SPRINGFIELD, Mass. … The American Hockey League announced today that Charlotte Checkers center Zach Boychuk has been named the Reebok/AHL Player of the Week for the period ending Mar. 27, 2011. In four games last week, Boychuk scored five goals and recorded five assists for 10 points as the Checkers closed in on a playoff berth in the East Division.
Entering the week without a point in his previous three games – matching his longest drought of the season – Boychuk scored two power-play goals, including the game-winner, and notched an assist as Charlotte defeated Adirondack, 5-2, on Tuesday night. He scored again in a 3-2 shootout loss at Connecticut on Friday, and scored the decisive goal while assisting on two others in a 5-4 win at Portland on Saturday. Boychuk closed out the week with another three-point effort, registering a goal and two assists in the Checkers’ 8-2 win over Norfolk on Sunday.
In recognition of his achievement, Boychuk will be presented with an etched crystal award prior to an upcoming Checkers home game.
Carolina’s first-round pick (14th overall) in the 2008 NHL draft, Boychuk has scored 22 goals and added a team-high 37 assists for 59 points in 55 games with Charlotte this season, while adding four goals and three assists in 23 NHL contests with the parent Hurricanes. The 21-year-old native of Airdrie, Alta., is in his second professional season and shows career totals of 96 points (37g, 59a) in 109 AHL games and 16 points (7g, 9a) in 56 NHL matches.
Other nominees for Reebok/AHL Player of the Week include Binghamton goaltender Robin Lehner, Chicago center Jason Krog, Connecticut right wing Derek Couture, Hamilton center Ryan Russell, Houston right wing Jed Ortmeyer, Lake Erie center Ben Walter, Manchester left wing Dwight King, Manitoba goaltender Eddie Lack, Milwaukee goaltender Jeremy Smith, Peoria right wing Graham Mink, Portland left wing Jacob Lagace, Rochester right wing Bill Thomas, Rockford goaltender Hannu Toivonen, San Antonio right wing Mathieu Beaudoin, Syracuse left wing Patrick Maroon, Texas right wing Colton Sceviour, Toronto left wing Ryan Hamilton, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton forward Bryan Lerg and Worcester right wing Patrick Davis.
Also see: Past winners, AHL Player of the Week
