Toronto, ON – The Ontario Hockey League today announced that St. Louis Blues prospect Robert Thomas of the Hamilton Bulldogs is the OHL ‘On the Run’ Player of the Week for the week ending March 4 recording seven assists in three games along with a plus-minus rating of plus-2.
Thomas produced a trio of multi-assist efforts last week helping the Bulldogs extend their winning-streak to six to clinch the OHL’s East Division title with a 41-16-3-3 record. On Thursday night he contributed two helpers including one on rookie Arthur Kaliyev’s game-winner that lifted the Bulldogs to a 5-4 overtime triumph against the Niagara IceDogs. Then on Friday night, Thomas contributed to the entire Bulldogs offense with three assists in a 3-1 win over the Ottawa 67’s earning first star honours. His week wrapped up Saturday with another two assists as part of a 4-1 victory over the Oshawa Generals where he was named the game’s second star. The win secured the first ever Leyden Trophy for the Bulldogs, symbolic of the East Division crown, and represents Hamilton’s first OHL division title since the 1976 Fincups.
An 18-year-old from Aurora, Ont., Thomas is playing in his third OHL season and first with the Bulldogs since being acquired by the club in January. Originally a second round pick of the London Knights in the 2015 OHL Priority Selection, Thomas has two goals and 20 assists in his 18 games played for Hamilton bringing his total 2017-18 production to a career-high 68 points in 45 games. The first round pick of the Blues in the 2017 NHL Draft helped Canada win gold at the 2018 IIHF World Junior Championship in Buffalo.
Watch video highlights of Thomas and the Bulldogs against the IceDogs, 67’s, and Generals.
Also considered for the award this week was Philadelphia Flyers prospect Isaac Ratcliffe of the Guelph Storm who scored five goals and two assists for seven points in three games, and 2018 NHL Draft prospect Liam Foudy of the London Knights who scored three goals and three assists for six points in three games. In goal, Leo Lazarev of the Barrie Colts posted a 2-0-0-0 record making 66 saves for a goals-against-average of 2.50 and save percentage of .930.
2017-18 OHL ‘On the Run’ Players of the Week:
Feb. 26 – Mar. 4: Robert Thomas (Hamilton Bulldogs)
Feb. 19 – Feb. 25: Jordan Kyrou (Sarnia Sting)
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 