Martin Marincin.

THE CANADIAN PRESS

The Prince George Cougars chose Slovakian defenceman Martin Marincin first overall in the Canadian Hockey League annual import draft Tuesday.

The six-foot-four, 187-pound Marincin was a second-round draft pick of the Edmonton Oilers in the NHL draft over the weekend. Marincin, 18, had two goals, four assists and 71 penalty minutes in 35 games with the Slovak under-20 team last season.

Each team in the CHL can carry two European players on its roster each season.

In the import draft's order of selection rotates between the Western Hockey League, Ontarion Hockey League and Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. Teams pick in inverse order of the regular-season standings.

The OHL's Sarnia Sting took Russian right-winger Nail Yakupov at No. 2. The QMJHL's Halifax Mooseheads made Czech left-winger Martin Frk the third overall pick. Neither player is eligible for the NHL draft until 2012.

Other notable selections Tuesday were German centre Mirko Hoefflin, who was drafted by the Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks in the sixth round and went sixth overall in the import draft to the QMJHL's Quebec Remparts.

Russian goaltender Igor Bobkev, a third-round pick of the Anaheim Ducks, was drafted at No. 52 by the OHL's London Knights.

Russian left-winger Maxim Kitsyn, a Los Angeles Kings draft pick, went 17th to to the OHL's Mississauga St. Michael's Majors.

Swedish defenceman and Atlanta Thrashers prospect Sebastian Owuya was the No. 40 pick by the Medicine Hat Tigers.