The collective heads of Maineiacs nation may well have suffered severe whiplash if any happened to pay attention to the live web updates from the 2004 CHL Import Draft.

Far from what anyone expected, the Lewiston Maineiacs again added to their goaltending depth on Wednesday when they acquired 19-year-old Slovakian netminder Jaroslav Halak with their first selection.

“Everything starts from the back,” Maineiacs’ coach and general manager Clement Jodoin said. “We have to make sure we are building a strong presence in net, and then work out from there.”

Based on the fact that the Maineiacs selected three goaltenders in this year’s QMJHL Entry Draft, and two more last year, and based on an apparent lack of depth on the blue line, conventional wisdom pointed to a solid defenseman in the first round. Jodoin had other ideas.

“It was a gut decision, really,” Jodoin said. “This is the guy we decided on earlier in the week. If we had picked a forward, people would say Why another forward?’ If we picked a defenseman, it would be Why another defenseman?’ This was the decision we felt would be best for the organization.”

Halak is far from just a roster-filling pick. The 19-year-old, born in May of 1985, was a ninth round selection (271st overall) of the Montreal Canadiens in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft, and has impressed scouts in Europe for several years.

“He had some good numbers last year, and we know he can play well in Europe,” Jodoin said. “It will be interesting to see how well he transfers his game to North America. It is a very different game here.”

Last year, Halak had a goals-against-average of 2.33 and a .930 save percentage for Team Slovakia at the World Junior Championships, where he played behind then-Maineiacs players Vladislav Balaz and Richard Stehlik.

During the 2003-04 season for HC Slovan Bratislava, Halak played 12 games and posted a 1.66 GAA and a .942 save percentage, and for HC Dukla Senica he played 17 games with a 2.40 GAA and a .935 save percentage.

Brandon Verge, last year’s backup goaltender and expected front-runner for the starting role in 2004-05, now has even more reason to expect a dogfight when he gets to training camp. Both of the Maineiacs’ top draft picks this year have been goaltenders. Earlier in June, the team selected Marc-Andre Bernier with their first overall pick in the QMJHL Entry Draft.

“The training camp this year will be very, very interesting,” Jodoin said. “Like I have said before, no one is guaranteed their position on the team, and with Halak, the goaltending situation will be very, very interesting.”

As with all European picks, the question still remains as to whether or not all of the players will choose to report to the QMJHL. According to Jodoin, Halak is a sure bet.

“He is coming, I am sure of it,” Jodoin said. “There is no doubt. He will be here.”

The possibility of a trade still looms, however. Now, the Maineiacs will officially have nine goaltenders showing up to training camp, including 20-year-old Matt Davis, 19-year-olds Verge and Halak, and 18-year-olds Maxime Joyal and Michael Chiasson. Bernier is just 16, while both of the team’s other draft picks are 17.

Halak wasn’t the only story of the day for the Maineiacs in the draft. With its second selection (70th overall), the team chose Michal Korenko, a 6-foot-2-inch, 180-pound defenseman from the Poprad Juniors of Slovakia. Born in July of 1987, Korenko will be a 17-year-old by rule this season, and his NHL draft year is 2005.

In the 2004 World U-17 Hockey Challenge held in Newfoundland, Canada last January, Korenko had no points in five games, but was second among defensemen with 14 penalty minutes.