The Vancouver Giants have selected two players in the first round of the 2008 Canadian Hockey League Import Draft.

With their first pick (51st overall) the Giants selected Mikhail Fisenko from Magnitogorsk, Russia. A 6’0", 180lbs 18-year-old left-handed centre, Fisenko played for Dynamo Moscow in the Russian second division last season. He also represented at the World Under 18 Championships last April. Fisenko will be the first Russian-born player to suit up for the Giants in their eight year history.

"Mikhail is a player who is bringing a valuable amount of experience to our organization", says Giants General Manager Scott Bonner. "We look forward to having him come into our line-up and make an immediate impact this season."

With the next pick in the draft (58th overall), the Giants added Andrej Kudrna from Nove Zamky, Slovakia. Standing in at 6’0", 180 lbs. the left winger played for Slovan Bratislava in the Slovakian under-20 league. In the 2006-07 season Kudrna scored 56 points in 55 games and finished with a +39 rating while playing for the under-18 team.

"Andrej is a player we are looking forward to having in our line-up the next couple of years," adds Bonner. "We have had some good success with players from Slovakia in the past and we hope Andrej can carry on that tradition."

Both Fiskeno and Kudrna will make their Giants debut when they appear at training camp in Ladner in August.