SAMUELSSON DENNY’S WHL PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Press Release

The Western Hockey League announced today that Edmonton Oil Kings forward Henrik Samuelsson is the Denny’s WHL Player of the Week.   

Samuelsson collected 5 points, netting four goals and one assist, while posting a +3 rating in two games over the past week as the Oil Kings skated to two wins to close out their Husky WHL Eastern Conference semi-final series versus the Kootenay Ice.   

On Tuesday, April 9th, Samuelsson scored two goals and was named the game’s 3rd Star while helping the Oil Kings post a 9-2 win over the Ice in Cranbrook, B.C. in game 3 of their best-of-seven series.  On Wednesday, April 10th, Samuelsson scored twice and added an assist for a three-point effort as the visiting Oil Kings skated to a 4-2 victory over the Kootenay Ice in Cranbrook, completing a four-game sweep of the Ice.

Samuelsson, an 18-year-old from Scottsdale, AZ, is in his second season in the WHL with the Edmonton Oil Kings.  The 6’3”, 208-lb center has posted six goals and 11 points in nine post-season games to help the Oil Kings advance to their second consecutive appearance in the Husky WHL Eastern Conference Championship Series.  Samuelsson, who was selected 27th overall by the Phoenix Coyotes in the 2012 NHL Draft, scored 33 goals and 80 points in 69 games for the Oil Kings during the 2012-13 WHL regular season.

The WHL has also nominated Mac Carruth of the Portland Winterhawks for the CHL Goaltender of the Week award.  Carruth managed a 2-0 record including a shutout in two games last week, allowing just one goal on 56 shots for a 0.50 goals-against average and a .982 save percentage in that span as the Winterhawks completed a sweep of the Spokane Chiefs in their Kal Tire WHL Western Conference semi-final series.  Carruth, a product of Shorewood, MN, now has 41 career playoff wins, which is a WHL record.  The Chicago Blackhawks prospect is in his fourth and final WHL campaign with the Winterhawks.

 (Nathan can be reached at nathanfournier@mainehockeyjournal.com)