It hasn’t taken long for West Kelowna’s Justin Schultz to make an impact in the professional ranks.
The former Westside Warriors defenceman and current property of the NHL’s Edmonton Oilers, has been named the CCM/American Hockey League player of the week.
A rookie blue liner with the AHL’s Oklahoma City Barons, Schultz tallied three goals, added an assist and posted a plus-6 rating in three games last week.
Schultz was named the game’s first star in the Barons’ home opener last Friday night, scoring two shorthanded goals, assisting on the game-winning goal, recording six shots and compiling a plus-5 rating in Oklahoma City’s 5-2 victory over San Antonio.
The next night, Schultz scored again and earned second-star honours in a 5-3 loss to Lake Erie.
Schultz, 22, was drafted in 2008 by the Anaheim Ducks, but signed as a free agent with the Oilers on June 30 of this year after three seasons at the University of Wisconsin.
Schultz was twice named the WCHA’s Defensive Player of the Year and was one of 10 finalists for the Hobey Baker Award in both 2010-11 and 2011-12.
The 6-foot-2, 185-pound native of West Kelowna leads all AHL blueliners with four goals and is second with six points through four games with Oklahoma City this season.
