The Regina Pats have added three import players to their roster through the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) import draft, held on Tuesday. With two imports from last season departing, the team had three open spots to fill.
First-Round Pick: Ossi Tukio
With the 18th overall pick in the first round, the Pats selected Finnish defenceman Ossi Tukio. The 6-foot-1, 186-pound defender played last season for Ilves U20 in Tampere, Finland, where he recorded 25 points in 34 games and added four points in 10 playoff games. Tukio, born in November 2007, represented Finland at the 2023 World U17 Hockey Challenge and dressed in three pre-tournament games at the U20 world juniors, recording one assist. He was ranked No. 45 among international skaters by NHL Central Scouting for the 2025 NHL Draft but went unselected.
Second-Round Pick: Tomas Cermak
In the second round, 85th overall, the Pats chose Czech defenceman Tomas Cermak. The 6-foot-3, 190-pound blueliner played for BK Mladá Boleslav in Czechia's U20 league, tallying 15 points in 48 games and three points in eight playoff games. Cermak, who turned 18 on Monday, was ranked No. 82 among international skaters by NHL Central Scouting but was not drafted.
Third-Round Pick: Samuel Karsay
With the 146th overall pick in the third round, Regina selected Slovakian forward Samuel Karsay. The 6-foot-0, 172-pound winger split last season between the U18 team, HK Dukla Trencin U20, and HK Spartak Dubnica in Slovakia. The 18-year-old was ranked 63rd among international skaters heading into the NHL Draft but went unselected.
Roster Changes
The Pats had three open import spots after losing forward Ruslan Karimov and forward Matyas Ubl. Karimov, 19, signed a professional contract in Russia, according to the team. Last season, he scored 17 goals and added 22 assists for 39 points in 61 games with Regina, plus four goals and an assist in five playoff games. Karimov was claimed off waivers in October after playing for the Ontario Hockey League's Sarnia Sting in 2024-25. Ubl, a Czech native, recorded one assist in 12 games for the Pats last season after being selected in the second round of the 2025 import draft.
Previous Import Picks
Regina's top pick in the 2025 import draft, Slovakian goaltender Michal Pradel (fourth overall), returned to the USHL's Tri-City Storm last season and will join the NCAA's Colorado College this season. The Pats also drafted German defenceman Manuel Schams in 2025, but he appeared in only one game for the club before returning to play in Germany. In 2024, Regina selected Czech forward Vaclav Nestrasil, who played for the University of Massachusetts last season.
Since last year, CHL teams are permitted to roster three import players per season, an increase of one from the previous limit. The Pats have now filled all three spots with their 2026 draft selections.
