Photo: @Capitals
The American Hockey League (AHL) announced today that Capitals prospect and Hershey Bears forward Connor McMichael has been selected as the CCM/AHL Player of the Week for the period ending May 16, 2021.
Brett Leason to Connor McMichael for his 13th goal of the season, gives the Bears a 3-1 lead. #ALLCAPS #CapsProspect #HBH pic.twitter.com/SklPhzNFZs
— NoVa Caps (@NoVa_Caps) May 15, 2021
Bears head coach Spencer Carbery said after Sunday’s season finale that this weekend was McMichael’s best weekend of the season. “Very Connor McMichael-ish. Best weekend of the season from him. In these two games, where, that’s what’s on the line; the division title, the league title, our last game of the season. Potentially he’s not gonna play again for four months. He wants to leave everything on the ice. And those were his best two games of the year, and he’s had some pretty good games. Those were just phenomenal.”
Connor Mc Money! His 14th of the season. He leads the Bears in goals and points. #CapsProspect #ALLCAPS #HBH pic.twitter.com/bqIwNlhplW
— NoVa Caps (@NoVa_Caps) May 16, 2021
McMichael led all Bears in goals and points for the 2020-21 season. He was tied for first among all AHL rookies in goals, and 6th among all rookies in points. He also led the league in game-winning goals for the season with eight.
Nice feed from Connor McMichael to Brett Leason for a 5-on-3 goal. It’s Leason’s second goal of the game and 9th of the season. McMichael had 1g, 3a in game. Bears lead 5-2. #HBH #CapsProspect #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/qGK4UjopPb
— NoVa Caps (@NoVa_Caps) May 16, 2021
“He’s the real deal, but I think the best compliment [that] I can pay Mics is [that] he’s a gamer,” said Hershey Bears Head Coach Spencer Carbery to ABC27.
“When the games get really competitive, tight game 1-1 in the third period, a hostile environment in Wilkes and it’s a chippy game, he plays his best in [those] big moments,” Carbery said. “Especially for someone that young, usually situations like that overwhelm them. Usually it’s like ‘woah, I’m just trying to find my footing.’ [But] he embraces it and wants the puck and wants to be the guy. It’s almost like the bigger the situation, the better he plays, which is really, really impressive at his age.”
MORE FROM HERSHEY BEARS
Springfield, MA-May 16, 2021) -The American Hockey League announced today that Hershey Bears forward Connor McMichael has been selected as the CCM/AHL Player of the Week for the period ending May 16, 2021.
McMichael, 20, tallied two goals and four assists for six points in two games, helping Hershey secure the best record in the AHL for the 2020-21 season. On Saturday night, McMichael scored the decisive goal in the Bears’ 3-2 win over Binghamton, his league-leading eighth game-winning tally of the year. And in Sunday’s season finale, McMichael registered a goal and three assists for his first career four-point effort as Hershey defeated Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, 5-2 at GIANT Center.
McMichael finished first on Hershey in scoring, registering 27 points (14g, 13a) in 33 games during his rookie season. He is the first rookie to lead the Bears in scoring since Craig Fisher collected a team-best 79 points in 77 games during the 1990-91 campaign.
In addition to his strong season in Hershey, McMichael also made his NHL debut with the Capitals this season, appearing in one game, and captured a silver medal with Canada at the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship.
In recognition of being named the CCM/AHL Player of the Week, McMichael will receive an etched crystal award from CCM.
By Jon Sorensen
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