STEEL NAMED PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Calgary, Alta. – The Western Hockey League announced on Monday that Regina Pats forward Sam Steel has been named the WHL Player of the Week for the week ending March 26, 2017.
Steel registered six points (1G-5A) in two games, helping the Pats jump out to a 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven first-round playoff series with the Calgary Hitmen.
On Friday, March 24, Steel notched one assist in a 5-2 win versus Calgary before following up with an impactful five-point night on Saturday, March 25, in a 5-1 win versus Calgary in which he tallied one goal and four assists to earn first-star honours.
Steel, who signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Anaheim Ducks in December 2016, finished the 2016-17 regular season as the leading scorer in the entire Canadian Hockey League and earned the WHL’s Bob Clarke Trophy as Top Scorer with 131 points (50G-81A) in 66 contests.
A first-round pick of the Anaheim Ducks at the 2016 NHL Draft, Steel has accumulated 255 points (90G-165A) in 204 career WHL regular season outings. Additionally, he has 22 points (7G-15A) to his credit through 16 career WHL playoff games.
This is Steel’s second WHL Player of the Week honour in 2016-17. He was previously recognized for the week ending October 2, 2016.
The 6-foot, 180-pound product of Sherwood Park, Alta., was originally a first-round selection (second overall) of the Regina Pats at the 2013 WHL Bantam Draft.
Steel and the Pats will look to maintain momentum in their best-of-seven first-round series with the Calgary Hitmen as the series shifts to the Scotiabank Saddledome for Game 3, scheduled for Tuesday, March 28 at 7 p.m. MT.
