Toronto, ON – The Ontario Hockey League today announced that Ottawa Senators prospect Aaron Luchuk of the Barrie Colts is the OHL ‘On the Run’ Player of the Week for the week ending February 18 after leading the league with nine points in three games including three goals and six assists with a plus-minus rating of plus-3.
Luchuk earns the award for the second time this season but first as a member of the Colts. His three-straight multi-point performances led Barrie to a trio of victories last week officially clinching a berth in the 2018 OHL Playoffs with a 34-19-2-1 record atop the Central Division standings. His week began by earning first star honours on Wednesday with a goal and two assists in an 8-5 Valentine’s Day victory over the Flint Firebirds. On Thursday night Luchuk received a warm welcome back to Windsor facing the team he helped capture the 2017 Mastercard Memorial Cup title. Following a pre-game video tribute, the former Spitfires captain took over recording four points in the 5-4 Colts triumph including the overtime winner and first star honours bringing a storybook end to a special night. His week wrapped up Saturday with a goal and an assist extending his personal point-streak to 14 games and claiming third star honours in a 3-1 win over the Niagara IceDogs.
A 20-year-old from Kingston, Ont., Luchuk is playing in his fourth full OHL season. He was chosen in the fourth round by the Spitfires in the 2013 OHL Priority Selection and played 236 career games with the club before joining the Colts in December. In 26 games with Barrie he’s produced 15 goals and 28 assists for 43 points and is currently tied for the OHL scoring lead with 94 points overall. Luchuk was signed by the Senators to an entry-level contract as a free agent in December.
Watch video highlights of Luchuk and the Colts against the Firebirds, Spitfires, and IceDogs.
Minnesota Wild prospect Dmitry Sokolov also had a strong week for the Colts scoring four goals and four assists for eight points in three games, while Vegas Golden Knights prospect Nick Suzuki of the Owen Sound Attack scored four goals and three assists for seven points in three games. In goal, Los Angeles Kings prospect Matthew Villalta of the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds posted a 2-0-0-0 record with one shutout making 44 saves overall for a goals-against-average of 0.50 and save percentage of .978.
2017-18 OHL ‘On the Run’ Players of the Week:
Feb. 12 – Feb. 18: Aaron Luchuk (Barrie Colts)
Feb. 5 – Feb. 11: Liam Foudy (London Knights)
Jan. 29 – Feb. 4: Kenny Huether (Oshawa Generals)
Jan. 22 – Jan. 28: Jeremy Helvig (Kingston Frontenacs)
Jan. 15 – Jan. 21: Jordan Kyrou (Sarnia Sting)
Jan. 8 – Jan. 14: Taylor Raddysh (Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds)
Jan. 1 – Jan. 7: Owen Tippett (Mississauga Steelheads)
Dec. 25 – Dec. 31: Ben Jones (Niagara IceDogs)
Dec. 11 – Dec. 17: Morgan Frost (Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds)
Dec. 4 – Dec. 10: Justin Brazeau (North Bay Battalion)
Nov. 27 – Dec. 3: Joseph Garreffa (Kitchener Rangers)
Nov. 20 – Nov. 26: Serron Noel (Oshawa Generals)
Nov. 13 – Nov. 19: Cliff Pu (London Knights)
Nov. 6 – Nov. 12: Ryan Merkley (Guelph Storm)
Oct. 30 – Nov. 5: Albert Michnac (Mississauga Steelheads)
Oct. 23 – Oct. 29: Aaron Luchuk (Windsor Spitfires)
Oct. 16 – Oct. 22: Jordan Kyrou (Sarnia Sting)
Oct. 9 – Oct. 15: Brady Hinz (Sarnia Sting)
Oct. 2 – Oct. 8: Nick Suzuki (Owen Sound Attack)
Sept. 25 – Oct. 1: Jonathan Ang (Peterborough Petes)
Sept. 21 – Sept. 24: Michael DiPietro (Windsor Spitfires)
OHL Writers 