When the Halifax Mooseheads open training camp in August, they expect Konrad Abeltshauser to be there.

The Mooseheads selected the 17-year-old defenceman from Bad Tolz of Germany's top junior league with the 28th pick in the Canadian Hockey League import draft on Tuesday.

"We talked to his agent before we selected him and he's excited to come to North America and play," said Mooseheads head coach and general manager Cam Russell. "He wants to be a hockey player and this is the best route for him."

The 6-foot-3, 196-pounder led all defenceman in scoring in Germany's junior league and tied for seventh overall in scoring with 16 goals and 28 assists for 44 points in 36 games.

Russell saw him play twice at the world under-18 championship in April and said Abeltshauser comes highly recommended by a number of his scouting connections in Europe.

"They didn't have a real strong team (at the world under-18), but he played well," Russell said. "Defensively very solid, moves the puck well, put up good numbers. He's an all-around defenseman, he's the right age. He fits the bill for the direction we're heading."

Russell isn't placing any expectations on Abeltshauser and said he'll have to come to training camp and earn his place in the lineup, just like everyone else scheduled to report.

"We're not giving positions on our team for free," he said. "He's a player we're excited to have coming to play in Halifax, but there are no guarantees."

Following is a look at Halifax's updated depth chart (keep in mind, there isn't much thought put to ordering).

FORWARDS
Tomas Knotek (19)
x-Yuri Cheremetiev (20)
Gabriel Desjardins (17)
Travis Randell (18)
Gerrad Grant (19)
Jessyko Bernard (18)
Brent Andrews (16)
x-Linden Bahm (20)
x-Eric Louis-Seize (20)
Charles Bety (19)
Alex Lemieux (17)
Ned O’Brien (19)
Guillaume Pelletier (18)
Matthew Boudreau (16)
Carl Gelinas (17)
Brett Bernard (17)
Kody Orr (17)
William Cloutier (18)
Andrew Smith (17)

DEFENCEMEN
Pascal Amyot (19)
x-Alexandre Brunet (20)
Garrett Clarke (17)
Alex MacDonald (18)
Konrad Abeltshauser (17)
Jamie Bishop (16)
x-Ben MacAskill (20)
Scott McDonald (19)
Trey Lewis (17)
Sawyer Hannay (17)
Steve Gillard (17)
Ryan Matheson (18)
Richard Greer (18)

GOALTENDERS
Mathieu Corbeil (18)
Joel Grondin (17)
Stefan Dumaresque (19)
Jeremie Forbes-Brisebois (19)
Kody Blois (18)

Now the Boston fans know what Moose fans had to put up with last year, lots of luck to them, I doubt he stays up with the big club

By ratcat0072

Re: Marchand learning not to be 'a liability'

You hit it right on the head Matthew. We paid dearly for a player we did not need. I believe we could have picked up a couple of solid defencemen for 4th or 5th round picks. The teams chemistry was...

By ratcat0072

Re: Maxime Sauve, the almost-Moosehead

This was a really good effort by the team. If they keep playing this way the bounces will start going their way. Keep up the good work. Ratcat

By ratcat0072

Re: Harbour Station heartbreaker