The North Bay Battalion went to the hockey nation of Finland to select forward Natan Teshome with their first and only selection in the CHL Import Draft which took place online on Wednesday.
Teshome, taken 45th overall in the two-round draft, has been to North America before, playing in a tournament in Toronto with his Finnish club team.
John Winstanley, Battalion general manager, says the team was intrigued by Teshome's versatility.
"On his club team, he played many different roles, but he showed some offensive flair, and then when he joined the national team he was put in a position where he had to be a little bit more responsible and key in on defensive roles. He adapted really well and excelled in both roles, in our opinion,” stated Winstanley, who started discussions with the draft pick more than eight weeks ago.
Teshome, who took part in a media conference via Zoom from his home in Lappeenranta, Finland, says his favourite player is former Red Wings forward Pavel Datsyuk.
The 5'11", 172-pound forward admitted he had to search the location of North Bay on his computer. However, he is thrilled about the opportunity to play hockey in North Bay.
“I’m a two-way forward who’s reliable in all zones and I like to create offence. I think I have good speed also,” said Teshome.
In 37 games in 2023-24 with the Helsinki-based Jokerit U20s, Teshome scored four goals and earned 10 assists for 14 points with 18 penalty minutes. He produced one goal and four assists for five points.
Teshome also played a total of 19 games with Finland’s U18 national team, scoring one goal and adding three assists for four points with no penalty minutes
Teshome has been watching Battalion highlights and he is looking forward to taking in the game-day feel at Memorial Gardens.
"I would say I'm looking forward to the fans and the atmosphere at the ice rinks at home and in the OHL," he said.
"I look forward to experiencing that, I heard it is very nice to play in front of those fans."
Teshome was ranked 104th by NHL Central Scouting for the 2024 NHL Entry Draft which concluded in Las Vegas last weekend. However, he was not selected. Teshome hopes to prove that he is a legitimate NHL prospect this season with the Battalion.
"I would not say I am angry, but it motivated me more when I did not get drafted but it is just fuel for me from now on to prove to everyone that I can be a very good player in the NHL and I want to prove that in this season," he said.
The left shot, who also plays centre, completes North Bay’s import quota with Ukrainian left winger Ihnat Pazii, who played his rookie Ontario Hockey League campaign last season and who turns 18 on Dec. 4.
Elite Prospects describes Teshome as a hard-working two-way forward in its NHL Draft scouting report.
“At his best, the 5-foot-11 forward uses his skating and pace to drive play in transition and create turnovers on the forecheck, then create chances for his linemates through clever passing plays to the inside while also maintaining a solid defensive presence,” Elite Prospects stated.
