Everett Silvertips sign their CHL Import draft picks Mirco Muller and Stathis Soumelidis
Everett Silvertips of the Western Hockey League (WHL) signed both of their Canadian Hockey League (CHL) Import draft picks, Switzerland’s Mirco Muller and Czech Republic’s Stathis Soumelidis.
Mirco Muller, who plays in the position of a defenseman, became the first Switzerland national ever to be taken by Everett Silvertips. Picked 11th overall in the first round of the 2012 CHL import draft, Muller has been representing Switzerland’s
junior ice hockey teams at different levels. The 17-year-old also represented his native country in summer challenge tournament which was held in Fussen, Germany.
He was the youngest member of his country’s under-20 side which completely dominated the whole tournament and won all three of its matches. Beating Slovakia 3-1, Czech Republic 4-0 and Germany 6-1, Switzerland got first position in the tournament with Muller
being a key part of it.
The 6-feet-3 player also represented his national under-18 side but missed the World championships because of an injury. He also played for Kloten Flyers, a local team back in Zurich and played 37 games for them, scoring six points.
The other signing, Stathis Soumelidis of Czech Republic, is a forward which plays at the center and has played much more than his fellow signing.
The 18-year-old forward was selected 71st overall in the second round of the 2012 draft and has played his last two seasons in Finland. Having represented under-16 and under-18 Czech hockey teams, Soumelidis also played Hockey World Junior Championships.
The Brno, Czech Republic born, 6-foot-2, 214 pounder also scored a goal and three assists in his team’s campaign at the world championships.
Everett Silvertips’ general manager Garry Davidson was very happy to have signed both players as he said,
“We’re very happy to have Mirco and Stathis signed and the paperwork handled to get them to Everett. Both of these young men have shown a great deal of excitement and enthusiasm about joining our program ever since we selected them in the draft. They both
speak English as well, so we’re hoping that will help ease the adjustment period players experience when they first come over from Europe. We’re excited to get them onto the ice and integrate them into the Silvertips program.”
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