QMJHL Players of the Month

Press Release

BOUCHERVILLE, Tuesday, December 2, 2008 – The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League today announced the winners of the offensive, defensive and rookie player of the month awards for November. The players were chosen by a committee mandated by the League.

Danny Massé of the Drummondville Voltigeurs gets the nod on offence. In ten games, the La Pocatière native collected nine goals, including a game-winner, and eleven assists to help the Voltigeurs win nine out of ten contests in the month of November. Furthermore, he posted an impressive +11 rating while winning 53.7% of his face-offs. Drummondville is breathing down the neck of division rival Shawinigan who sits at the top of the TELUS Central division standings.

Yannick Riendeau (Voltigeurs), Paul Byron (Olympiques) and Maxime Gratchev (MAINEiacs) were also considered.

The battle for the defensive player of the month award has never been so tight, but Sébastien Piché of the Rimouski Océanic has managed to pull it out of the hat. In twelve games, Piché registered five goals, including two game-winners, and added twelve assists while posting a +5 rating. Moreover, he directed a total of 57 shots toward opposing goaltenders. The Océanic have won eight games in the past four weeks and sit in second place in the TELUS Eastern division standings.

Mikael Tam (Remparts), Benoit Gervais (Huskies) and Marc-André Bourdon (Huskies) were also in the running.

Among the rookies, defenseman Dmitry Kulikov of the Drummondville Voltigeurs is the winner. In ten games, the offensively gifted blueliner scored two goals and assisted on thirteen other while posting a +9 rating. Furthermore, he registered 35 shots on goal. Of note, the Voltigeurs are one win away from tying their franchise record for consecutive wins (10).

Dmitri Kostromitin (Junior), Dmitri Kugryshev (Remparts) and Christopher Holden (Screaming Eagles) were also in the mix.

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