FeedsJenks, Jordan selected in NHL draft
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The Florida Panthers selected Plymouth left wing A.J. Jenks in the 4th round of the NHL Entry Draft last month.Although the Plymouth Whalers didn’t have the best of seasons last year they still churned out some NHL hopefuls.
Left wing A.J. Jenks and defender Michal Jordan were selected in the National Hockey League (NHL) Entry Draft last month. Both are expected back on the Whalers roster this season.
The Florida Panthers selected the 6-foot-2 Jenks in the fourth round (100th overall). Jenks scored 26 goals and had 29 assists in 66 games last season with Plymouth. He was a member of Team USA at the 2007 Hlinka Tournament in Slovakia. Central Scouting ranked him 50 in its final rankings and said he hits top speed remarkably quick.
Plymouth Coach Greg Stefan told the Florida Panthers website in a June 21 posting:
“A.J. is definitely going to be a National Hockey League player one day. He’s got good size and probably has one of the best shots in the league, from wrist shot or snap-shot perspective.”
It just wouldn’t be a regular draft if the Carolina Hurricanes didn’t choose a Whaler or two. Peter Karmanos Jr, the owner of the ‘Canes owns the Whalers, too.
Carolina chose Jordan in the fourth round (105 overall). He scored five goals and notched 17 assists in 39 regular season contests and had three assists in post season play.
“He’s a two-way defenseman with good skill, a heads-up player,” said Tony MacDoanld, amateur scouting director for Carolina on a June 19 post on the organization’s website. “He plays the power play, he can kill penalties. He played for the Czech national junior team at the World Championships and played quite well…he’s a player that has a chance to ultimately play in the National Hockey League.”
Carolina also picked up the little-known 2008 Whaler draft Zac Dalpe in the second round (45th overall). Dalpe hasn’t played for Plymouth yet and might be skating for Ohio State University for the 2008-09 season.
Whalers draft Latal
Plymouth Whalers nabbed 18-year-old defenseman Jan Latal with the 55th selection of the annual Canadian Hockey League Import Draft.
The Whalers were scheduled to have the 25th pick but Mike Vellucci, the Whalers President and general manager, traded down when he moved the pick to Belleville for the Bulls’ 55th selection. Belleville also sent a fourth round pick in the 2011 OHL Draft to the Whalers to complete the deal.
Plymouth passed on its second selection—85th overall.
Latal played for Kladno in the Czech Republic last season, scoring three goals with three assists in 28 games. A knee injury (since repaired) cut Latal’s season short last year. Before that, Latal played internationally for the Czech Republic in the Under-16 and Under-17 World Tournaments.
“Our scouts knew about him,” Vellucci said. “Latal’s a steady, stay-at-home defenseman. Although we traded down, he was still available and we were able to get a fourth round pick as well.”
Latal comes from a hockey playing family. His brother, Martin, is a Phoenix Coyotes draft choice who has played the last two seasons for Prince Edward Island in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. Latal’s uncle, Jiri, played from 1989-92 for the Philadelphia Flyers.
“Latal’s got an excellent shot,” said Plymouth scout Willy Langer. “He’s a good skater with good vision. He’s not afraid to play in traffic in front of the net or along the boards.”
Canadian Hockey League teams can play with two Imports. The Whalers currently have three, veteran Jozef Sladok and now Latal. Jordan, Sladok and Latal are expected to report to Plymouth’s training camp in late August.
Smith, Jenks named to USA Hockey Junior evaluation camp
Current Whalers Jeremy Smith (Brownstown) and Jenks (Wolverine Lake) were named to the 2008 USA Hockey National Junior Evaluation Camp, held in Lake Placid, NY from August 1-9.
The Nashville Predators chose Smith, a goalie, in the second round (54th overall) in the 2007 National Hockey League Entry Draft. He was signed by the Predators last season, but should return to Plymouth for the 2008-09 season. An OHL All-Star last season, Smith has a 2.82 goals-against average and a 46-21-5 won-loss record over 79 career games. He played for the United States in the 2008 World Junior Championships and received USA Hockey’s Dave Peterson Award in 2007 as the top junior goaltender in the United States.
Current Whaler Chris Terry was named to Canada’s National Junior Summer Evaluation Camp, held July 25-29, 2008 in Ottawa, ON. Originally taken by the Whalers in the second round (29th overall) in the 2005 OHL Draft, Terry has improved offensively every season with the Whalers and scored 44 goals with 57 assists for 101 points in 68 games last year. Terry is 13th on Plymouth all-time career scoring list with 75 goals and 120 assists for 195 points in 200 games. An OHL all-star last season,
Terry was selected in the 5th round (132nd overall) by Carolina in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft.
