OHL Announces Top Performers of the Month for December

Press Release

Toronto, ON – The Ontario Hockey League today announced the OHL Performers of the Month for December, 2009.

All Weather Windows OHL Player of the Month – Tyler Seguin, Plymouth Whalers
Tyler Seguin tied for the OHL lead in December scoring with 18 points in 10 games including seven goals with 11 assists and a plus-minus rating of plus-6 for the Plymouth Whalers. He recorded points in seven of his 10 games including six multi-point games. He opened the month with his fourth hat-trick of the season December 2 as first star of a 6-2 win over the Saginaw Spirit. He would also claim first star of the game honours with his second five-point game of the season December 11 with a goal and four assists in a 6-3 win over the Erie Otters, and later with two assists on December 18 in a 2-1 in over the Oshawa Generals. He also spent part of December at Canada’s National Junior Team Selection Camp.

Seguin, a 17-year-old from Brampton, ON, is playing in his second OHL season with the Whalers. He currently leads the league in scoring with 28 goals and 36 assists for 64 points in 38 games. Eligible for the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, Seguin will compete for Team Orr at the 2010 Home Hardware CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game in Windsor, ON.


OHL Rookie of the Month – Boone Jenner, Oshawa Generals
Boone Jenner of the Oshawa Generals led all OHL rookies in scoring with 10 points in nine December games. He scored three goals and seven assists and posted a plus-minus rating of plus-6. He recorded points in seven of his nine games helping the Generals win seven games this month. He played his three best games of December in quick succession beginning December 10 with his first three-point performance of his career scoring two goals and one assist as first star of a 5-4 overtime win over the Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors. He then contributed two assists December 11 in a 5-2 win over the Kingston Frontenacs before scoring the shootout winner and adding one assist in a 4-3 shootout win over the Brampton Battalion on December 13.

Jenner, a 16-year-old from Dorchester, ON, was selected fourth overall by the Generals in the 2009 OHL Priority Selection. He is currently third in rookie scoring with 30 points in 37 games scoring 14 goals and 16 assists. Jenner also scored four points in six games as captain of the silver medal winning Team Ontario at the 2010 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge.


OHL Defenceman of the Month – Steven Tarasuk, London Knights
Steven Tarasuk of the London Knights led all OHL defencemen and tied for the overall league-lead in December scoring with 18 points in nine games scoring three goals and 15 assists with a plus-minus rating of plus-5. He recorded points in eight of his nine games played with six multi-point games to help the Knights to a 7-2-0-0 record. He also completed an 11-game point scoring streak that started November 15. He opened the month with the first four-point game of his career scoring two goals including a shorthanded marker and two assists as third star of an 8-1 win December 4 over the Guelph Storm. He had two three-assist games including December 12 in a 7-3 win over the Guelph Storm, and again on December 18 as first star of a 5-3 win over the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds.

Tarasuk, a 20-year-old from Thornhill, ON, is playing in his fourth OHL season and second full season with the Knights after beginning his career with the Kitchener Rangers. With 39 points in 39 games, he has already established a new career-high and currently leads the Knights in scoring and ranks fifth overall amongst OHL defencemen.


OHL Goaltender of the Month – Robin Lehner, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
Robin Lehner posted a December record of 3-0-0-1 with one shutout for the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds with a goals-against-average of 1.96 and a save percentage of .949. His shutout victory was the third of his career and was earned December 9 with 27 saves in a 7-0 win over the Saginaw Spirit. He received first star of the game honours for making 48 saves on the road in a 4-1 win over the Plymouth Whalers on December 5 and followed that up with 53 saves on December 6 despite a 6-5 shootout loss to the London Knights where he also made five saves in the extended shootout.

Lehner, an 18-year-old from Gothenburg, Sweden, was selected ninth overall by the Greyhounds in the 2009 CHL Import Draft, and in the second round, 46th overall, by the Ottawa Senators in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft. He currently carries a 13-7-0-2 record with three shutouts and the fourth best goals-against-average in the league with a mark of 2.62, and the OHL’s third best save percentage at .923.

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