Katchouk and Samson lead first place Greyhounds and Armada
Greyhounds’ Boris Katchouk named CHL Player of the Week
Toronto, ON – The Canadian Hockey League today announced that Tampa Bay Lightning prospect Boris Katchouk of the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds is the CHL Player of the Week for the playoff week ending April 22 with eight points in three games including five goals and three assists along with a plus-minus rating of plus-8.
Katchouk made an impact in two different OHL playoff matchups last week including a Game 7 victory over the Owen Sound Attack in the second round and in two wins to open the league’s Western Conference Championship Series against the Kitchener Rangers. The Greyhounds were able to prevail in a wild series deciding game last Tuesday night on home ice with Katchouk delivering the best playoff performance of his career scoring a hat-trick plus an assist as first star of the 9-7 win over the Attack. In the West Final he contributed an assist in Friday’s 3-2 opener, then scored two goals and an assist on Saturday in Game 2 earning first star honours in the 4-2 decision. Following a 3-0 loss on Monday the Greyhounds now hold a 2-1 series lead against the Rangers in the battle for the Wayne Gretzky Trophy.
A 19-year-old from Waterloo, Ont., Katchouk leads the OHL in playoff scoring with 13 goals and 10 assists for 23 points in 13 games. Originally chosen by the club in the second round of the 2014 OHL Priority Selection, the four-year Greyhound produced career-high offensive numbers in 2017-18 including 42 goals and 43 assists for 85 points in 58 games. He was selected by the Lightning in the second round of the 2016 NHL Draft and won gold with Canada at the 2018 IIHF World Junior Championship.
Also considered for the award this week was Anaheim Ducks prospect Antoine Morand of the Acadie-Bathurst Titan who scored four goals and one assist for five points in two games against the Victoriaville Tigres in the QMJHL Semi-Finals. In the WHL, Florida Panthers prospect Aleksi Heponiemi of the Swift Current Broncos scored two goals and four assists for six points in three games which included a Game 7 win over the Moose Jaw Warriors in second round action and two Eastern Conference Final victories against the Lethbridge Hurricanes.
2017-18 CHL Players of the Week – Playoffs:
Apr. 16 – Apr. 22: Boris Katchouk (Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds)
Apr. 9 – Apr. 15: Jake Bean (Tri-City Americans)
Apr. 2 – Apr. 8: Pascal Aquin (Charlottetown Islanders)
Mar. 26 – Apr. 1: Gabriel Vilardi (Kingston Frontenacs)
Mar. 19 – Mar. 25: Brad Morrison (Lethbridge Hurricanes)
2017-18 CHL Players of the Week – Regular Season:
Mar. 12 – Mar. 18: Dillon Dube (Kelowna Rockets)
Mar. 5 – Mar. 11: Jayden Halbgewachs (Moose Jaw Warriors)
Feb. 26 – Mar. 4: Maxime Comtois (Victoriaville Tigres)
Feb. 19 – Feb. 25: Jordan Kyrou (Sarnia Sting)
Feb. 12 – Feb. 18: Aaron Luchuk (Barrie Colts)
Feb. 5 – Feb. 11: Maxime Comtois (Victoriaville Tigres)
Jan. 29 – Feb. 4: Ty Ronning (Vancouver Giants)
Jan. 22 – Jan. 28: Peter Abbandonato (Rouyn-Noranda Huskies)
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: Ivan Kosorenkov (Victoriaville Tigres)
Dec. 11 – Dec. 17: Morgan Frost (Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds)
Dec. 4 – Dec. 10: Stelio Mattheos (Brandon Wheat Kings)
Nov. 27 – Dec. 3: Alex Barré-Boulet (Blainville-Boisbriand Armada)
Nov. 20 – Nov. 26: Cody Glass (Portland Winterhawks)
Nov. 13 – Nov. 19: Cliff Pu (London Knights)
Nov. 6 – Nov. 12: Aleksi Heponiemi (Swift Current Broncos)
Oct. 30 – Nov. 5: Albert Michnac (Mississauga Steelheads)
Oct. 23 – Oct. 29: Aaron Luchuk (Windsor Spitfires)
Oct. 16 – Oct. 22: Drake Batherson (Cape Breton Screaming Eagles)
Oct. 9 – Oct. 15: Tyler Soy (Victoria Royals)
Oct. 2 – Oct. 8: Kale Clague (Brandon Wheat Kings)
Sept. 25 – Oct. 1: Tyler Steenbergen (Swift Current Broncos)
Sept. 21 – Sept. 24: Kole Lind (Kelowna Rockets)
Armada’s Émile Samson named Vaughn CHL Goaltender of the Week
Toronto, ON – The Canadian Hockey League today announced that Émile Samson of the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada is the Vaughn CHL Goaltender of the Week for the playoff week ending April 22 after posting a 2-0 record including one shutout for a goals-against-average of 0.50 and save percentage of .979.
