The Barrie Colts have added a big piece to their offence for the upcoming Ontario Hockey League season.
The local OHL club announced Friday morning that it has signed Eduard Sale, a first-round pick of the Seattle Kraken in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft, to an OHL scholarship and development agreement.
The 18-year-old Sale (pronounced Sha-lay) was taken 20th overall by Seattle at the draft on June 28 in Nashville.
The left-winger is listed at six-foot-two and 174 pounds.
With his elite skating and high hockey IQ, #SeaKraken 2023 first-round draft choice Eduard Sale impressed the Kraken Amateur Scouting Staff from an early age.
— Seattle Kraken (@SeattleKraken) August 23, 2023
Now the Czechia-born forward is drawing comparisons to a couple of young NHL stars → https://t.co/ZlvrInZ7NQ pic.twitter.com/XZruh0T41v
A native of Brno, Czechia, Sale was previously selected 29th overall by the Colts in the 2022 Canadian Hockey League Import Draft.
“When we drafted Eduard originally, we knew it would take some time before he would come to North America," Barrie Colts head coach and general manager Marty Williamson said on OHL team's website. "It’s always exciting as a coach to add a player of his calibre to our lineup.
"Our entire coaching staff is looking forward to welcoming him to Barrie and helping him continue his development here," Williamson added.
Sale represented the Czechia at last year's IIHF world junior championship where he had six points, including a goal and five assists in seven games, as his team went on to win the silver medal.
He has played the last two seasons with his hometown HC Kometa Brno of the Czech Extraliga. Last year, he had seven goals and seven assists for 14 points in 43 games.
From an early age, #SeaKraken 2023 first-round draft choice Eduard Sale was on the radar of the Kraken Amateur Scouting Staff.
— Seattle Kraken (@SeattleKraken) August 28, 2023
Now the Czechia-born forward is drawing comparisons to a couple of young NHL stars → https://t.co/ZlvrInZ7NQ pic.twitter.com/RqwKKUuiF4
