Eduard Šalé
Born (2005-03-10) 10 March 2005
Brno, Czech Republic
Height 6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Weight 168 lb (76 kg; 12 st 0 lb)
Position Left wing
Shoots Left
NHL team (P)
Cur. team
Former teams
Seattle Kraken
Barrie Colts (OHL)
HC Kometa Brno
NHL Draft 20th overall, 2023
Seattle Kraken
Playing career 2021present

Eduard Šalé (born 10 March 2005) is a Czech professional ice hockey forward for the Barrie Colts of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) as a prospect to the Seattle Kraken of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted 20th overall by the Kraken in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft.[1][2]

Playing career

Šalé played as a youth within hometown club, HC Kometa Brno, first appearing as a 13 year-old at the under-16 level. During the 2020–21 season, Šalé having appeared with the under-20 team, he briefly left Brno and made seven appearances at the Finnish under-18 SM-sarja competition with Ilves.[3]

Returning to Brno, Šalé made his senior professional debut in the Czech Extraliga during the 2021–22 season, finishing with two goals and three assists in 10 regular season games. Eligible for major junior ice hockey in North America, Šalé was selected in the first round, 29th overall, in the 2022 CHL Import Draft by the Barrie Colts.[4]

Continuing his tenure with Brno, Šalé in his first full professional season in 2022–23, notching seven goals and seven assists through 43 regular season games.

Touted as a potential first-round pick, he was selected 20th overall by the Seattle Kraken in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft. He was later signed to a three-year, entry-level contract with the Kraken on 17 July 2023, and expected to play the following season in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) with the Colts.[5][4]

International play

Medal record
Representing  Czech Republic
Ice hockey
World Junior Championships
Silver medal – second place2023 Canada
Bronze medal – third place2024 Sweden

Šalé first represented Czech national under-18 team at the 2021 Hlinka Gretzky Cup and in the following year he was recognised as one of the top ranked stars in the 2022 Hlinka Gretzky Cup.[6]

Šalé won a silver medal with the Czech national junior team at the 2023 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships.[7] Šalé won a bronze medal the following year, in a comeback win that saw Team Czechia overcome a 5–2 deficit.[8]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GPGAPtsPIM GPGAPtsPIM
2020–21 HC Kometa Brno Czech U20 84260
2021–22 HC Kometa Brno Czech U20 3942478956 555100
2021–22 HC Kometa Brno ELH 102132
2022–23 HC Kometa Brno ELH 4377142 60000
ELH totals 5398174 60000

International

Year Team Event Result GPGAPtsPIM
2021 Czech Republic HG18 6th 41232
2022 Czech Republic U18 4th 61890
2022 Czech Republic HG18 4th 54260
2023 Czech Republic WJC 2nd place, silver medalist(s) 71562
2024 Czech Republic WJC 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) 73470
Junior totals 291021314

References

  1. Burke, JD. "Eduard Šalé has shown "he's one of those names" for a stacked 2023 NHL Draft with his play at U18s". eprinkside. Retrieved 19 January 2023.
  2. Vickers, Aaron (8 November 2022). "Sale Is Central Europe's Most Intriguing Draft Talent, But He's Not Alone". NHL Entry Draft. Retrieved 19 January 2023.
  3. gmghockey (16 November 2020). "Eduard Sale to appear with junior club" (in Finnish). Instagram. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  4. 1 2 "What's next for 2023 Kraken first-round pick Eduard Sale". Seattle Times. 28 June 2023. Retrieved 28 June 2023.
  5. Seattle Kraken (17 July 2023). "Kraken sign Eduard Sale to entry-level contract". Twitter. Retrieved 17 July 2023.
  6. Ferrari, Tony. "Hlinka Gretzky Cup 3 Stars: Šalé, Järventie, and Erliden Star on Day 2". The Hockey News. Retrieved 19 January 2023.
  7. Arif, Hafsa (6 January 2023). "From playing games to chasing planes: World Juniors players head home". CTV News. Retrieved 19 January 2023.
  8. Staff, TSN (5 January 2024). "Czechs score four late in the third to claim bronze over Finland at World Juniors". TSN. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
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