Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League today announced Top Performers of the Week for the week of regular season games ending Sunday, December 5, 2021
Spitfires’ Wyatt Johnston Named OHL Player of the Week
Dallas Stars prospect Wyatt Johnston of the Windsor Spitfires is the OHL Player of the Week with nine points including two goals and seven assists in two games along with a plus/minus rating of plus-5.
Johnston extended his point streak to 14 games, helping the Spitfires collect three of a possible four points last week. He recorded three primary assists and went 14-for-17 in the faceoff circle in Thursday’s 5-4 overtime loss to the Erie Otters. He followed-up with a career-high six points, scoring twice while adding four assists in a 7-5 road win over the Sarnia Sting on Friday. The six points are the most in a single game by a Spitfires player since Josh Ho-Sang put up a similar stat line on Feb. 9, 2014 against North Bay.
An 18-year-old from Toronto, Ont., Johnston leads the Spitfires with 36 points (13-23–36) over 21 games, with a current 14-game point streak dating back to Oct. 28th. The 6-foot-2, 181Ib. centre’s 1.71 points-per-game mark the fourth-highest pace in the OHL. Johnston was selected by the Dallas Stars with the 23rd overall pick of the 2021 NHL Draft. He was originally Windsor’s first round (6th overall) pick in the 2019 OHL Priority Selection from the Toronto Marlboros U16 program.
Johnston becomes the first Spitfires player to earn Player of the Week honours since Aaron Luchuk last did so in October 2017.
Other players considered for the award this week include San Jose Sharks prospect Brandon Coe of the North Bay Battalion who put up seven points (3-4–7) over two victories. Coe leads the League with 46 points (14-32–46) over 24 games. Top 2022 NHL Draft prospect Shane Wright of the Kingston Frontenacs was also a candidate, recording eight points (2-6–8) over three victories.
2021-22 OHL Players of the Week – Regular Season:
Nov. 29 – Dec. 5: Wyatt Johnston (Windsor Spitfires)
Nov. 22 – Nov. 28: Brennan Othmann (Flint Firebirds)
Nov. 15 – Nov. 21: Brandon Coe (North Bay Battalion)
Nov. 8 – Nov. 14: Antonio Stranges (London Knights)
Nov. 1 – Nov. 7: Shane Wright (Kingston Frontenacs)
Oct. 25 – Oct. 31: Tucker Robertson (Peterborough Petes)
Oct. 18 – Oct. 24: Rory Kerins (Soo Greyhounds)
Oct. 11 – Oct. 17: Calum Ritchie (Oshawa Generals)
Oct. 4 – Oct. 10: Jack Thompson (Sudbury Wolves)
Frontenacs’ Leevi Merilainen Named OHL Goaltender of the Week
Ottawa Senators prospect Leevi Merilainen of the Kingston Frontenacs has been named the OHL Goaltender of the Week after he went 2-0 with a 0.50 goals-against average, a .980 save percentage and one shutout.
Merilainen stopped 48 of the 49 shots that came his way as Kingston defeated Oshawa and Ottawa on home ice to exit the weekend as the first place team in the East Division. The 6-foot-2, 160Ib. Finnish netminder stopped all 28 shots he faced on Friday for his first career OHL shutout as the Frontenacs blanked the Generals 5-0. Merilainen was solid again on Sunday, making 20 saves in a 5-1 win over the Ottawa 67’s.
A 19-year-old from Oulu, Finland, Merilainen sits tied for second in OHL wins with 12 on the season, playing to an overall record of 12-4-3-0 with a 3.10 goals-against average and .897 save percentage. He leads all netminders, stopping all 13 shootout opponents he has faced this season to help the Frontenacs win three shootouts. The first-year goaltender was a third round (71st overall) pick of the Ottawa Senators in the 2020 NHL Draft, and signed an entry-level contract with the franchise on June 14, 2021. Merilainen was Kingston’s first round (48th overall) pick in the 2021 CHL Import Draft.
Also considered for the award this week, Flint Firebirds goaltender Ian Michelone went 2-1 across three consecutive starts, making 100 saves while posting his first career OHL shutout on Thursday. Samuel Ivanov of the Soo Greyhounds won a pair of outings, posting a 2.00 goals-against average as the Greyhounds maintained top spot in the West Division.
2021-22 OHL Goaltenders of the Week – Regular Season:
Nov. 29 – Dec. 5: Leevi Merilainen (Kingston Frontenacs)
Nov. 22 – Nov. 28: Tye Austin (Peterborough Petes)
Nov. 15 – Nov. 21: Ben Gaudreau (Sarnia Sting)
Nov. 8 – Nov. 14: Joe Vrbetic (North Bay Battalion
Nov. 1 – Nov. 7: Roman Basran (Mississauga Steelheads)
Oct. 25 – Oct. 31: Patrick Leaver (Oshawa Generals)
Oct. 18 – Oct. 24: Jacob Oster (Guelph Storm)
Oct. 11 – Oct. 17: Brett Brochu (London Knights)
Oct. 4 – Oct. 10: Tucker Tynan (Niagara IceDogs)
About the Ontario Hockey League
The Ontario Hockey League is a proud member of the Canadian Hockey League which is the world’s largest development hockey league with 60 teams in nine Canadian provinces and four American states. In addition to the OHL, the CHL is made up of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and the Western Hockey League. The CHL supplies more players to the National Hockey League and U SPORTS than any other league.
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