Peterborough Petes Select Three From 2025 CHL Import Draft
/The Peterborough Petes have selected three players in Leon Kolarik, Yanis Lutz, and Melvin Fernström from the 2025 CHL Import Draft on Wednesday.
“We’re very excited about the players that we were able to select in today’s Import Draft,” said Michael Oke, general manager and vice president of operations. “Over the course of the season, Rob Wilson, Patrick O’Connor, myself, and other members of our staff have had the chance to watch these players in person and on video. All three players displayed the abilities needed to succeed in the OHL and the characteristics that we look for in a Peterborough Pete.”
The Petes’ first pick in the draft was 63rd overall in round two, taking Kolarik, the Austrian forward from Red Bull Hockey Akademie Juniors.
A 2007-born forward from Vienna, he played in 36 games for the RB Hockey Juniors in the AlpsHL last season, scoring 10 goals and adding 13 assists for 23 points. He also played in seven games for EC Salzburg in the ICEHL (Austria’s top league), scoring once and adding two assists for three points. In the playoffs, Kolarik led EC Salzburg U20 in scoring, with eight goals and six assists for 14 points in eight games. Kolarik has also represented his home country of Austria at multiple levels. This past year, he scored seven points in five games at the U18 World Championship Division 1A, while also recording four assists in five games at the U20 World Championship Division 1A.
Photo courtesy of the Peterborough Petes.
With the Petes second pick, 109th overall, they selected Lutz from EV Zug U20 in Switzerland.
The 2008-born forward from Lachen, played 34 games for EV Zug U20 this season, scoring 14 goals and adding eight assists for 22 points. He also played in 12 games for EV Zug U17 this year, scoring eight goals and adding five assists for 13 points. Lutz has represented his home country of Switzerland at the U17 level. In 2024-25, he played in 16 games for the Switzerland U17 team, scoring six goals and providing six assists for 12 points.
Photo courtesy of Philipp Hegglin and EV Zug.
The Petes third and final pick in the draft came at 121 in round three, taking Fernström, a Pittsburgh Penguins prospect from Orebro HK in Sweden.
A 2006-born forward from Bålsta, he was initially selected by the Vancouver Canucks in the third round, 93rd overall, in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft. He was acquired by the Pittsburgh Penguins on Feb. 1, along with Danton Heinen, Vincent Desharnais and a first-round pick in exchange for Marcus Pettersson and Drew O’Connor. On June 13, Fernström signed an entry-level contract with the Penguins after putting up 17 points in 48 games with Örebro HK in the SHL in 2024-25.
Photo courtesy of Steve Ellis.