In related news to last week’s news of Devils prospects being honored by their junior/college leagues, the Devils official website is reporting that Blake Speers has been named the Player of the Week (ending March 20) for the Ontario Hockey League.
The Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario native, who plays for his hometown Greyhounds, was a third round selection of the Devils in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft (67th overall). He finished the week with three goals and five assists in three games and a plus-2 rating. According to the Devils’ website, he had two assists on Wednesday against the Saginaw Spirit (a 5-4 loss), a goal and an assist Friday against the Flint Firebirds (a 6-1 win), and two goals and two assists in the season capper against the Guelph Storm (an 8-3 win). All of those games came at home in front of his hometown fans.
The 19-year-old centerman led the Greyhounds in scoring this season and, according to the press release the Devils put out, had career highs in all offensive categories. He finished the 2015-16 OHL campaign with 26 goals, 48 assists for 74 points and played in all 68 games on the Greyhounds’ slate.
The Greyhounds finished the season in seventh place. They will begin the OHL playoffs with a first round series against fellow Devils prospect Pavel Zacha and the Sarnia Sting.