OHL ‘On the Run’ Player of the Week: Nick Suzuki
Toronto, ON – The Ontario Hockey League today announced that Montreal Canadiens prospect Nick Suzuki of the Guelph Storm is the OHL ‘On the Run’ Player of the Week for the final week of playoff action ending May 12 with 10 points in four games scoring twice with eight assists and a plus-minus rating of plus-8.
Suzuki cemented his post-season MVP status with points in four straight Storm victories last week to receive the Wayne Gretzky ‘99’ Award following Guelph’s fourth Robertson Cup title defeating the Ottawa 67’s in the 2019 Rogers OHL Championship Series. The top scorer in the 2019 OHL Playoffs had a trio of three-point outings for the Storm who erased a 2-0 series deficit for a record third straight time. On home ice for Game 3 last Monday night, Suzuki contributed three assists in the 7-2 victory, then scored once with two assists in Game 4 on Wednesday earning first star honours in the 5-4 win. Back in Ottawa for Game 5 on Friday, Suzuki chipped in one assist in the 4-3 decision, then wrapped up his post-season with a goal and two assists in Sunday’s Game 6 finale on home ice earning third star honours in the 8-3 outcome. The 2019 Storm add a championship banner alongside Robertson Cup titles in 1998, 2004, and 2014, and will represent the OHL in the 2019 Memorial Cup Presented by Kia which opens Friday night in Halifax.
The Wayne Gretzky ‘99’ Award:
Presented to @CanadiensMTL prospect @nsuzuki_37 of @Storm_City voted MVP of the 2019 #OHLPlayoffs.#OHLChampionship | #OTTvsGUE pic.twitter.com/BDpkWwHpWP
— OntarioHockeyLeague (@OHLHockey) May 12, 2019
A 19-year-old from London, Ont., Suzuki finished the OHL Playoffs with a Storm franchise record 42 points including 16 goals and 26 assists over 24 games. 11 of those points came over six games in the Rogers OHL Championship Series. The former first round pick of the Vegas Golden Knights in the 2017 NHL Draft was a midseason acquisition from the Owen Sound Attack and collected 49 points in his final 29 games in crimson. His impressive four-year OHL career includes 328 points in just 251 games with a record three-straight Most Sportsmanlike Player of the Year awards. He became the Storm’s third player to receive Playoff MVP honours following Robby Fabbri in 2014 and Martin St. Pierre in 2004.
Watch video highlights of Suzuki and the Storm against the 67’s in Game 3, Game 4, Game 5, and Game 6.
Also considered for the award this week was Storm captain and fellow London native Isaac Ratcliffe. The Philadelphia Flyers prospect scored five goals and three assists for eight points in four games. On defence, Los Angeles Kings prospect Sean Durzi tallied seven assists in his final four games. In goal, Anthony Popovich stopped 99 shots in four straight wins posting a goals-against-average of 3.00 and save percentage of .892.
2018-19 OHL ‘On the Run’ Players of the Week – Playoffs:
May 6 – May 12: Nick Suzuki (Guelph Storm)
Apr. 29 – May 5: Sasha Chmelevski (Ottawa 67’s)
Apr. 22 – Apr. 28: Dmitri Samorukov (Guelph Storm)
Apr. 15 – Apr. 21: Marco Rossi (Ottawa 67’s)
Apr. 8 – Apr. 14: Kyle Keyser (Oshawa Generals)
Apr. 1 – Apr. 7: Tye Felhaber (Ottawa 67’s)
Mar. 25 – Mar. 31: Stephen Dhillon (Niagara IceDogs)
Mar. 18 – Mar. 24: Evan Bouchard (London Knights)
2018-19 OHL ‘On the Run’ Players of the Week – Regular Season:
Mar. 11 – Mar. 17: Jason Robertson (Niagara IceDogs)
Mar. 4 – Mar. 10: Greg Meireles (Kitchener Rangers)
Feb. 25 – Mar. 3: Nate Schnarr (Guelph Storm)
Feb. 18 – Feb. 24: Stephen Dhillon (Niagara IceDogs)
Feb. 11 – Feb. 17: Nando Eggenberger (Oshawa Generals)
Feb. 4 – Feb. 10: Jacob Ingham (Mississauga Steelheads)
Jan. 28 – Feb. 3: Riley Damiani (Kitchener Rangers)
Jan. 21 – Jan. 27: Liam Foudy (London Knights)
Jan. 14 – Jan. 20: Morgan Frost (Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds)
Jan. 7 – Jan. 13: Isaac Ratcliffe (Guelph Storm)
Dec. 31 – Jan. 6: Arthur Kaliyev (Hamilton Bulldogs)
Dec. 24 – Dec. 30: Kyle Maksimovich (Erie Otters)
Dec. 10 – Dec. 16: Andrew MacLean (Owen Sound Attack)
Dec. 3 – Dec. 9: Brett Neumann (Kingston Frontenacs)
Nov. 26 – Dec. 2: Jason Robertson (Niagara IceDogs)
Nov. 19 – Nov. 25: Morgan Frost (Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds)
Nov. 12 – Nov. 18: Owen Tippett (Mississauga Steelheads)
Nov. 5 – Nov. 11: Jason Robertson (Kingston Frontenacs)
Oct. 29 – Nov. 4: Kevin Hancock (Owen Sound Attack)
Oct. 22 – Oct. 28: Stephen Dhillon (Niagara IceDogs)
Oct. 15 – Oct. 21: Justin Brazeau (North Bay Battalion)
Oct. 8 – Oct. 14: Damien Giroux (Saginaw Spirit)
Oct. 1 – Oct. 7: Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (Sudbury Wolves)
Sept. 24 – Sept. 30: Lucas Chiodo (Barrie Colts)
Sept. 19 – Sept. 23: Akil Thomas (Niagara IceDogs)
