Seguin is Player of the Week

Press Release

Toronto, ON – The Ontario Hockey League today announced that forward Tyler Seguin of the Plymouth Whalers is the Boston Pizza OHL Player of the Week for the week ending February 8. Seguin scored three goals and three assists for six points in two games with a plus-minus rating of plus-6.

On Friday night Seguin tallied a second period assist and would add a late third period insurance goal to help the Whalers to a 5-3 home win over the Owen Sound Attack. On Saturday, Seguin and the Whalers found themselves down 2-0 in the first period against a top Eastern Conference opponent the Belleville Bulls. Seguin put his team on the scoreboard late in the first period with the first of five unanswered goals for the Whalers. He assisted on two of those goals including the tying goal in the third period and would also score the insurance marker for his fourth point of the night. With his best offensive game of his young OHL career, Seguin was named first star of the game.

Seguin, a 17-year-old rookie from Brampton, ON is enjoying a great first season with the Plymouth Whalers. He ranks ninth in OHL rookie scoring with 12 goals and 29 assists for 41 points in 46 games. His 41 points are good for third on a Whalers team that find themselves tied for fifth place in the Western Conference standings. Seguin, a product of the Toronto Young Nationals, was selected in the first round, ninth overall in the 2008 OHL Priority Selection.

Honourable mention for the award this week goes to two other rookie forwards Ethan Werek of the Kingston Frontenacs and Jeff Skinner of the Kitchener Rangers. Werek, who competed for the Eastern Conference All-Stars at the 2009 Subway OHL All-Star Classic, scored four goals and two assists for six points in three games. Skinner scored five goals on the week and led the Rangers to two victories and was twice named first star of the game. Between the pipes, Peter Di Salvo of the Barrie Colts won two games and was twice named second star with a weekly goals-against-average of 1.94 and save percentage of .952.

2008-09 Boston Pizza OHL Players of the Week

Feb. 9 – Tyler Seguin, Plymouth Whalers
Feb. 2 – Cody Hodgson, Brampton Battalion
Jan. 26 – Thomas McCollum, Brampton Battalion
Jan. 19 – Brett Parnham, Oshawa Generals
Jan. 12 – Marcus Carroll, Owen Sound Attack
Jan. 5 – Eric O’Dell, Sudbury Wolves
Dec. 15 – Cameron Gaunce, Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors
Dec. 8 – John Tavares, Oshawa Generals
Dec. 1 – John Tavares, Oshawa Generals
Nov. 24 – Eric Tangradi, Belleville Bulls
Nov. 17 – Mathew Sisca, Niagara IceDogs
Nov. 10 – Cody Hodgson, Brampton Battalion
Nov. 3 – Ryan Ellis, Windsor Spitfires
Oct. 27 – Taylor Hall, Windsor Spitfires
Oct. 20 – Brandon Foote, Brampton Battalion
Oct. 13 – Justin DiBenedetto, Sarnia Sting
Oct. 6 – Stefan Della Rovere, Barrie Colts
Sept. 29 – Luke Pither, Guelph Storm
Sept. 22 – Matt Lyall, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds

WHL Player of the Week

CALGARY, AB. – The BOSTON PIZZA WHL Player of the Week is forward Matt Calvert of the Brandon Wheat Kings.

Calvert picked up 10 points, scoring four goals and six assists in three games to go with a +6 rating this past week, helping the Wheat Kings post a 3-0-0-0 record in that span.

On Tuesday, February 3rd, the Wheat Kings hosted the Red Deer Rebels at Westman Place in the Keystone Centre. Calvert scored one goal and added three assists as the Wheat Kings defeated the Rebels 5-0. He was also named the games 1st Star. On Friday, February 6th, East Division rivals the Prince Albert Raiders rolled into Brandon to face the Wheaties. Calvert picked up an assist as the Wheat Kings downed the Raiders 7-4.

The following evening, Saturday, February 7th, the Wheat Kings wrapped up their three game home stand hosting the Edmonton Oil Kings. Calvert netted his first career hat trick and added two assists as the Wheat Kings defeated the Oil Kings 6-1. His two power play goals, short-handed goal, game winning goal and five points earned Calvert 1st Star honours following the game.

