HOUNDS TO CZECH OUT DRTINA

The Soo Greyhounds will select 18-year old Czech defenceman Jiri Drtina with the first pick of today's Canadian Hockey League import draft, SooToday.com has confirmed. An offensive-type defenceman and client of former NHL superstar Bobby Orr, the 5-foot-11, 185 lb. Drtina played last season for Slavia Prava in the Czech Republic. The Hounds acquired the top pick in today's draft in an earlier trade with the Owen Sound Attack. The Hounds gave Owen Sound their second-round pick at last month's Ontario Hockey League draft and 18-year old defenceman Patrick Sutton for the no. 1 import selection. Drtina will join a Greyhound blueline which features holdovers Trevor Daley, Niko Tuomi, Jordan Kennedy, Brad Staubitz and Jordan Smith. Tuomi, Kennedy and Smith are all local products. The addition of Drtina will give the Hounds two imports, the maximum allowed under CHL rules. Centre Petr Taticek, taken with the ninth pick of last weekend's National Hockey League draft by the Florida Panthers, is the Hounds' other import.