Blackhawks prospect DeBrincat makes OHL history

Otters star Alex DeBrincat made Ontario Hockey League history on Monday, recording his 50th and 51st goals of the season en route to Erie’s 14th consecutive win.

The 2016 39th overall pick of the Blackhawks became the first player in the OHL’s modern era (1980-present) to record 50 goals in three consecutive seasons. The last player to achieve the feat was Dale McCourt from 1974-1977 with franchises from Hamilton and St. Catharines.

The 5-foot-7 right winger from Farmington, Mich., was surprisingly left off the 2017 U.S. world junior squad despite two straight 51-goal seasons spanning from 2014-2016. DeBrincat, 19, was also named the OHL rookie of the year in 2014-15.

DeBrincat, who signed as an undrafted free agent with Erie in 2014, has 107 points in just 50 games this season, surpassing his career-high 104 points set in his rookie year.

The feisty forward’s accomplishments with Erie have often been overshadowed by his former and current teammates, namely Oilers star Connor McDavid and Coyotes draft pick Dylan Strome.

However, DeBrincat has carved out an impressive junior career in his own right and proven he can produce without the likes of Strome and McDavid in the lineup.