Canes select Knoester in Import Draft

By Lethbridge Herald on July 5, 2023.

Lethbridge Hurricanes

The Lethbridge Hurricanes Hockey Club announced Wednesday they selected 2005-born forward Elias Knoester in the 2023 Canadian Hockey League Import Draft.

Knoester, 17, was selected by the Hurricanes with the 42nd overall pick in the import draft. The product of Malmo, Sweden, spent the 2022-2023 season with the Malmo Redhawks team appearing in games at the J18 and J20 levels. The 5’8, 145-pound forward recorded 23 points (11g-12a) along with eight penalty minutes at the J18 level. He added 18 points (9goals -9assists ) with 18 penalty minutes in 42 games at the J20 level. Knoester added three points (1goal-2assists) along with two penalty minutes in a combined six playoff games.

In 2021-2022, Knoester racked up an impressive 36 points (16goals-20 assists) along with 18 penalty minutes and a plus-8 rating in 33 games with the Redhawks J18 team. The late-2005 born forward will be eligible for the 2024 National Hockey League Entry Draft. He is the son Roger Jonsson who spent nearly two decades playing professional hockey in Sweden.

Knoester becomes the 37th player selected in the European draft by the Hurricanes in team history. 

Meanwhile on Tuesday, the club announced that six players are at NHL development camps this week including: Jett Jones with the Vegas Golden Knights, Bryan Thomson (Dallas Stars), Joe Arntsen (New York Rangers), Chase Pauls (Los Angelas Kings), Harrison Meneghin (Minnesota Wild) and Noah Chadwick (Toronto Maple Leafs).