Schultz named CCM/AHL Player of the Month

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. … The American Hockey League announced today that Oklahoma City Barons defenseman Justin Schultz has been selected as the CCM/AHL Player of the Month for October.

Making his professional debut, Schultz found the scoresheet in each of his seven games played during October, totaling six goals and six assists for a league-leading 12 points for the Barons.

After notching an assist in his first game on Oct. 12 at Lake Erie, Schultz scored the game-winning goal in Oklahoma City’s 3-2 victory over the Monsters the next day. In his next outing, a 5-2 win over San Antonio on Oct. 19, Schultz scored two shorthanded goals, assisted on the game-winner and notched a plus-5 rating, earning first-star honors for the game. Schultz finished the month with three consecutive two-point performances, dishing out two assists each on Oct. 23 vs. Lake Erie and Oct. 26 vs. Houston and then scoring a pair of power-play goals in a 4-2 win over Texas on Oct. 28.

Schultz, 22, signed as a free agent with the Edmonton Oilers on July 1, 2012, after three seasons at the University of Wisconsin. The native of West Kelowna, B.C., 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.

In recognition of his achievement, Schultz will be presented with an etched crystal award prior to an upcoming Barons home game.

Also see: Past winners, AHL Player of the Month