The newest Raiders defenceman Norwin Panocha skates with the puck during a game against Norway at this past year's World Junior tournament in Sweden. (Matt Zambonin/IIHF)

By Logan Lehmann

Import Draft

Raiders pick up NHL prospect Panocha in CHL Import Draft

Jul 4, 2024 | 1:00 PM

The Prince Albert Raiders used one of their two selections in the 2024 CHL Import Draft on Wednesday, adding some more size to the blueline.

The Raiders had picks number 26 and 86 in the draft and used their first-round selection to take defenceman Norwin Panocha from Bayreuth, Germany. The club did not use their second-round pick.

Standing at 6’2 and 192 pounds, Panocha spent this past season in the QMJHL suiting up for the Chicoutimi Sagueneens, netting 15 assists along with 28 PIMs in 56 games. He was also drafted in the first round of last year’s CHL Import Draft, going 32nd overall to Chicoutimi.

Additionally, Panocha is an NHL drafted player and was selected by the Buffalo Sabres in 2023, going 205th overall in the seventh round. He is currently one of 29 players attending Sabres development camp this week, which wraps up on Thursday.

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“We had the opportunity to take a player who has the experience of playing in the CHL,” said Raiders General Manager Curtis Hunt in a release following the draft.

“We talked to the Buffalo Sabres about him and where they project him. He’s a big, long player, he moves extremely well. With the national teams in Germany, he’s played in every situation. We think he’s a guy that can come in and provide good competition, but support some of our younger defencemen as well and give us really good depth.”

He also suited up for Germany at the IIHF World Junior Championship earlier this year too, scoring a goal in five appearances.

Panocha is the first German-born player the Raiders have drafted since they took Dominik Bokk in 2017.

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loganc.lehmann@pattisonmedia.com