Samson turned aside 47 of the 48 shots he faced last week as the Armada opened their QMJHL Semi-Final series with a pair of victories on home ice against the Charlottetown Islanders. On Friday night he made 19 saves and was named first star in the 3-1 win, then had a 28-save performance in Game 2 on Saturday again earning first star honours in the 1-0 decision. The win was not only his first career post-season shutout, but also his 23rd consecutive game without a regulation loss with the streak dating back to December 10. The series continues on Tuesday night in Charlottetown.
A 19-year-old rookie from Lévis, Quebec, Samson joined the Armada as a free agent in 2016. He currently holds a perfect 9-0 record in the QMJHL playoffs while his goals-against-average of 1.73 and save percentage of .929 are both top marks among league leaders. During the regular season he appeared in 27 games for the Armada with 17 victories earning a goals-against-average of 2.12 and save percentage of .907.
Also considered for the award this week was Edmonton Oilers prospect Stuart Skinner of the Swift Current Broncos who posted a 3-0 record including a Game 7 victory over the Moose Jaw Warriors in the second round plus two Eastern Conference Championship wins against the Lethbridge Hurricanes making a total of 100 saves for a goals-against-average of 1.58 and save percentage of .952. In the OHL, Detroit Red Wings prospect Kaden Fulcher of the Hamilton Bulldogs posted a 3-0 record against the Kingston Frontenacs to open the Eastern Conference Championship Series making 75 saves for a goals-against-average of 1.33 and save percentage of .949.
2017-18 Vaughn CHL Goaltenders of the Week – Playoffs:
Apr. 16 – Apr. 22: Émile Samson (Blainville-Boisbriand Armada)
Apr. 9 – Apr. 15: Evan Fitzpatrick (Acadie-Bathurst Titan)
Apr. 2 – Apr. 8: Patrick Dea (Tri-City Americans)
Mar. 26 – Apr. 1: Carter Hart (Everett Silvertips)
Mar. 19 – Mar. 25: Stuart Skinner (Swift Current Broncos)
2017-18 Vaughn CHL Goaltenders of the Week – Regular Season:
Mar. 12 – Mar. 18: Patrick Dea (Tri-City Americans)
Mar. 5 – Mar. 11: Etienne Montpetit (Victoriaville Tigres)
Feb. 26 – Mar. 4: Shane Farkas (Portland Winterhawks)
Feb. 19 – Feb. 25: Emanuel Vella (Mississauga Steelheads)
Feb. 12 – Feb. 18: Riley Lamb (Red Deer Rebels)
Feb. 5 – Feb. 11: Brody Willms (Moose Jaw Warriors)
Jan. 29 – Feb. 4: Zachary Bouthillier (Chicoutimi Sagueneens)
Jan. 22 – Jan. 28: Jeremy Helvig (Kingston Frontenacs)
Jan. 15 – Jan. 21: Mario Culina (Kitchener Rangers)
Jan. 8 – Jan. 14: Stuart Skinner (Swift Current Broncos)
Jan. 1 – Jan. 7: Samuel Harvey (Rouyn-Noranda Huskies)
Dec. 25 – Dec. 31: James Porter (Kelowna Rockets)
Dec. 11 – Dec. 17: Tristan Bérubé (Gatineau Olympiques)
Dec. 4 – Dec. 10: Carter Hart (Everett Silvertips)
Nov. 27 – Dec. 3: Carter Hart (Everett Silvertips)
Nov. 20 – Nov. 26: Carter Hart (Everett Silvertips)
Nov. 13 – Nov. 19: Anthony Morrone (Victoriaville Tigres)
Nov. 6 – Nov. 12: Justin Fazio (Sarnia Sting)
Oct. 30 – Nov. 5: Cole Kehler (Portland Winterhawks)
Oct. 23 – Oct. 29: Dustin Wolf (Everett Silvertips)
Oct. 16 – Oct. 22: Samuel Harvey (Rouyn-Noranada Huskies)
Oct. 9 – Oct. 15: Logan Flodell (Swift Current Broncos)
Oct. 2 – Oct. 8: Cole Kehler (Portland Winterhawks)
Sept. 25 – Oct. 1: Dereck Baribeau (Quebec Remparts)
Sept. 21 – Sept. 24: Michael DiPietro (Windsor Spitfires)
OHL Writers 