Toronto, ON – The Canadian Hockey League today announced that London Knights’ rookie defenceman Olli Maatta is the CHL Player of the Week for the playoff week ending April 29 after scoring three goals and two assists for five points in two games.

Maatta scored two goals in a span of 22 seconds in Game 3 of the OHL’s Western Conference Finals last Tuesday night and was named first star of a 5-2 win over the Kitchener Rangers.  In Game 4 of the series on Wednesday night, Maatta opened the scoring with a shorthanded marker and added two power play assists as second star of the series-clinching 4-2 win over the Rangers.  The Knights will now face the Niagara IceDogs in the OHL Championship Series for the Robertson Cup beginning Thursday night in London.

Maatta, a 17-year-old native of Finland, is eligible for the 2012 NHL Entry Draft and was listed at eighth overall by NHL Central Scouting in their final North American Rankings.  So far in 14 playoff games he has scored five goals and 14 assists for 19 points which ties him for the club lead in scoring and also has him tied for first in OHL playoff scoring among defencemen. 

Also considered for the award this week was Petr Straka who scored two goals and five assists for seven points in four games for the Rimouski Oceanic who defeated the Halifax Mooseheads in six games of the QMJHL Semi-Final where they will now face the Saint John Sea Dogs for the Presidents Cup.  In the WHL, Brad Ross led the Portland Winterhawks to two wins over the Tri-City Americans in the Western Conference Final with two goals and two assists to setup a Championship Final against the Edmonton Oil Kings for the Ed Chynoweth Cup.

2011-12 CHL Playoff Players of the Week:

Apr. 23 – Apr. 29: Olli Maatta, London Knights

Apr. 16 – Apr. 22: Alexandre Mallet, Rimouski Oceanic

Apr. 9 – Apr. 15: Freddie Hamilton, Niagara IceDogs

Apr. 2 – Apr. 8: Zack Phillips, Saint John Sea Dogs

Mar. 26 – Apr. 1: Stefan Noesen, Plymouth Whalers

Mar. 19 – Mar. 25: Charlie Coyle, Saint John Sea Dogs

2011-12 CHL Regular Season Players of the Week:

Mar. 12 – Mar. 18: Yanni Gourde, Victoriaville Tigres

Mar. 5 – Mar. 11: Emerson Etem, Medicine Hat Tigers

Feb. 27 – Mar. 4: Michael Sgarbossa, Sudbury Wolves

Feb. 20 – Feb. 26: Brendan Shinnimin, Tri-City Americans

Feb. 13 – Feb. 19: Michael Ferland, Brandon Wheat Kings

Feb. 6 – Feb. 12: Cameron Brace, Owen Sound Attack

Jan. 30 – Feb. 5: Yanni Gourde, Victoriaville Tigres

Jan. 23 – Jan. 29: Mark McNeill, Prince Albert Raiders

Jan. 16 – Jan. 22: Michael St. Croix, Edmonton Oil Kings

Jan. 9 – Jan. 15: Guillaume Asselin, Chicoutimi Sagueneens

Jan. 2 – Jan. 8: Tyler Toffoli, Ottawa 67’s

Dec. 26 – Jan. 1: Dalton Thrower, Saskatoon Blades

Dec. 12 – Dec. 18: Alexandre Mallet, Rimouski Oceanic

Dec, 5 – Dec. 11: Yanni Gourde, Victoriaville Tigres

Nov. 28 – Dec. 4: Christian Thomas, Oshawa Generals

Nov. 21 – Nov. 27: Ty Rattie, Portland Winterhawks

Nov. 14 – Nov. 20: Alex Saulnier, Moncton Wildcats

Nov. 7 – Nov. 13: Ryan Spooner, Kingston Frontenacs

Oct. 31 – Nov. 6: Hunter Shinkaruk, Medicine Hat Tigers

Oct. 24 – Oct. 30: Jonathan Huberdeau, Saint John Sea Dogs

Oct. 17 – Oct. 23: Brandon Saad, Saginaw Spirit

Oct. 10 – Oct. 16: Nail Yakupov, Sarnia Sting

Oct. 3 – Oct. 9: Emerson Etem, Medicine Hat Tigers

Sept. 26 – Oct. 2: Mark Stone, Brandon Wheat Kings

Sept. 21 – Sept. 25: Tanner Pearson, Barrie Colts