Red-hot St. John’s IceCaps centre Eric O’Dell is the American Hockey League’s CCM Player of the Week for the period ending March 17.
O’Dell had three goals and a pair of assists last weekend as the IceCaps swept a pair of games from the Hamilton Bulldogs at Mile One Centre.
In Friday’s 5-0 shutout win, O’Dell netted a goal and an assist in a second-star performance. Saturday night, the 22-year-old Ottawa native was named the game’s first star following a pair of goals and a helper in the IceCaps’ 4-3 victory.
O’Dell has been the top St. John’s performer from an offensive standpoint lately, with eight goals and six assists in his last 10 games. The second-year forward tops the IceCaps with 21 goals and 17 assists through 45 games.
He’s the second IceCaps player in franchise history to win Player of the Week honours. Goaltender Eddie Pasquale, currently on recall to the Winnipeg Jets, won the award in February, 2012.
Speaking of the Jets, Winnipeg signed former IceCaps defenceman Arturs Kulda to a one-year, one-way NHL contract Monday, pro-rated to $550,000.
Kulda appeared in 50 games with Novosibirsk of the Kontinental Hockey League this season, registering nine goals and six assists to go with 55 penalty minutes.
Last season, Kulda was a dependable rearguard for the IceCaps, with six goals and 14 assists in 63 games.
He made nine starts for the parent Jets.
The native of Latvia was a seventh-round draft pick of the Atlanta Thrashers in 2006. If the Jets opt to reassign Kulda to St. John’s, he will have to clear waivers.
Meanwhile, Pasquale figures to remain in Winnipeg for another few days, at least, after the Jets placed goalie Al Montoya on injured reserve.
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