The Moose Jaw Warriors are preparing for the CHL Import Draft, which is coming up later this month.

General manager Alan Millar said they’ll be picking sixth overall June 30th, which is the highest they’ve drafted in 11 years. In the past, CHL teams could use their National Hockey League connections to get some tips to see if they wanted the NHL drafted players to come to the CHL.

“We’re certainly putting player lists together and certainly talking to a lot of agents, Mark O’Leary and I have some Zoom calls planned with players and families in the week leading up to the draft, and we’re watching lots of video,” said Millar.

Without that advantage, things slightly change for teams like the Warriors.

They are expected to get Czech forward Martin Lang back. Lang was traded from the Kamloops Blazers in a deal that sent Czech defenceman Libor Zabransky the other way. Lang scored 24 points in 26 games with Moose Jaw last season since the trade and has been selected for the Czech U20 summer camp, and is a possible candidate for their World Junior Team.

The last time the Warriors picked as high as they’re picking this year, they selected Antonin Honejsek with the fifth overall pick in 2009. He ended up playing two very good seasons for the Warriors, scoring 38 goals and 44 assists in 113 regular season games.

“I think picking at six, we have to have an open mind as to the best player available,” Millar said. “We won’t be selecting a goaltender in the Import Draft, so it will be the best player available, either a forward or a defenceman.”

The Warriors drafted Swedish goalkeeper Jesper Wallstedt last year, but he elected to stay in his hometown of Lulea. In 2018, the Warriors selected Daniil Stepanov 60th overall, and ended up dealing him to Prince Albert last season.