The Canadian Hockey League announced today the October edition of the CHL Team of the Month for the 2022-23 regular season.
Leading the forward ranks is Halifax Mooseheads right-wing Jordan Dumais who through 12 appearances registered 12 goals and 15 assists for 27 points to lead all QMJHL scorers in October. A 2022 third-round selection of the Columbus Blue Jackets, Dumais pieced together an 11-game point streak in October underscored by a 6-3 win over Acadie-Bathurst that saw him finish with four goals and one assist. An 18-year-old native of Ile Bizard, Que., Dumais is skating in his third season with the Mooseheads after closing 2021-22 with 109 points in 68 games.
Also up front is Regina Pats centre Connor Bedard who in a dozen October outings shined with eight goals and 14 assists for 22 points. Currently standing atop the WHL scoring race with 29 points in 15 games, Bedard’s top performance of the month came Sunday in which he finished with two goals and three assists in a 7-3 victory over Tri-City. On the season, the 17-year-old prodigy has been held off the scoresheet on just one occasion. Skating in his third season with the Pats after wrapping up 2021-22 with 100 points in 62 games, the North Vancouver, B.C., native projects as the first-overall selection in the upcoming NHL Draft.
Rounding out the forward group is Dallas Stars draftee Logan Stankoven of the 2023 Memorial Cup presented by Kia host Kamloops Blazers whose October performance saw him register 19 points counting nine goals and 10 assists in only eight outings. Recording at least one point in each of his games this year, the 19-year-old centre has produced six multi-point efforts including a one-goal, three-assist showing coming in Friday’s 5-1 road win in Spokane. The reigning CHL David Branch Player of the Year, Stankoven recorded 104 points in 59 games in 2021-22.
On the blue line, Val-d’Or Foreurs overage defenceman Kale McCallum dazzled with 19 points counting six goals and 13 assists coming in 13 appearances. Currently riding a 10-game point streak in which he has collected six goals and 12 assists, that stretch includes back-to-back three-point nights coming against Cape Breton and Rouyn-Noranda in late October. On the season, the product of Quispamsis, N.B., has impressed with 22 points in 16 games after rounding out the prior campaign with 69 points in 68 contests.
Also on the back end is Anaheim Ducks 2022 first-round selection Pavel Mintyukov of the Saginaw Spirit who through October ranked third among all OHL skaters with 18 points counting six goals and 12 assists coming in 13 games. Among his top performances was a season-opening 10-6 win over Guelph in which the Russian rearguard finished with one goal and four assists. Mintyukov, 18, is skating in his second season with the Spirit after wrapping up 2021-22 with 62 points in 67 appearances.
Between the pipes, Red Deer Rebels rookie netminder Kyle Kelsey was perfect through October, finding the win column seven times in as many appearances in which he combined for a .937 save percentage alongside a 1.85 goals-against average. Among the highlights was a 5-0 win over Lethbridge in which Kelsey turned aside 26 shots to record his first career shutout. Eligible for the 2023 NHL Draft, the 18-year-old product of Maple Ridge, B.C., remains undefeated on the season, owning a record of 8-0 coupled with a .936 save percentage and 1.87 goals-against average.
