NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - JUNE 28: Eduard Sale is selected by the Seattle Kraken with the 20th overall pick during round one of the 2023 Upper Deck NHL Draft at Bridgestone Arena on June 28, 2023 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Im …
The Seattle Kraken selected left winger Eduard Šalé from HC Kometa Brno of the Czech Extraliga with the 20th overall pick in the first round of the 2023 NHL Draft on Wednesday night.
Šalé (pronounced Shal-lah), 18, had seven goals and seven assists in 43 games played for Brno last season in the Extraliga as he was named the leauge's Rookie of the Year.
Šalé was viewed as a possible top ten pick by analysts enterting the season as he had a whopping 89 points on 42 goals and 47 assists in just 39 games played for the HC Kometa Brno Under 20 team in 2021-22.
That production didn't carry over with Brno's top team in the Extraliga. However, his 14 points is still among the best for a draft eligible player in Extraliga history, per Sam Cosentino of Sportsnet. Šalé did manage six points on a goal and five assists in seven games played for Czechia at the World Junior Championship in January. Czechia lost to Canada in the championship game as Czechia took home a silver medal.
According to Jeff Marek of Sportsnet, Šalé is expected to play for the Barrie Colts of the Ontario Hockey League next season.
Šalé was ranked as the No. 4 European skater in the draft by NHL Central Scouting.
HALIFAX, CANADA - JANUARY 05: Eduard Sale #28 of Team Czech Republic skates the puck against Shane Wright #15 of Team Canada during overtime in the gold medal round of the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship at Scotiabank Centre on January 5, 2023 i …