Blazers pick twice. (Image Credit: CHL)
By Marty Hastings
Coming to Kamloops

Blazers pick Russian defenceman, forward from Kazakhstan in CHL Import Draft

Jun 30, 2026 | 9:58 AM

KAMLOOPS – The Kamloops Blazers selected twice in the CHL Import Draft on Tuesday [June 30]. 

Kamloops picked left-shot defenceman Mikhail (Misha) Cherepanov of Yekaterinburg, Russia, 39th overall in Round 1. 

The 6-foot-2, 188-pound rearguard was selected by the Dallas Stars in the seventh round of the 2026 NHL Draft. 

Cherepanov, 18, played last season with the New Hampshire Mountain Kings of the North American Hockey League, tallying five goals, 31 points and 99 penalty minutes in 56 games. 

He is committed to Lake Superior State University of Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., for the 2027-2028 season. 

The Creative Edge
PEARCE: Overloaded classrooms
13h ago
1000 Ways to Heal
1000 WAYS TO HEAL: Truth is what allows us to navigate the space between them
Jul 20, 2026
Looped In
LOOPED IN WITH NIKKI OMEN: July 20, 2026
Jul 20, 2026

With the 100th overall selection in Round 2, the Blazers selected 17-year-old forward Yegor Kravchenko of Temirtau, Kazakhstan.

The 5-foot-11 left shot who is entering his 18-year-old campaign represented Kazakhstan at the 2025 Division One World Under-18 Hockey Championship, posting four goals and eight points in five games.

Clouston said that while Kravchenko is listed at 155 pounds on the CHL Import Draft website, he likely weighs closer to 180 pounds.

by Marty Hastings

Our Community

The Creative Edge
PEARCE: Overloaded classrooms
13h ago
1000 Ways to Heal
1000 WAYS TO HEAL: Truth is what allows us to navigate the space between them
Jul 20, 2026
Looped In
LOOPED IN WITH NIKKI OMEN: July 20, 2026
Jul 20, 2026
Question of the Week
With wildfires burning across British Columbia, have you prepared an evacuation grab-and-go bag?
Jul 20, 2026
Week in Review
Week in Review: Week of July 13, 2026
Jul 18, 2026