National junior teams raided the junior leagues, and winter breaks also slowed down the prospect train. Some kids took the time to stand out though, Andrew Nielsen and his 5 point weekend, Jeremy Bracco plays with the "I"ll show you" attitude to keep his numbers increasing, and Martins Dzierkals helps push the Latvians into the main group for the 2017 World Juniors in Toronto/Montreal.
Ontario Hockey League
Mitch Marner/JJ Piccinich (F) - London Knights
Mitch Marner is with Team Canada and did not play in the OHL this week.
December 16: Kitchener 3 @ London 4 0G, 1A
December 18: Guelph 4 @ London 5 (OT) 0G, 0A, +1
December 19: London 3 @ Owen Sound 4 (OT) 0G, 1A, +1
Week Totals: 0G, 2A, +2
Travis Dermott (D) - Erie Otters
Travis Dermott is with Team Canada and did not play in the OHL this week.
Nikita Korotselev (F) - Sarnia Sting
December 18: Sarnia 6 @ Mississauga 1 1G, 0A, +2
December 19: Sarnia 2 @ Erie 3 (SO) No Points
Week Totals: 1G, 0A, +2
Stephen Desrocher (D) - Kingston Frontenacs
December 18: Hamilton 4 @ Kingston 1 0G, 0A, -1
December 19: Kingston 4 @ Ottawa 2 1G, 0A, +1
You can see Desrocher's first goal as a Frontenac here
Week Totals: 1G, 0A
Jeremy Bracco (F) - Kitchener Rangers
December 16: Kitchener 3 @ London 4 0G, 2A
December 18: Sault Ste. Marie 8 @ Kitchener 5 0G, 3A, -1
Week Totals: 0G, 5A, +1
Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
Dmytro Timashov (F) - Quebec Remparts
Timashov is with Team Sweden and did not play in the QMJHL this week. Rumours are saying that he will be traded to the Shawinigan Cataracts after the World Juniors are complete. Players are usually not traded during the tournament, but deals are worked out and await official approval in January.
Martins Dzierkals (F) - Rouyn-Noranda Huskies
Dzierkals is with Team Latvia and did not play in the QMJHL this week.
2016 IIHF Mens U20 Div1 championships:
December 14: Latvia 5 - Kazakhstan 3 1G, 1A
Watch his goal here.
December 16: Norway 1 - Latvia 2 No Points
December 17: Latvia 4 - Germany 1 0G, 1A
Watch his assist here.
December 19: Latvia 3 - Italy 0 0G, 1A
Week Totals: 1G, 3A
Scott summarized Latvia's victory in the tournament here.
Cody Donaghey (D) - Halifax Mooseheads
December 17: Moncton 4 @ Halifax 1 No Points
December 18: Halifax 1 @ Saint John 3 No Points
Week Totals: No Points
Yesterday it was announced Cody Donaghey was traded from the Halifax Mooseheads to the Moncton Wildcats. You can read up on it here.
Western Hockey League
Andrew Nielsen (D) - Lethbridge Hurricanes
December 15: Lethbridge 5 @ Prince Albert 4 No Points
December 16: Lethbridge 7 @ Saskatoon 4 1G, 2A, +2
PPP User SportsNorth was at the game and wrote a fanpost on it, read it here
December 18: Lethbridge 3 @ Edmonton 1 1G, 0A
December 19: Lethbridge 6 @ Red Deer 1 0G, 1A, +2
Week Totals: 2G, 3A, +4
NCAA
Dominic Toninato / Tony Cameranesi (F) - U. Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs
Dakota Joshua (F) - Ohio State Buckeyes
Nolan Vesey (F) - U. Maine Black Bears
Christmas Break for schools means no NCAA games were played
Europe
Andreas Johnson (F) - Frolunda Indians, SHL
No games were played last week.
Katya recapped Johnson's year so far here.
Jesper Lindgren (D) - MODO, SHL
No games were played last week.
Pierre Engvall (D) - Mora IK, Allsvenskan
No games were played last week.
Fabrice Herzog (F) - Zurich Lions, Swiss A
No games were played last week.
| Player | League | Games | Points | PPG | NHL eq. |
| Mitch Marner (F) | OHL | 25 | 58 | 2.32 | 18.56 |
| Andreas Johnson (F) | SHL | 26 | 24 | 0.92 | 14.40 |
| Dymtro Timashov (F) | QMJHL | 29 | 53 | 1.83 | 13.78 |
| JJ Piccinich (F) | OHL | 31 | 39 | 1.26 | 12.48 |
| Andrew Nielsen (D) | WHL | 35 | 36 | 1.03 | 9.72 |
| Jeremy Bracco (F) | OHL | 20 | 28 | 1.40 | 8.96 |
| Travis Dermott (D) | OHL | 29 | 27 | 0.93 | 8.64 |
| Martins Dzierkals (F) | QMJHL | 26 | 33 | 1.27 | 8.58 |
| Tony Cameranesi (F) | NCHC | 15 | 17 | 1.13 | 6.97 |
| Nikita Korotselev (F) | OHL | 32 | 21 | 0.66 | 6.72 |
| Stephen Desrocher (D) | OHL | 36 | 21 | 0.58 | 6.72 |
| Fabrice Herzog (F) | NLA | 23 | 14 | 0.61 | 5.60 |
| Dominic Toninato (F) | NCHC | 17 | 7 | 0.41 | 2.87 |
| Cody Donaghey (D) | QMJHL | 21 | 11 | 0.52 | 2.86 |
| Pierre Engvall (F) | ALK | 29 | 11 | 0.38 | 2.75 |
| Jesper Lindgren (D) | SHL | 22 | 3 | 0.14 | 1.80 |
| Dakota Joshua (F) | B10 | 10 | 4 | 0.40 | 1.44 |
| Nolan Vesey (F) | HE | 16 | 2 | 0.13 | 0.74 |
A quiet week lets some prospects climb the chart. Bracco lept a few spots to almost make it into the top 5 while Nielsen bumped Dermott down to be the lone D man up top.
Lots of prospects playing in the World juniors main group starting this weekend, and we'll be doing our best to keep you updated throughout the tournament.
