OHL Player of the Week - Alex DeBrincat

Toronto, ON - The Ontario Hockey League today announced that 2016 NHL Draft prospect Alex DeBrincat of the Erie Otters is the Pioneer Energy OHL Player of the Week for the week ending October 4 after recording five goals in two games with a plus-minus rating of plus-5.

DeBrincat helped the Otters earn a pair of victories last week to improve their record to 4-0-0-0 as the only remaining undefeated team in the OHL. The club posted a 3-2 shootout triumph over the Flint Firebirds in Saturday night's home opener, and also earned a 6-1 road victory over the Niagara IceDogs last Thursday with DeBrincat setting a franchise regular season single game record with a five-goal performance as the game's first star. He opened the scoring in that contest with his second goal of the season at the 10 minute mark of the first period, then broke a 1-1 tie with his second of the game early in the second period. DeBrincat completed his hat-trick 53 seconds later before setting career-highs with goals four and five midway through the second and third periods respectively. While former teammate Connor McDavid netted five goals in a single playoff game last April, DeBrincat is the first OHL player to record five goals in a regular season game since both Nick Ritchie of the Peterborough Petes, and Andreas Athanasiou of the Barrie Colts in February, 2014.

DeBrincat, a 17-year-old from Detroit, Michigan, earned OHL and CHL Rookie of the Year honours in 2014-15 after scoring 51 goals and 53 assists for 104 points in 68 games. With six goals and one assist through three games of the 2015-16 campaign, DeBrincat is eligible for the 2016 NHL Draft and was one of seven OHL players listed as first round candidates by NHL Central Scouting in their September 'Players to Watch' list.

Also considered for the award this week was fellow 2016 NHL Draft prospect Logan Brown of the Windsor Spitfires who led the league with six points in two games scoring once with five assists, while forward Dante Salituro recorded four assists in one game played helping the Ottawa 67's to a 5-1 victory over the Hamilton Bulldogs. In goal, New Jersey Devils prospect Mackenzie Blackwood of the Barrie Colts posted a 2-1-0-0 record with a goals-against-average of 1.33 and save percentage of .960.