By Jeff D'Andrea

Raiders take defenceman at Import Draft; peek at depth chart

Jun 30, 2015 | 1:38 PM

For the third season in a row, the Prince Albert Raiders have supplemented their team with Czech talent.

The Raiders selected Vojtech Budik 17^th overall in the CHL Import Draft on Tuesday, who will join fellow Czech Simon Stransky as the two imports on the Raiders roster for next season. In 2013, the Raiders drafted Czech defenceman Tomas Andrlik.

Budik, listed at 6’, 190 pounds and is being billed as a skilled, left-shooting defenceman who the Raiders believe can quarterback the power play after time to adjust at the North American style of play. 

“He’s a guy we targeted here. He’s a young defenceman that we thought could be a guy that could step in one day and run our power play and be an offensive player for us from the backline,” said Dale Derkatch, Raiders director of player personnel. “I think we did that by grabbing Vojtech. He’s a guy that plays the power play with good poise and patience. He has a good low shot and above average hands and hockey sense.

“A big thing with this player is he’s a very good skater, he’s very agile and it looks like we have a guy that makes good decisions.”

Vise grip driver

Vise grips not a steering wheel: RCMP

12h ago

Patient supports

'Misuse' of free parking passes attributed to cancellation: SHA

14h ago

Golf season approaching

Local golf courses target opening days following late season snowfall

Apr 20, 2024

One of the biggest questions when drafting a European is whether or not he’ll report. The Raiders are confident that Budik will and fit in to the Raiders organization.

“We’ve done our homework on that. He doesn’t have a nail-down agent at the time although he has a gentleman who was kind of serving as an agent so we dealt with him. He’s certain the player will be excited to come and we will have him in P.A.,” said Derkatch. “We may have to do a little chatting with him, but that’s normal.

“We put in a lot of work in the last two months to pick a good player so we just felt we may as well put in a little more time to recruit the player if need be instead of going down the list a few spots to take a player that’s not as good. But we’re happy.”

Raiders temporary depth chart

With Budik on the back line, that opens the door for the Raiders to keep two overage forwards in Jordan Tkatch and Craig Leverton along with blueliner Jesse Lees.

The Raiders also have 20-year-old defencemen Mackenze Stewart and Hunter Warner, who have both signed contracts with the Vancouver Canucks and Minnesota Wild. Warner missed most of last season to go through shoulder surgery.

Here’s how the Raiders depth chart is looking like at the moment. This list includes players that have already signed with the team and that are also eligible to play with the Raiders next season.

Goaltenders

G, Nick McBride, 97, 6’3.5, 180

G, Rylan Parenteau, 96, 6’1, 188

G, Ian Scott, 99, 6’2, 157

G, Curtis Meger, 98, 6’, 161

Defencemen

LD, Brendan Guhle, 97, 6’2, 186                 RD, Jesse Lees, 95, 5’11, 182

LD, Brennan Riddle, 97, 6’2, 180                 RD, Dalton Yorke, 96 6’2, 210

LD, Vojtech Budik, 98, 6’, 190                    RD, Hunter Warner, 95, 6’3, 205

LD, Mackenze Stewart, 95, 6’4, 216            LD, Ben Verrall, 96, 6’2, 190

LD, Cody Thompson, 99, 6’3, 185               

LD, Cody Paivarinta, 98, 6’5, 185

Forwards

LW Simon Stransky, 97, 5’11, 170     C Jordan Tkatch, 95, 5’11, 197              RW Reid Gardiner, 96, 5’11, 188

LW Craig Leverton, 95, 5’10, 195      C Matteo Gennaro , ’97 6’2, 184           RW/C Austin Glover, 96, 6’2, 184

LW Darcy Zaharichuk, 96, 6’, 181     C Sean Montgomery, 98, 5’10, 165      RW Tim Vanstone, 96, 6’, 205

LW Luke Coleman, 98, 6’1, 192        C Dylan Stewart, 97, 6’1, 188              RW Josh Maser, 99, 6’, 185

LW Dylan Williamson, 98, 6’2, 178                                                            RW Dane Schioler, 96, 6’1, 185

*Overagers italicized*

There are still some decisions to be made, holding onto Tkatch and Leverton would make the most sense, especially with the lack of signed forwards eligible for next season.

In the 2015 WHL Bantam Draft, the Raiders picked three forwards with their first three draft choices, selecting Cody Fonstad fifth overall, Carson Miller 20^th overall and Spencer Moe 27^th overall. Fonstad and Miller have already been signed to WHL Standard Contracts by the Raiders.

jdandrea@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @jeff_dandrea