Russian top pick in import draft

Maxim Spiridonov has no regrets about being spirited out of his native Russia last summer. In fact, the memory of a long-bladed knife being pressed against his ribs on a cold winter evening during a hold-up sharpened his desire to play in Canada. Spiridonov, 18, was the first player selected in the Canadian Hockey League import draft, going to the Ontario League’s London Knights. (See pg. 34 for a full list of import draft selections.) The Knights set futility records in going 3-603, but Spiridonov is eager to report. He was in London when Knights’ GM Paul McIntosh made the selection via conference call. “I want to learn as quickly as I can the Canadian junior game and to get ready for the NHL,” said the right winger, who scored 52 goals and 88…

1996 NHL ENTRY DRAFT

Peters, Paul and Royer second round pick-ups

There was little doubt where the Chicago Blackhawks felt they needed help most in the entry draft as six of their seven picks were defensemen. The Blackhawks didn’t have a first round pick, trading their No. 1 selection (21st overall) to the San Jose Sharks on draft day for a pair of second round selections. With their three selections in Round 2, the Blackhawks took defenseman Remi Royer of the St-Hyacinthe Laser in the Quebec League and defenseman Jeff Paul and center Geoff Peters of the Ontario League’s Niagara Falls Thunder. “It’s funny, but (Royer and Paul) were the next two players on our list after the guys we wanted were gone after seven picks,” said assistant GM Bob Murray. Royer is an offense-minded defenseman with a 90-mile-per-hour slapshot, but needs to work on…

Ratchuk goes on offensive

Peter Ratchuk lists Paul Coffey as his favorite NHL player and has always admired former Boston Bruins’ legend Bobby Orr. And the Colorado Avalanche thinks he compares favorably to Sandis Ozolinsh. Any guesses as to what playing style best characterizes the 1996 No. 1 draft pick of the Avalanche? Yes, the 18-year-old Ratchuk is considered an offensive defenseman. He isn’t quite at the level of the aforementioned players, but the Avalanche is confident he will someday play at the NHL level. “We’ve seen him for two years now and he’s a very strong offensive defenseman and we think he’ll turn out to be a very solid NHL defenseman,” said Avalanche chief scout Dave Draper. Colorado took 18-year-old Russian center Yuri Babenko with its second pick and St. Cloud State sophomore center Mark Parrish with its…