Oil Kings’ Neighbours named WHL Rookie of the Month

Calgary, Alta. – The Western Hockey League announced today that Edmonton Oil Kings forward Jake Neighbours has been named the WHL Rookie of the Month for September and October 2018.

Neighbours recorded 14 points (5G-9A) in 17 games this month as the Oil Kings surged up the standings to sit second in the Central Division and fourth in the WHL’s Eastern Conference. His performances included three multi-point games, including the first three-point game of his WHL career.

His month included scoring the first goal of his WHL career on Saturday, September 29 in a win against the Calgary Hitmen. Last Sunday, Neighbours became the fourth first-round selection from the 2017 WHL Bantam Draft to record a multi-goal game, notching the game-winning goal at home against the Lethbridge Hurricanes.

Neighbours was twice recognized as the third star of the night in a game and recognized once as the second star of the night in the WHL. Neighbours has scored a pair of power-play goals as well to compliment his strong start to the 2018-19 WHL Regular Season.

Selected fourth overall by the Oil Kings in the 2017 WHL Bantam Draft, the 5-foot-11, 196-pound Neighbours is a product of Airdrie, Alta. Neighbours came to the Oil Kings from the Calgary Midget AAA Buffaloes program, where he recorded 57 points (26G-31A) in 33 games during the 2017-18 season.

Neighbours was a champion at the 2017 Alberta Cup and won a silver medal at the 2017 WHL Cup.

The Oil Kings are back in action on Friday, November 2 (7:00 p.m. MT) when they begin a six-game road trip against the Regina Pats.

WHL Rookie of the Month
September/October: Jake Neighbours, Edmonton Oil Kings

About the Western Hockey League
Regarded as the world’s finest development league for junior hockey players, the Western Hockey League (WHL) head office is based in Calgary, Alberta. The WHL consists of 22 member Clubs with 17 located in Western Canada and five in the U.S. Pacific Northwest. A member of the Canadian Hockey League, the WHL has been a leading supplier of talent for the National Hockey League for over 50 years. The WHL is also the leading provider of hockey scholarships with over 350 graduates each year receiving WHL Scholarships to pursue a post-secondary education of their choice. Each season, WHL players also form the nucleus of Canada’s National Junior Hockey Team.