Cossa headlines CHL Players of the Month

Sebastian Cossa has the Edmonton Oil Kings humming. 

He’s been rewarded as a result.

Cossa was named Western Hockey League Goaltender of the Month for October. 

The 18-year-old posted a 6-2-1-1 record in 10 games, compiling a 1.58 GAA and League-best .943 SV% with one shutout. He had 25-plus saves in six of 10 games, and allowed two or fewer goals in nine of 10 starts. 

Cossa, selected in the first round (No. 15) of the 2021 NHL Draft by the Detroit Red Wings, is 44-9-3-3 with a 1.92 GAA and .931 SV% with nine shutouts in 62 career WHL games.

Here’s a look at the other CHL winners:

OHL Player of the Month – Sasha Pastujov (Guelph Storm)

Sasja Pastujov of the Guelph Storm is the Ontario Hockey League Player of the Month for October. Pastujov, selected in the third round (No. 66) of the 2021 NHL Draft by the Anaheim Ducks, sits tied for the OHL lead in goals (10) and points (17) through the opening 10 games this season. He’s also tied for the second-most shots on goal (44) and has a pair of game-winning goals this season. 

Pastujov is in his first season in the OHL after playing with the US National Team Development Program last season. 

OHL Defenseman of the Month – Jack Thompson (Sudbury Wolves)

Jack Thompson of the Sudbury Wolves is the Ontario Hockey League Defenseman of the Month for October. Thompson, selected in the third round (No. 93) of the 2020 NHL Draft by the Tampa Bay Lightning, leads all OHL defensemen with 16 points (four goals, 12 assists) in 11 games. Thompson also leads the OHL in shots (50) and is one of three defenders to have two or more power play goals.

Thompson is in his third season in the OHL, and has 64 points (23 goals, 41 assists) in 126 games. He spent the 2020-21 season with Surahammars IF of HockeyEttan in Sweden, registering 18 points (nine goals, nine assists) in 18 games. 

OHL Goaltender of the Month – Brett Brochu (London Knights)

Brett Brochu of the London Knights is the Ontario Hockey League Goaltender of the Month for October. The 19-year-old led OHL goaltenders with a 2.07 GAA, a .935 SV% and an undefeated 8-0-0-0 record in the month.  Brochu, eligible for the 2022 NHL Draft, was named first star in three of his eight starts. 

The OHL Goaltender of the Month nod is Brochu’s third in a row dating back to January and February of 2020 prior to the season being halted due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

OHL Rookie of the Month – Calum Ritchie (Oshawa Generals)

Calum Ritchie of the Oshawa Generals is the Ontario Hockey League Rookie of the Month for October. Ritchie, eligible for the 2023 NHL Draft, led all rookies with 12 points (seven goals, five assists) in 10 games, and paced all first-year players in shots on goal (44) and game-winning goals (2). 

Ritchie, 16, was the No. 2 pick in the 2021 OHL Priority Selection in June.

WHL PLAYER OF THE MONTH – Tristen Robins (Saskatoon Blades)

Tristen Robins of the Saskatoon Blades is the Western Hockey League Player of the Month for October. Robins netted 21 points (seven goals, 14 assists) in 10 games, including seven multi-point outings and League-best four shorthanded points. The 19-year-old was held without a point in just one of 10 games this season.

Robins, selected in the second round (No. 56) in the 2020 NHL Draft by the San Jose Sharks, has 143 points (59 goals, 84 assists) in 160 career WHL regular-season games. 

WHL GOALTENDER OF THE MONTH – Sebastian Cossa (Edmonton Oil Kings)

Sebastian Cossa of the Edmonton Oil Kings was named Western Hockey League Goaltender of the Month for October. Cossa posted a 6-2-1-1 record in 10 games, compiling a 1.58 GAA and League-best .943 SV% with one shutout. He had 25-plus saves in six of 10 games, and allowed two or fewer goals in nine of 10 starts. 

Cossa, selected in the first round (No. 15) of the 2021 NHL Draft by the Detroit Red Wings, is 44-9-3-3 with a 1.92 GAA and .931 SV% with nine shutouts in 62 career WHL games. 

QMJHL FORWARD OF THE MONTH – Xavier Bourgault (Shawinigan Cataractes)

Xavier Bourgault of the Shawinigan Cataractes was named Quebec Major Junior Hockey League Forward of the Month for October. Bourgault recorded 24 points (10 goals, 14 assists) in 12 games. The 19-year-old scored in seven of 12 games, and had eight multi-point outings.

Bourgault, selected in the first round (No. 22) of the 2021 NHL Draft by the Edmonton Oilers, leads the QMJHL in scoring in his fourth season in the League.

QMJHL DEFENSEMAN OF THE MONTH – Miguel Tourigny (Blainville Boisbriand Armada)

Miguel Tourigny of the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada is the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League Defenseman of the Month for October. Tourigny, who has posted four three-point games this season, leads the Armada with 17 points (eight goals, nine assists) in 13 games played. 

Tourigny, who earned a free-agent invite to training camp with the Anaheim Ducks in September, leads all defensemen in scoring and had 36 points (15 goals, 21 assists) in 32 games last season.

QMJHL GOALTENDER OF THE MONTH – Remi Poirier (Gatineau Olympiques)

Remi Poirier of the Gatineau Olympiques is the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League Goaltender of the Month for October. Poirier registered a 3-2-0-2 record in seven games this season, and leads the League in GAA (2.11) and SV% (.928). The 20-year-old allowed two or fewer goals and registered a save percentage of .930 or better in six of seven starts.

Poirier, selected in the sixth round (No. 185) of the 2020 NHL Draft by the Dallas Stars, went 14-8-2 with a 2.63 GAA and .908 SV% in 24 games played with the Olympiques last season. 

QMJHL ROOKIE OF THE MONTH – David Spacek (Sherbrooke Phoenix)

David Spacek of the Sherbrooke Phoenix is the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League Rookie of the Month for October. Spacek, a second-round selection of the Phoenix in the 2021 CHL Import Draft, had 12 points (three goals, nine assists) in 11 games played. 

The 18-year-old defenseman was not picked in the 2021 NHL Draft.