwards in the 2023 CHL Import Draft held Wednesday morning (July 5).
With six teams passing before them in the first round, the Colts were able to select with the 49th pick highly-touted right-winger Michael Brandsegg-Nygard.
Brandsegg-Nygard, who hails from Norway and played with Mora IK J20 in Sweden, had 17 goals and 21 assists in 35 games last season.
It’s expected the six-foot-one, 194-pound forward will stay in Europe this upcoming season before he’s expected to be a top pick in next year’s NHL draft.
“(He’s) a first-round pick in next year’s NHL draft and we will try to get him this year, but if not really go after him next summer like with did with (recent import pick Eduard Sale),” said Colts Director of Player Personnel Mark Seidel.
The Colts used their second-round selection to take Swiss right winger Endo Meier. The five-foot-11, 170-pound forward hails from Zürich, Switzerland and had 17 goals and 22 assists in 46 games playing with GCK Lions U20 in the Swiss League.
Meier is expected to join the Colts at training camp this year.
“Meier is a kid that will come over,” said Seidel. “He moves well. A great kid and right winger.”
The two imports join Sale, who was taken 20th overall by the Seattle Kraken in last week’s NHL draft, and overage import Artur Cholach in the Colts organization.
The Erie Otters held the first pick overall in this year’s import draft and selected Chicago Blackhawks prospect Martin Misiak.
The six-foot-two, 200-pound native of Slovakia was drafted 55th overall by the Blackhawks last week after helping the USHL’s Youngstown Phantoms win the Clark Cup after recording six goals and 11 assists in 27 games.
A total of 28 players from 11 different countries were drafted by OHL teams in this year’s draft. In total, 14 defencemen were taken, 12 forwards and two goaltenders.
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