Tuesday, October 8, 2013

Rockets’ Nick Merkley named CHL Player of the Week

Press Release

Toronto, ON – The Canadian Hockey League today announced that rookie forward Nick Merkley of the Kelowna Rockets is the CHL Player of the Week for the week ending October 6 after scoring four goals with two assists for six points and a plus-minus rating of plus-6 over three games.

Merkley collected three multi-point games and helped the Rockets win three straight to improve their record to 5-0-0-1 for 11 points in the WHL’s Western Conference.  Last Wednesday night he scored his first multi-goal game of his career with a pair of third period markers and was named second star of the Rockets’ 6-3 road win over the Everett Silvertips.  Back home on the weekend, the Rockets won back-to-back games over the Portland Winterhawks with Merkley scoring another two goals including the game-winner as third star of the 6-2 win on Friday, before picking up two assists Saturday in the 6-3 victory.

Merkley, a 16-year-old rookie from Calgary, AB, was selected ninth overall by the Rockets in the 2012 WHL Bantam Draft.  The 5’11”, 176-lb center currently leads the club in goals with five on the season, and ranks third among all WHL rookies in scoring with eight points in six games.

Also considered for the award this week was Philadelphia Flyers prospect Scott Laughton of the Oshawa Generals who scored three goals and six assists for nine points in three games, and Calgary Flames prospect Emile Poirier of the Gatineau Olympiques who scored three goals and three assists for six points in three games.


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

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