Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League, in association with the Canadian Hockey League and the Russian Ice Hockey Federation, announced today that Windsor Spitfires forward Egor Afanasyev and Ottawa 67’s defenceman Nikita Okhotyuk will represent Russia in the upcoming 2019 CIBC Canada Russia Series.
Team OHL will compete against Afanasyev, Okhotyuk and Russian National Junior Team hopefuls in Game 3 of the series on Thursday, November 7 in Kitchener before Game 4 takes place on Monday, November 11 in London.
A second round (45th overall) pick of the Nashville Predators in the 2019 NHL Draft, Afanasyev is in his first OHL season with the Windsor Spitfires after his rights were acquired from the Ottawa 67’s in December 2018. The 18-year-old from Moscow, Russia has 12 points (5-7–12) through his first 11 games of the 2019-20 season and recently signed a three-year entry-level NHL contract with the Predators last week. Afanasyev was originally Ottawa’s sixth round pick in the 2017 OHL Priority Selection.
The 6-foot-3, 205Ib. winger represented Russia at the 2017 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge in Dawson Creek and Fort St. John, BC, recording five points (2-3–5) in as many games.
A second round (61st overall) pick of the New Jersey Devils in the 2019 NHL Draft, Okhotyuk made his season debut last weekend after recovering from injury to begin 2019-20. The 18-year-old from Chelyabinsk, Russia is in his third OHL season after recording 17 points (2-15–17) over 56 games with the 67’s last season, helping guide the team to an Eastern Conference championship. The 6-foot-1, 198Ib. rearguard was Ottawa’s first round (16th overall) pick in the 2017 CHL Import Draft.
Okhotyuk represented Russia at the 2016 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., suiting up in six games as Russia claimed bronze. He wore the ‘C’ for Russia at the 2017 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, recording three points (1-2–3) in five contests. He also represented his country in the 2018 IIHF World Under-18 Hockey Championship in Chelyabinsk and Magnitogorsk, Russia, recording two assists in five contests.
In 16 years of competition, the Russian National Junior Team has played to a record of 33-60-0-3, winning last year’s series by an 11-7 mark in points.
2019 CIBC Canada Russia Series Schedule:
Game 1 – Monday November 4 at Saint John, NB
Game 2 – Tuesday November 5 at Moncton, NB
Game 3 – Thursday November 7 at Kitchener, ON
Game 4 – Monday November 11 at London, ON
Game 5 – Wednesday November 13 at Saskatoon, SK
Game 6 – Thursday November 14 at Prince Albert, SK
The 2019 CIBC Canada Russia series is proudly supported by title partner CIBC, and associate sponsors Kia Canada, Cooper Tires, and Kubota Canada. All games will be broadcast nationally on Sportsnet and TVA Sports.
For event information including how to purchase tickets please visit http://chlcanadarussia.ca.
OHL Writers 