67’s revamp look in goal with pick from Europe

Also from today's Ottawa Citizen


The Canadian Hockey League’s annual import draft resulted in a new look in goal for the Ottawa 67’s.

On Tuesday, the 67’s shipped 20year-old netminder Adam Courchaine to Sarnia in exchange for the Sting’s first pick in the two-round draft of European players. With it, Ottawa flopped places with the Erie Otters, moving up from the 36th selection to No. 30, where it chose Czech goaltender Peter Mrazek.

Courchaine, from Kanata, is already signed by the NHL’s Boston Bruins and is unlikely to return to junior for an overage season. If he doesn’t suit up for an Ontario Hockey League game with the Sting, Sarnia will also receive a fifth-round draft pick from the 67’s.

Mrazek, 17, spent last season with Czech club HC Vitkovice Steel.

“Adam has already signed a contract, and we knew that we’d need a goalie,” 67’s general manager Brian Kilrea said. “(Mrazek) was recommended to us and Chris (Byrne, the 67’s coach) had talked to his agent, and he had said he wanted to come over.”

The 5-10, 170-pounder is expected to begin the season in Ottawa as the backup to Chris Perugini.

The 67’s also took Finnish leftwinger Matias Sointu with the 48th pick. The 5-10, 180-pound Sointu, 18, from Ilves SM Lugu, was a seventhround selection of the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 2008 NHL draft. “He decided he wanted to come over and get the exposure,” Kilrea said.

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Looks like a couple of new faces at camp this year.