Toronto, ON – The Canadian Hockey League today announced that Columbus Blue Jackets prospect Vitalii Abramov of the Gatineau Olympiques is the CHL Player of the Week for the first half week ending December 18 scoring five goals and six assists for 11 points in three games with a plus-minus rating of plus-7.

Abramov recorded a trio of multi-point performances and was named first star in all three games for the Olympiques who picked up four points on the road heading into the holiday break. Last Monday night he recorded a career-high six points including two goals and four assists in an 8-1 win over the Quebec Remparts, then tallied two goals and an assist on Friday as part of a 5-3 win over the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada, finishing the week with a goal and an assist on Saturday despite a 5-4 loss to the Sherbrooke Phoenix.

The 18-year-old Russian is playing in his second career season with the Olympiques who chose him 13th overall in the 2015 CHL Import Draft. So far this season he has 23 goals and 22 assists for 45 points in 32 games after a rookie campaign where he produced 38 goals and 55 assists for 93 points in 63 games. He was selected by the Blue Jackets in the third round of the 2016 NHL Draft.

Also considered for the award this week was Anaheim Ducks prospect Deven Sideroff of the Kamloops Blazers who scored five goals and three assists for eight points in four games, and New York Rangers prospect Tim Gettinger of the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds with four goals and two assists for six points in three games.

2016-17 CHL Players of the Week:

Dec. 12 – Dec. 18: Vitalii Abramov (Gatineau Olympiques)

Dec. 5 – Dec. 11: Hayden Hodgson (Saginaw Spirit)

Nov. 28 – Dec. 4: Sergey Zborovskiy (Regina Pats)

Nov. 21 – Nov. 27: Jayden Halbgewachs (Moose Jaw Warriors)

Nov. 14 – Nov. 20: Alexander Katerinakis (Blainville-Boisbriand Armada)

Nov. 7 – Nov. 13: Nico Hischier (Halifax Mooseheads)

Oct. 31 – Nov. 6: Alex DeBrincat (Erie Otters)

Oct. 24 – Oct. 30: Bobby MacIntyre (Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds)

Oct. 17 – Oct. 23: Kale Clague (Brandon Wheat Kings)

Oct. 10 – Oct. 16: Jeremy Bracco (Kitchener Rangers)

Oct. 3 – Oct. 9: Cameron Askew (Moncton Wildcats)

Sept. 26 – Oct. 2: Sam Steel (Regina Pats)

Sept. 21 – Sept. 25: Kameron Kielly (Charlottetown Islanders)