Blades’ Kirby Dach named CHL Player of the Week
Toronto, ON – The Canadian Hockey League today announced that 2019 NHL Draft prospect Kirby Dach of the Saskatoon Blades is the CHL Player of the Week for the opening week of regular season action ending September 23 after scoring three goals and four assists for seven points in two games with a plus-minus rating of plus-5.
Dach produced back-to-back multi-point performances leading the Blades to a home-and-home series sweep over the defending WHL champion Swift Current Broncos. He assisted on both of the club’s goals in Friday’s season opening 2-1 victory, then recorded his first career hat-trick on home ice Saturday while adding two helpers as first star of the 8-0 win. The five-point effort is a new career-high as the Blades begin a season 2-0 for the first time since 2011-12.
A 17-year-old from Fort Saskatchewan, Alta., Dach is playing in his second full season with the Blades after being chosen by the club with the second overall pick in the 2016 WHL Bantam Draft. He finished fourth in rookie scoring a year ago with 46 points in 52 games and was a member of Canada’s gold medal winning under-18 team at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup.
Also considered for the award this week was QMJHL rookie Josh Lawrence of the Saint John Sea Dogs scoring two goals and two assists for four points in two games, and Los Angeles Kings prospect Akil Thomas of the Niagara IceDogs who scored once with four assists for five points in just one game to start his OHL season.
2018-19 CHL Players of the Week – Regular Season:
Sept. 19 – Sept. 23: Kirby Dach (Saskatoon Blades)
Petes’ Hunter Jones named Vaughn CHL Goaltender of the Week
Toronto, ON – The Canadian Hockey League today announced that 2019 NHL Draft prospect Hunter Jones of the Peterborough Petes is the Vaughn CHL Goaltender of the Week for the opening week of regular season action ending September 23 after posting a 2-0-0-0 record including a shutout victory for a goals-against-average of 1.50 and save percentage of .962.
Jones turned aside 75 shots last week for the Petes who finished OHL opening week with a pair of victories against fellow East Division competition. On Thursday night he recorded his first career OHL shutout with 38 saves to earn first star honours blanking the Kingston Frontenacs by a 4-0 score, then made 37 saves on Sunday and earned second star honours in a 7-3 triumph over the Ottawa 67’s.
A recently turned 18-year-old from Brantford, Ont., Jones was originally chosen by the Petes in the fifth round of the 2016 OHL Priority Selection. He appeared in 15 contests last season earning three victories with a goals-against-average of 5.14 and save percentage of .866.
Also considered for the award this week was Vegas Golden Knights prospect Dylan Ferguson of the Kamloops Blazers who opened the season with a 2-0-0-0 record while stopping 64 shots for a goals-against-average of 1.00 and save percentage of .970. In the QMJHL, Tristan Berube of the Gatineau Olympiques posted a 2-0-0-0 record stopping 86 shots for a goals-against-average of 2.50 and save percentage of .945.
2018-19 Vaughn CHL Goaltenders of the Week – Regular Season:
Sept. 19 – Sept. 23: Hunter Jones (Peterborough Petes)
OHL Writers 