Schenn Player of the Week

Press Release

CALGARY, AB. – The BOSTON PIZZA WHL Player of the Week is forward Brayden Schenn of the Brandon Wheat Kings.
Schenn picked up seven points, scoring one goal and six assists in two games this past week, helping the Wheat Kings post a 2-0-0-0 road record in that span.

On Friday, January 16th, the Wheat Kings hosted the Prince Albert Raiders at Westman Place in Brandon for the first half of their home-and-home weekend series. Schenn had four assists on the night as the Wheat Kings’ downed the Raiders 7-2. He was also named the games 1st Star.

The next evening, Saturday, January 17th, it was the Raiders opportunity to host as the rematch was set in the Art Hauser Centre in Prince Albert. Schenn scored one goal and added two assists as the Wheaties swept the weekend series with a 7-4 victory. For the second night in a row he was also named the games 1st Star.

Schenn’s seven points over the last two games has put him in 12th spot among all WHL scorers with 19 goals, 36 assists for 55 points in 43 games. With the two victories the Wheat Kings’ stretch their unbeaten in regulation streak to 13 games (11-0-2-0) and currently have sole procession of third place in the WHL Eastern Conference.

Schenn, a 17 year-old forward from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, is in his second season in the Western Hockey League with the Wheat Kings. This highly touted forward was named WHL Rookie of the Year last season and has been projected to be an early pick at the 2009 NHL Entry Draft. He also recently competed in the 2009 Home Hardware CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game held last week in Oshawa, Ontario.

The WHL has also nominated Dustin Tokarski of the Spokane Chiefs for the ADT CHL Goaltender of the Week Award. Tokarski posted a 3-0-0-0 record this past, allowing just four goals on 92 shots for a 1.300 goals-against average and .957 save percentage.

Tokarski, a 19 year-old from Watson, Saskatchewan, is in his third season of play in the WHL with the Spokane Chiefs. Last season he was named the Memorial Cup MVP and recently helped lead Team Canada to its fifth straight World Junior Gold medal. He currently leads all WHL goaltenders with a 1.900 goals-against average and .940 save percentage.

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

Press Release

Toronto, ON – The Ontario Hockey League today announced that Brett Parnham of the Oshawa Generals is the Boston Pizza OHL Player of the Week for the week ending January 18. Parnham scored five goals and two assists for a league-high seven points in three games with a plus-minus rating of plus-2.

Parnham and the Generals had three games over the weekend beginning Friday night where they defeated the Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors 5-3. Parnham assisted on the opening goal on the power play in the first period and would contribute two goals in the third period including a power play and empty net marker in the Gens win. Parnham was named third star of the game. On Saturday the Generals hosted the Guelph Storm and Parnham recorded one assist in the 5-2 loss. Parnham and the Generals regained their offensive punch on Sunday defeating the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds 5-4. Parnham was the first star of the game for scoring a hat-trick with all three goals in the first period including two on the power play and one shorthanded.

Parnham, a 19-year-old forward from Orillia, ON is in his fourth OHL season with the Generals after beginning his career and playing most of the 2005-06 season with the Sudbury Wolves. Parnham currently leads the Generals in scoring and has already set a career single season high in goals scored with 33 after 42 games. His 49 points have him ranked 17th in OHL scoring.

Runner-up for the award this week is goaltender Matt Hackett of the Plymouth Whalers. Hackett won two games for the Whalers including a 37 save shutout victory over the Owen Sound Attack 5-0 on Saturday as first star of the game. Honourable mention also goes to a pair of Brampton Battalion forwards, Cody Hodgson and Evgeny Grachev, who led the Troops to a 3-0-0-0 record this week. Hodgson had five goals and one assist for six points while Grachev tallied three goals and three assists for six points in three games.

2008-09 Boston Pizza OHL Players of the Week

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

Press Release

BOUCHERVILLE, Monday, January 19, 2009 – Halifax Mooseheads forward Jan Stransky and Gatineau Olympiques netminder Maxime Clermont today were named the TELUS offensive and defensive players of the week for the period extending from January 12 to 18.

Stransky scored two goals, including a game-winner, and added four helpers in only two games. Furthermore, the right-winger registered a +6 rating. Stransky enjoyed his best game of the week on Sunday, collecting two goals and two assists in a 6-4 loss at the hands of the Moncton Wildcats. The Mooseheads will have to win their share of games in the next few weeks if they hope to jump into the playoff picture.

Philippe Cornet (Océanic), Yuri Cheremetiev (Mooseheads) and Danick Paquette (MAINEiacs) were also considered.

On the defensive side, goaltender Maxime Clermont gets the nod. Clermont was stellar in two wins against the League’s top two offences: Drummondville and Shawinigan. The Montreal native made an average of 33 stops per game to finish the week with a 1.97 goals-against-average and .940 save percentage. The Olympiques are only two points away from first place in the TELUS Western division standings.

Sébastien Piché (Océanic), Maxime Robichaud (Tigres) and David Savard (Wildcats) 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)