2012 NHL Draft Selections' Strong Beginning to the 2012-13 Season

With the exception of three second round picks (Nic Kerdiles---Anaheim, # 36 overall; Brian
Hart--Tampa Bay, #53 overall; and Jordan Martinook--Phoenix, # 58 overall), all of the 2012
first and second round selections have seen action early in the 2012-13 season. Had there not
been an NHL lockout, several of these players would be skating for NHL teams, but, at this time,

of the 60 players selected in the first two rounds, 31 are currently playing in the CHL, 14 on
college teams, 9 are in Europe, and 6 are skating for AHL teams.

Several players in each of the CHL, Europe, the NCAA and AHL have quickly jumped out of the
gate. Of particular interest are the players mentioned below. All stats include games through the
October 22, 2012.

September 21, 2012, Chicoutimi Saguenéens vs. Québec Remparts (Regular Season Game)

QUE #19 C Etchegary, Kurt (2013) – Real hard working player. He didn’t really standout offensively but he was in the way, getting involved the whole game. His skating looked average, where he had good speed but not quite enough to create anything offensively. He showed confidence on a 2 on 1 situation with Erne by his side and opted for a wrister that went in for his first goal of the game...

Click here to become an INSIDER. Existing members can login here.

When the Buffalo Sabres selected Zemgus Girgensons 14^th overall, the 18-year-old forward became the highest drafted Latvian player ever.

The previous high was set by defenceman Sandis Ozolinsh, the 30^th overall choice of the expansion San Jose Sharks in 1991 and the most successful Latvian of all time.Ozolinsh went on to score 564 points in 15 seasons and participated in 7 NHL All-Star games.In 1995, he won a Stanley Cup with the Colorado Avalanche, and in 1997, he was a First All-Star team selection.That’s quite a resume, but not one typical for players from the Baltic country.

Since 1975, there have been 28 Latvian players drafted into the league, not including Girgensons.Eleven of them did not play one game in the NHL (although 2010 draftee Kristians Pelss could eventually suit up for the Edmonton Oilers).

Of the remaining 17, only five of them have played more than 82 games in their career, the equivalent of one full season.Not a good ratio for longevity in the NHL.