Monday December 7, 2015

Toronto, ON – The Ontario Hockey League today announced that Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Mitchell Marner of the London Knights is the Pioneer Energy OHL Player of the Week for the week ending December 6 after leading the league with 11 points in three games scoring seven goals and four assists with a plus-minus rating of plus-6.

Marner recorded three multi-point performances last week extending his league-high point-streak to 19 games and earned first star honours in all three Knights’ victories. He scored back-to-back hat-tricks with game-winning goals in both contests Friday night in a 6-1 win over Western Conference rivals the Windsor Spitfires, and Saturday in a 7-2 win over the Ottawa 67’s. In Saturday’s contest Marner matched a season-high with five points tallying two assists to go along with his three goals, the highlight of which was a first period shorthanded breakaway marker that sent 9,678 stuffed animals to the ice as part of the club’s 15th annual Teddy Bear Toss festivities. His week wrapped up Sunday afternoon with a goal and two assists as part of a 5-2 win over the Guelph Storm. The Knights have now won seven-straight games but remain third in the Midwest Division standings with a 21-4-1-1 record for 44 points.

An 18-year-old from Thornhill, ON, Marner is playing in his third career season with the Knights after being a first round pick of the club in the 2013 OHL Priority Selection. The fourth overall pick of the Maple Leafs in the 2015 NHL Draft has 58 points in 25 games and is now tied for the lead in OHL scoring with teammate Christian Dvorak who earned last week’s honour. Marner is one of 13 OHL players who will compete for a spot on Canada’s National Junior Team with Selection Camp opening this week in Toronto.

Watch video highlights of Marner and the Knights against the Spitfires, 67’s, and Storm.

Also considered for the award this week were a pair of 2015 NHL Draft first round picks including Zachary Senyshyn of the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds and Pavel Zacha of the Sarnia Sting who both recorded nine points and led their clubs to three-straight wins. Senyshyn, a Boston Bruins prospect, scored seven goals and two assists while Zacha, a New Jersey Devils prospect, scored four goals and five assists. In goal, Devin Williams of the Erie Otters made 44 saves while posting a 2-0-0-0 record including a shutout victory with a goals-against-average of 0.96 and save percentage of .957.

2015-16 Pioneer Energy OHL Players of the Week:

Nov. 30 – Dec. 6: Mitchell Marner (London Knights)

Nov. 23 – Nov. 29: Christian Dvorak (London Knights)

Nov. 16 – Nov. 22: Pavel Zacha (Sarnia Sting)

Nov. 9 – Nov. 15: Devin Williams (Erie Otters)

Nov. 2 – Nov. 8: Dylan Strome (Erie Otters)

Oct. 26 – Nov. 1: Tyler Parsons (London Knights)

Oct. 19 – Oct. 25: Kevin Labanc (Barrie Colts)

Oct. 12 – Oct. 18: Zach Bratina (North Bay Battalion)

Oct. 5 – Oct. 11: Hunter Garlent (Peterborough Petes)

Sept. 28 – Oct. 4: Alex DeBrincat (Erie Otters)

Sept. 21 – Sept. 27: Zack Bowman (Flint Firebirds)