CHL Team of the Month: October 2023
The Canadian Hockey League (CHL) announced today the October edition of the CHL Team of the Month for the 2023-24 regular season, which also considered the small number of games played in September to begin this latest campaign.
F – Zac Funk (Prince George Cougars / WHL)
14G-16A, +11 in 14 GPs in September/October
Following the month of October, no player in the CHL has tallied more points than Zac Funk of the Prince George Cougars. The 20-year-old from Coldstream, B.C., recorded 30 points in just 14 games between September and October. Averaging 2.14 points per game, the third-highest mark in the CHL (min. 5 games played), Funk has put together his impressive start to the season by registering four multi-goal games (including two hat-tricks) and eight multi-point games (including three five-point outings). He’s also been held off the scoresheet just three times this season, including just once over his last nine games. A big part of Funk’s success can be attributed to his play on the power play, where he has registered a CHL-leading nine power-play goals, which account for over a third of the Cougars’ 26 power-play goals this season. There’s no doubt that Funk’s efforts have not only helped give Prince George the best power-play in the CHL (26-of-72 / 36.1%), but it has allowed them to grab a share of first place in the WHL standings as they head into November.
F – Carson Rehkopf (Kitchener Rangers / OHL)
14G-9A, +10 in 13 GPs in September/October
Seattle Kraken prospect Carson Rehkopf of the Kitchener Rangers has enjoyed a spectacular start to the season, registering an OHL-best 14 goals along with 23 points in 13 games. Those 14 goals place him in a tie for third among all skaters in the CHL. Through the months of September and October, Rehkopf has been held off the scoresheet just twice, and maybe more impressively he’s failed to score in just four games this season. During a seven-game goal streak that recently got snapped against Owen Sound this past weekend, the 18-year-old from Vaughan, Ont., had tallied 12 goals and six assists over that stretch – which played a big part in helping the Rangers to their 9-4-0-0 start and their current second-place rank in the OHL standings. Selected in the second round (50th overall) of the 2023 NHL Draft by the Seattle Kraken, Rehkopf has had four multi-goal games to start this season – just one shy of the five he recorded over the course of the 2022-23 regular season. In addition to leading the OHL in goals, the Rangers’ centreman also leads the OHL with 62 shots on goal and three game-winning goals this season.
F – Justin Gill (Baie-Comeau Drakkar / QMJHL)
7G-18A, +7 in 13 GPs in September/October
New York Islanders prospect Justin Gill of the Baie-Comeau Drakkar capped off the month of October in style, riding an eight-game point streak, which currently stands as one of CHL’s longest active streaks. Over those eight games, Gill has collected an impressive 19 points (6G-13A) which have helped bolster his total to 25 points on the year – the most of any QMJHL skater this season. Gill’s performance has played a big part in helping the Drakkar to a CHL-best 12 wins and first place in the QMJHL. In the 13 games he played through September and October, Gill was held off the scoresheet just once all while tallying nine multi-point contests, including seven during his current eight-game point streak. The latter included a four-point outing (1G-3A) against the Shawinigan Cataractes on October 20, which matched a career-high for the 20-year-old from Montreal, Que. Selected in the fifth round (145th overall) by the New York Islanders at the 2023 NHL Draft, Gill’s 18 assists lead all QMJHL players and place him in a tie for third in the CHL. Entering November, Gill stands just three points away from picking up the 200th career point in the QMJHL – something he appears poised to reach sooner rather than later.
D – Hunter Brzustewicz (Kitchener Rangers / OHL)
5G-20A, +11 in 13 GPs in September/October
Vancouver Canucks prospect Hunter Brzustewicz of the Kitchener Rangers has arguably been one of the hottest players in the CHL. Currently riding a 12-game point streak, the second longest active streak in the CHL, Brzustewicz has been held pointless just once this season. The latter took place during the Rangers’ season-opener on September 29, meaning the Kitchener right-shot defenceman has yet to go pointless in over a month. During his current 12-game point streak, the 18-year-old from Washington, Mich., has recorded six multi-point games, which were highlighted by a career-best four-point outing (0G-4A) against the Flint Firebirds on September 30. That game against Flint was one of six games where Brzustewicz picked up multiple assists, and he leads all CHL skaters with 20 assists on the year. Sitting at 25 points on the season, the Canucks’ 2023 third-rounder (75th overall) also leads both OHL skaters and CHL defencemen in points so far during the 2023-24 campaign. Brzustewicz’s production has been a big part of the Rangers’ early success as Kitchener stands second overall in the OHL standings heading in November.
D – Graham Sward (Wenatchee Wild / WHL)
5G-19A, +13 in 13 GPs in September/October
Nashville Predators prospect Graham Sward of the Wenatchee Wild is off to the best start of his WHL career, having tallied points in all 13 games he has played in this season. His 13-game point streak stands as the longest active point streak of any player in the CHL. Through September and October, the 20-year-old from Abbotsford, B.C., registered nine multi-point games on his way to leading all WHL defencemen with both 24 points and a +13 plus/minus rating. Sward trails only Kitchener’s Brzustewicz by a single point for a share of the CHL scoring lead among defencemen. He also sits just one assist shy of Brzustewicz for the CHL lead among all skaters. Having collected a WHL-best 19 assists this season, Sward now has 100 helpers over his career in major junior hockey. The left-shot defenceman achieved the milestone in the Wild’s most recent game against Kelowna on October 28. As the Predators’ 2022 fifth-round pick (146th overall) carries his 13-game point streak into the month of November, Sward will also look to extend his streak of five consecutive games with multiple points (2G-9A over that stretch).
G – Mathis Rousseau (Halifax Mooseheads / QMJHL)
9-1-0-0, 1.80 GAA, .942 SV%, 1 SO in ten starts in September/October
Having won nine of his ten starts through the months of September and October, Mathis Rousseau of the Halifax Mooseheads has been dynamite in net for the Mooseheads. Rousseau started the 2023-24 campaign by stringing together six straight wins, including a 38-save performance where he allowed just one goal against Acadie-Bathurst. The 19-year-old from Boisbriand, Que., has turned aside 30 shots or more in four games this season and he secured his first shutout of the campaign against the Cape Breton Eagles on October 4. Rousseau’s nine wins and .942 SV% are the best of any netminder in the CHL this season, while his 1.80 GAA ranks second in the CHL (min. 6 games played). In addition to his stellar play between the pipes, Rousseau also made history when he became just the 10th goalie in the QMJHL (and the first in Mooseheads franchise history) to ever score a goal, when he potted an empty-netter against Rouyn-Noranda on October 20.