CHL Stats Snapshot – Early Season Scoring Leaders
There has been no shortage of scoring in the early goings of the 2019-20 CHL campaign as nine skaters have already collected nine or more points.
Draft-eligible Byfield off to hot start
The early scoring race begins in the OHL where Sudbury Wolves centre Quinton Byfield, the 2019 OHL and CHL Rookie of the Year who projects as a top selection in the coming 2020 NHL Draft in Montreal, has had a fast start to the new season in tallying 12 points counting six goals and six assists.
In all, four of Byfield’s five appearances this season have been multi-point efforts, including an impressive season-opening performance against the Niagara IceDogs in which he collected two goals plus one assist to come away with third-star recognition.
His @Sudbury_Wolves came up short, but top 2020 #NHLDraft prospect @byfield55 gave the scouts what they wanted to see with 2️⃣🚨 and 1️⃣🍎 to kick-off #OHLOpeningWeek. pic.twitter.com/3c0Gn5qMlV
— Ontario Hockey League (@OHLHockey) September 20, 2019
Across the OHL, other top performers include first-year import defenceman Ilya Solovyov of the Saginaw Spirit, who leads all rearguards across the circuit with 11 points, followed by London Knights centre and Washington Capitals first-round pick Connor McMichael coming in at 10 points.
Hinam steps into scoring role
In the QMJHL, veteran forward Tyler Hinam has been a top early season performer with the defending Memorial Cup champion Rouyn-Noranda Huskies as he leads the league with 10 points. That stretch saw Hinam wrap up the first week of the season with two goals and three assists totaling five points across two games, earning him a spot on the QMJHL Team of the Week.
#MemorialCup champion Tyler Hinam officially commits to @AcadiaAthletics Axemen, will join team in 2020-21. A big #AcadiaU welcome @tylerhinam , have a great season this year with @HuskiesRn Read more: https://t.co/A5dNuczGyU
— Acadia Axemen Hockey (@axemenhockey) September 23, 2019
Following a handful of key departures in Rouyn-Noranda including 2019 Jean Beliveau Trophy winner Peter Abbandonato as well as Stafford Smythe Trophy recipient Joel Teasdale, Hinam has embraced his elevated role with the Huskies in providing an invaluable veteran scoring presence.
Other top scorers from around the QMJHL include Hinam’s teammate Vincent Marleau with nine points, tying him with Cape Breton Eagles left-wing Egor Sokolov as well as fellow forward and projected 2020 first-overall selection Alexis Lafreniere of the Rimouski Oceanic. Also coming in at nine points across the CHL is Erie Otters third-year forward Maxim Golod, who has registered two goals and seven assists in five appearances.
Korczak on pace for career year
Rounding out the circuit is the WHL’s leading scorer in Moose Jaw Warriors centre Ryder Korczak, whose nine points include two goals and seven assists. The brother of Kelowna Rockets blue-liner and Vegas Golden Knights prospect Kaedan Korczak, the younger sibling brings a scoring touch to the forward ranks as evidenced by his quick start to the new campaign.
Just like that, the @MJWARRIORS are up by ✌️thanks to @Korzy19 w/ his first goal as a Warrior! #WHLOpeningWeek pic.twitter.com/BgBlC9s8gj
— The WHL (@TheWHL) September 22, 2019
This season, Korczak has come away with multi-point showings in three of four contests, including one goal and two assists in the second game of the season in a 5-3 win over the Regina Pats in which he was honoured as the game’s second star. In all, it has been such a torrent pace to the season that the second-year skater is already just six points removed from last year’s 15-point finish.