Dominik Bokk – a German that shunned the Draisaitl route
He’s a German prospect that is getting his hockey education in Sweden. But it wasn’t until last summer that draft eligible forward Dominik Bokk, eighth among European skaters in Central Scoutings midseason rankings, chose to leave his home country to play for Växjö Lakers.
His initial plan was to go to North America and play in the CHL, but when the “wrong” team picked him in the import draft, Bokk had a change of heart.
“The plan was to move to Canada and play for the Windsor Spitfires in the Ontario Hockey League, but I was drafted by a team in the Western Hockey League instead”, Bokk told Swedish website hockeysverige.se recently.
That team was Prince Albert Raiders of the WHL. The same organization Germany’s biggest star, Leon Draisaitl of the Edmonton Oilers, spent two seasons with. Draisaitl obviously benefitted from his time in “the Dub”, but Bokk wasn’t very happy when he got the news the Raiders had drafted him.
“I spoke to my agent and we decided it wasn’t in my best interest to play in Prince Albert since I wanted to play in the OHL”, Bokk said. “After a few days, I told him I had thought about Sweden. The agent told me that Växjö Lakers would be a good spot for me and that the coaches there were good. I said ‘fine’ because I knew that they are very good at developing talent in Sweden.”
Dominik Bokk is living proof of that. After signing with the Swedish club, the right-handed winger has shown a lot of promise. He made his SHL debut against Luleå on October 21st and scored his first goal in the Swedish men’s league in early November. And it was a beauty.
Dominik Bokk gör sitt första SHL-mål som också blir matchvinnande för Växjö mot Rögle.
Bilder från C More #shl #rlgifs #vaxjolakers pic.twitter.com/lvP9UtMkhz
— RoadLaker (@RoadLaker) November 3, 2017
The 17 year-old has mostly played with Växjö’s U20 team, where he has put up 12 goals and 31 points in 25 games, and another 15 in the SHL, where he has the goal and an assist to his credit. Right before Christmas, he signed a one-year extension with Växjö, effectively eliminating all speculations he could end up in Prince Albert next season.
“I don’t think that will happen since I signed an extension. I will stay here”, he confirms.
Bokk might still be an outsider to go in the first round of the draft in Dallas in June. The young German isn’t bothered where he’ll end up or when.
“I’m obviously aware of the draft, but I only try to play the best hockey I can with Växjö”, he told hockeysverige.se. “Whatever happens it happens. But there’s not very much I can do other than play as good as I can and not think of the draft.”
The main objective for Dominik Bokk remains to end his season on a winning note rather than being drafted in the first round.
“I want to play as much as possible in the SHL. We have a good chance to win championship titles with both the men’s team and the U20 team. I want to win with both.”
Sounds like a good way to get noticed by scouts.
Dominik Bokk med en dragning som ställer John Nyberg.
???? C More #shl #rlgifs #vaxjolakers pic.twitter.com/Fb6dqTfg2f
— RoadLaker (@RoadLaker) January 5, 2018
