Silvertips draft Russian Pick risky since few Soviets opt to play in WHL
Published 11:52 pm Wednesday, June 27, 2007
EVERETT – The Everett Silvertips plunged into the unknown Wednesday.
Everett ventured into uncharted territory during Wednesday’s Canadian Hockey League import draft, dipping into Russia to select center Vitali Karamnov with its first-round pick.
In the past, all of Everett’s European players have been from either the Czech Republic or Slovakia. Karamnov, the 60th and final pick of the first round, is the first Russian the Tips have selected, a fact that comes with its own set of risks.
“(The risks) are what come from picking 60th,” Everett general manager Doug Soetaert said. “You see what’s available and try and take the best available player. Picking 60th we’re just happy getting somebody who can help.”
Karamnov, the son of the former NHL player with the same name, is capable of being that player. The 1989-born Karamnov, who measures in at 6-feet, 1-inch and 180 pounds, registered 27 goals and 26 assists in 50 games for Dynamo, Moscow’s youth team last season. He also appeared in two games for the senior team without scoring.
Karamnov then captained Russia at the U-18 World Championships in April in Finland, tallying three assists in seven games to help the Russians win the gold medal.
“He’s a pretty decent player,” Soetaert said. “He’s a solid two-way centerman who’s good offensively, but very responsible defensively, too. That’s something you don’t find that often with European players.”
The question is whether Karamnov ever will bring those abilities to Everett. Russians are a rare sight in the CHL. Russia has a strong tradition in hockey and young players are usually developed through the country’s own youth system. Only one other Russian was selected in the entire draft, and last year just two Russians – Red Deer left wing Kirill Starkov and Tri-City defenseman Roman Teslyuk – played in the WHL.
Then there’s the conflict between the Russian Hockey Federation and the IIHF, hockey’s international governing body. Russia currently has no transfer agreement with the IIHF, meaning Russian clubs are not obligated to release their players to North America. That fear was a big reason why only nine Russians were taken in this year’s NHL draft. Karamnov, who was rated the 19th-best European skater in the NHL Central Scouting Bureau’s final rankings, was among those who went unselected in the NHL draft.
However, Soetaert sounded confident about getting Karamnov out of Russia, provided Karamnov decides he wants to come to Everett.
“He has no contract signed with anybody, as I understand, so that makes him open to coming over without any snags,” Soetaert said.
“I talked to his agent and his family is happy and the boy is happy,” Soetaert added. “He wants to come over and play in North America and we’ve already started communication with the Russian Federation. I’m pretty sure he’s going to come, but like all Euros you have to wait until you see the whites of their eyes.”
The elder Karamnov, a left wing, played 92 games in three seasons with the St. Louis Blues between 1992-95, compiling 12 goals, 20 assists and 65 penalty minutes.