Calvert’s 10 points over the last three games has him sitting sixth in team scoring with 46 points (16 goals, 30 assists) in 42 games. The Wheat Kings have won four straight games and 11 of their last 13 contests. With a record of 37-15-3-1 Brandon finds themselves just six points back of the Saskatoon Blades for top spot in the WHL East Division and second in the Eastern Conference.

Calvert, a 19 year-old forward from Brandon, Manitoba, is in his second season in the Western Hockey League with the Brandon Wheat Kings. During the 2008 NHL Entry Draft he was selected in the fifth round by the Columbus Blue Jackets.

The WHL has also nominated Mark Guggenberger of the Kelowna Rockets for the ADT CHL Goaltender of the Week Award. Guggenberger posted a 3-0-0-0 record this past week, allowing just three goals on 57 shots for an outstanding 0.970 goals-against average and .947 save percentage.

Guggenberger, a 19 year-old from Richfield, Minnesota, is in his second season of play in the WHL. Since joining the Kelowna Rockets from the Swift Current Broncos earlier this year he has posted an impressive 7-2-1-1 record.

Boston Pizza WHL Player of the Week
Sept. 18 – Sept. 21: Jordan Weal, Regina Pats
Sept. 22 – Sept. 28: Joel Broda, Moose Jaw Warriors
Sept. 29 – Oct. 5: Casey Pierro-Zabotel, Vancouver Giants
Oct. 6 – Oct. 12: Evander Kane, Vancouver Giants
Oct. 13 – Oct. 19: Jay Fehr, Brandon Wheat Kings
Oct. 20 – Oct. 26: Jamie Benn, Kelowna Rockets
Oct. 27 – Nov. 2: Dana Tyrell, Prince George Cougars
Nov. 3 – Nov. 9: C.J. Stretch, Kamloops Blazers
Nov. 10 – Nov. 16: Andy Smith, Chilliwack Bruins
Nov. 17 – Nov. 23: Scott Glennie, Brandon Wheat Kings
Nov. 24 – Nov. 30: Taylor Procyshen, Tri-City Americans
Dec. 1 – Dec. 7: Brett Sonne, Calgary Hitmen
Dec. 8 – Dec. 14: Ian Duval, Moose Jaw Warriors
Dec. 15 – Dec. 28: Brandon Kozun, Calgary Hitmen
Dec. 29 – Jan. 4: Joel Broda, Moose Jaw Warriors
Jan. 5 – Jan. 11: Evander Kane, Vancouver Giants
Jan. 12 – Jan. 18: Brayden Schenn, Brandon Wheat Kings
Jan. 19 – Jan. 25: Keith Seabrook, Calgary Hitmen
Jan. 26 – Feb. 1: Drayson Bowman, Spokane Chiefs
Feb. 2 – Feb. 8: Matt Calvert, Brandon Wheat Kings

QMJHL Player of the Week

BOUCHERVILLE, Monday, February 9, 2009 – Drummondville Voltigeurs forward Yannick Riendeau and Moncton Wildcats goaltender Nicola Riopel today were named the TELUS offensive and defensive players of the week for the period extending from February 2 to 8.

Riendeau scored five goals, including two game-winners, and added seven assists in three Voltigeurs wins. Moreover, he posted a +3 rating. The right-winger enjoyed a career-best seven-point game on Saturday, collecting a goal and six helpers in a 10-1 over the Lewiston MAINEiacs. Riendeau is the League’s leading point-getter with 98 points in 50 contests.

Pierre-Alexandre Vandall (Cataractes), Jordan Caron (Océanic) and Angelo Esposito (Junior) were also considered.

Goaltender Nicola Riopel gets the nod on defence. In three starts, the Wildcats’ backstop gave up only two goals on 69 shots to lead the Wildcats to a perfect 3-0-0-0 record. Riopel maintained a remarkable 0.67 goals-against-average and .971 save percentage during that span. He also posted a shutout. Finally, he allowed only one goal in fifteen shorthanded opportunities.

Sébastien Piché (Océanic), Mark Barberio (Wildcats) and Charles-Olivier Roussel (Cataractes) were also strong candidates.

(Nathan also is a writer for Maineiacs Post to Post and the Maine Hockey Journal. He can be reached at fourniern@students.nescom.edu)