October Prospect Report

Hunter Brzustewicz On Another Level

There are never-ending stat lines for Canucks’ prospect Hunter Brzustewicz.

Most recently, he’s earned the OHL Defenceman of the Month honours and is the first Kitchener Rangers blueliner to receive the honour since Ryan Murphy in January 2012.

Brzustewicz currently leads the OHL with 25 points (5-20-25) through the first 13 games of the OHL season. He’s put together a 12-game point streak, averaging 1.92 points per game and only missed the scoresheet in Kitchener’s first game of the season.

His ability to make the right reads is what he says contributes to his success on the ice. He creates his own scoring opportunities, knows the spots to be so his teammates can find him for chances, and vice versa. 

In the Ranger’s second game of the season, the 75th overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, had four assists to help his team to an 8-0 win over Flint. He scored his first goal of the season unassisted, cutting down from the blueline to the right faceoff circle, beating the goalie stick side.

He’s been leading OHL defencemen in points since the middle of October and has had five three-point games.

Brzustewicz first took top spot in overall OHL after tallying 1 goal and 2 assists on October 20th to help the Rangers beat Owen Sound 5-3.

The Rangers are 9-4-0 on the season and sit atop the Midwest Division in the Western Conference of the OHL.

News & Notes

OHL Continued

Kirill Kudryavtsev of the Soo Greyhounds is the Cogeco OHL Player of the Week, scoring two goals and four assists.

The 19-year-old blueliner ranks fourth among OHL defencemen, recording 15 points (3-12-15) over 14 games this season. Vancouver’s seventh round (208th overall) pick in the 2022 NHL Draft has recorded 104 points (16-88–104) in 149 career OHL regular season games with the Greyhounds after being chosen sixth overall by the club in the 2021 CHL Import Draft.

AHL

Abbotsford Canucks forward Arshdeep Bains and defenceman Christian Wolanin have both had strong starts to the AHL season showing their ability to create offensively.

Bains leads the AHL in points, accumulating 13 (3-10-13) through eight games. Wolanin has 12 points (1-11-12) in the same number of games.

In the first game of the season against Laval, Bains’ had an AHL career night, with four points (1-3-4) and Wolanin had two assists. The pair have contributed to each other’s stat lines as well, Bains assisting Wolanin’s first goal of the year against the San Diego Gulls, and in the same game, Bains deflected Wolanin’s shot from the blue line for a goal of his own.

SHL

After a strong preseason with Örebro HK, Jonathan Lekkerimaki has been a factor in the SHL this season. He’s put together 11 points (8-3-11) in 14 games thus far.

NCAA

Minnesota-Duluth's freshman forward Matthew Perkins earned National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) Rookie of the Week honours.

The fourth round 119th overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft scored his first collegiate goal and had a three-point performance against Bemidji State Friday, October 20th.

His overall point total is four (1-3-4) so far.