Toronto, ON – The Canadian Hockey League today announced that Anaheim Ducks prospect Sam Steel of the Regina Pats is the CHL Player of the Week for the first week of playoff action ending March 26 after scoring once with five assists for six points in two games and a plus-minus rating of plus-5.

Steel helped the CHL’s top ranked Pats open the 2017 WHL Playoffs with a pair of victories on home ice against the Eastern Conference’s second Wild Card Calgary Hitmen in their first round best-of-seven series. Steel picked up an assist in Friday’s 5-2 victory in Game 1, then recorded a five-point performance in Saturday’s Game 2 scoring once with four assists as first star of the 5-1 win. The series now shifts to Calgary with Game 3 scheduled for Tuesday night followed by Game 4 on Thursday.

A 19-year-old from Sherwood Park, AB, Steel is playing in his third full season with the Pats who selected him second overall in the 2013 WHL Bantam Draft. Steel led all CHL players in scoring during the 2016-17 campaign earning the WHL’s Bob Clarke Trophy with 131 points powered by 50 goals and 81 assists in 66 games. He was chosen in the first round of the 2016 NHL Draft by the Ducks and signed his entry-level contract with the club in December.

Also considered for the award this week was Tampa Bay Lightning prospect Anthony Cirelli of the OHL’s first place Erie Otters who scored three goals and two assists for five points in two first round playoff wins against the Sarnia Sting. In the QMJHL, Nashville Predators prospect Frédéric Allard of the Chicoutimi Sagueneens collected five assists in two first round playoff wins against the Victoriaville Tigres.

2016-17 CHL Post-Season Players of the Week:

Mar. 20 – Mar. 26: Sam Steel (Regina Pats)

2016-17 CHL Regular Season Players of the Week:

Mar. 13 – Mar. 19: Brandon Hagel (Red Deer Rebels)

Mar. 6 – Mar. 12: Daniel Sprong (Charlottetown Islanders)

Feb. 27 – Mar. 5: Gabriel Vilardi (Windsor Spitfires)

Feb. 20 – Feb. 26: Michael McLeod (Mississauga Steelheads)

Feb. 13 – Feb. 19: Christophe Boivin (Acadie-Bathurst Titan)

Feb. 6 – Feb. 12: Mathew Barzal (Seattle Thunderbirds)

Jan. 30 – Feb. 5: Alex DeBrincat (Erie Otters)

Jan. 23 – Jan. 29: Tyler Boland (Rimouski Oceanic)

Jan. 16 – Jan. 22: Alexis D’Aoust (Shawinigan Cataractes)

Jan. 9 – Jan. 15: Kole Sherwood (Flint Firebirds)

Jan. 2 – Jan. 8: Brayden Burke (Moose Jaw Warriors)

Dec. 26 – Jan. 1: Adam Brooks (Regina Pats)

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)