CHL Players of the Week

Press Release

Toronto, ON – The Canadian Hockey League today announced that Benjamin Casavant of the P.E.I. Rocket is the Boston Pizza CHL Player of the Week for the week ending March 1. Casavant scored six goals and two assists for eight points in three games with a plus-minus rating of plus-4.

Casavant scored his 33rd and 34th goals of the season on Thursday night in Halifax and was named second star of the game despite the 4-2 loss to the Mooseheads. On Saturday he would produce his best offensive game of his young career scoring his first QMJHL hat-trick when he helped the Rocket come from behind to beat the Saint John Sea Dogs 5-3. Casavant had the game-winning goal and added an assist on the insurance marker for four points as the game’s first star. On Sunday the Rocket would get their revenge on the Mooseheads at home in P.E.I. with a 6-4 win where Casavant contributed a goal and an assist as third star of the game.

Casavant, an 18-year-old from St-Hyacinthe, Quebec, is in his second QMJHL season with the Rocket but was selected ninth overall by Rouyn-Noranda at the 2007 QMJHL Entry Draft. He leads the Rocket and is currently 13th in league scoring with 38 goals and 34 assists for 72 points in 62 games. Casavant is eligible for the 2009 NHL Entry Draft.

Mitch Fadden of the WHL’s Tri-City Americans was considered for the award after leading the Americans to four wins on the week while scoring six goals and one assist for seven points in four games. Fadden was the first star Saturday with two goals in a 5-2 victory over division rivals the Spokane Chiefs. Mark Katic of the OHL’s Sarnia Sting was also considered after scoring one goal and six assists for seven points in three games. The Sting won all three contests including a 4-2 victory over the OHL’s top ranked Windsor Spitfires 4-2 on Friday where Katic was second star of the game with three assists.

2008-09 Boston Pizza CHL Player of the Week
Mar. 3 – Benjamin Casavant, P.E.I. Rocket
Feb. 24 – Matt Caria, Plymouth Whalers
Feb. 17 – Jeff Skinner, Kitchener Rangers
Feb. 10 – Yannick Riendeau, Drummondville Voltigeurs
Feb. 3 – Drayson Bowman, Spokane Chiefs
Jan. 27 – Paul Byron, Gatineau Olympiques
Jan. 20 – Brayden Schenn, Brandon Wheat Kings
Jan. 13 – Steven Anthony, Saint John Sea Dogs
Jan. 6 – Joel Broda, Moose Jaw Warriors
Dec. 16 – Robert Slaney, Cape Breton Screaming Eagles
Dec. 9 – John Tavares, Oshawa Generals
Dec. 2 – Andrej Nestrasil, Victoriaville Tigres
Nov. 25 – Scott Glennie, Brandon Wheat Kings
Nov. 18 – Mathew Sisca, Niagara IceDogs
Nov. 11 – Yannick Riendeau, Drummondville Voltigeurs
Nov. 4 – Dana Tyrell, Prince George Cougars
Oct. 28 – Jamie Benn, Kelowna Rockets
Oct. 21 – Matthew Pistilli, Shawinigan Cataractes
Oct. 14 – Justin DiBenedetto, Sarnia Sting
Oct. 7 – Stefan Della Rovere, Barrie Colts
Sept. 30 – Joel Broda, Moose Jaw Warriors
Sept. 23 – Michael Stinziani, Cape Breton Screaming Eagles

Press Release

Toronto, ON – The Canadian Hockey League today announced that Thomas McCollum of the Brampton Battalion is the ADT CHL Goaltender of the Week for the week ending March 1. McCollum posted a 2-0-0-0 record including a shutout win with a goals-against-average of 0.50 and a save percentage of .982.

McCollum started Friday between the pipes at home in Brampton taking on the Niagara IceDogs. He made 28 saves and was named first star of the game after collecting his league-leading seventh shutout of the season in the 6-0 victory. He was back in action Saturday night in a big game against the top team in the OHL’s Eastern Conference, the Belleville Bulls. McCollum faced nine power play opportunities and kicked aside 27 shots in the game and was named second star with the 4-1 win. With the win the Battalion climbed to 86 points and within just two points of the first place Bulls.

McCollum, a 19-year-old from Sanborn, New York, is in his third OHL season. He has compiled a record of 13-5-0-0 with four shutouts since joining the Battalion earlier this season. This season he has posted a league-best goals-against-average of 2.07 with a save percentage of .929. McCollum was a 2008 first round selection of the Detroit Red Wings, 30th overall at the 2008 NHL Entry Draft. He also received the ADT CHL Goaltender of the Week award for the week ending January 25 earlier this season.

Nominated for this award from the QMJHL is Timo Pielmeier of the Shawinigan Cataractes who won two big games over the Quebec Remparts 7-4 on Friday and shutout the Moncton Wildcats 7-0 Sunday with a goals-against-average of 2.00 and save percentage of .927. Mark Guggenberger of the WHL’s Kelowna Rockets was also considered for posting a goals-against-average of 1.00 with a save percentage of .962 in his two wins including a third star performance with 34 saves Saturday helping the Rockets defeat the WHL’s top ranked team the Calgary Hitmen 2-1.

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2008-09 ADT CHL Goaltender of the Week
Mar. 3 – Thomas McCollum, Brampton Battalion
Feb. 24 – Adam Brown, Kelowna Rockets
Feb. 17 – Maxim Gougeon, Rimouski Oceanic
Feb. 10 – Nicola Riopel, Moncton Wildcats
Feb. 3 – Raffaele D’Orso, Val d’Or Foreurs
Jan. 27 – Thomas McCollum, Brampton Battalion
Jan. 20 – Matt Hackett, Plymouth Whalers
Jan. 13 – Olivier Roy, Cape Breton Screaming Eagles
Jan. 6 – Martin Jones, Calgary Hitmen
Dec. 16 – Michael Hutchinson, Barrie Colts
Dec. 9 – Chet Pickard, Tri-City Americans
Dec. 2 – Torrie Jung, Edmonton Oil Kings
Nov. 25 – Antoine Lafleur, Rouyn-Noranda Huskies
Nov. 18 – Martin Jones, Calgary Hitmen
Nov. 11 – Tyson Sexsmith, Vancouver Giants
Nov. 4 – Mike Murphy, Belleville Bulls
Oct. 28 – Nicola Riopel, Moncton Wildcats
Oct. 21 – Brandon Foote, Brampton Battalion
Oct. 14 – Calvin Pickard, Seattle Thunderbirds
Oct. 7 – Olivier Roy, Cape Breton Screaming Eagles
Sept. 30 – Andrew Engelage, Windsor Spitfires
Sept. 23 – Jamie Tucker, Vancouver Giants

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