BY PATRICK KING
sportsnet.ca

The holiday break serves as the unofficial midway point of the season in junior hockey, which makes for the perfect time to look back on the first half’s surprises.

Western Hockey League

Surprise team: Prince George Cougars

After finishing with a Canadian Hockey League-low 28 points last season, the only place the Cougars could go was up.

Prince George clawed its way out of the league’s cellar with an impressive start to the season that has carried the team to the top spot in the B.C. Division heading into the break.

Two factors stand out in the Cougars’ resurgence this season: a healthy Brett Connolly and the acquisition of Slovakian defenceman Martin Marincin. Connolly was limited to just 16 games last season with recurring hip problems. The sixth-overall pick in last summer’s NHL draft is averaging more than a point-per-game and will represent Canada at the world juniors in Buffalo.

Marincin, meanwhile, gives the Cougars a reliable puck-moving defenceman. The Edmonton Oilers’ second-rounder is averaging more than a point-per-game with 10 goals and 25 assists in 33 games. He will represent Slovakia at the world juniors for the second-consecutive year.

The question now will be whether the Cougars can maintain their hold on the top spot in the division.

Kelowna, Vancouver and Chilliwack are all within four points of Prince George.

Surprise player: Brendan Ranford, Kamloops Blazers

The nephew of former Edmonton Oilers goalie Bill Ranford is quickly making a name for himself in league play this season. Ranford leads the league in scoring heading into the break and is on pace for his most productive season with 54 points in 34 games.

He had 65 last season and is a goal shy of tying his highest output of 29.

Ranford was picked ahead of Mr. Irrelevant in last summer’s draft, going 209th overall to Philadelphia. His below-average skating ability kept him off Canada’s world junior selection camp roster, which was good news for the Blazers. Kamloops is in last place in the Western Conference standings, but just five points back of the three teams tied for the sixth-through-eighth spots.

Disappointing team: Calgary Hitmen

The Calgary Hitmen never said they would be rebuilding this season, but that has inevitably become the case. One of the most dominant teams over the last decade has finally been forced into rebuilding after climbing atop the WHL ladder. Calgary’s best team on paper may have been the team from two years ago, which was upset by the Kelowna Rockets in the WHL final.

The Hitmen never finished with fewer than 80 points in the past seven seasons, an unprecedented streak by junior hockey standards.

Unfortunately, that successful streak was going to come to an end at some point and the Hitmen fell hard this season. Never mind the playoffs, Calgary could be on the verge of realizing its worst season in franchise history with just 22 points in its first 35 games. The team’s second season, in 1996-97, is its current worst with 34 points.

At least the Hitmen have the inside track on a high draft pick.

Disappointing player: Landon Ferraro, Everett Silvertips

One can’t help but wonder if Ferraro has peaked. The former second-overall bantam pick in 2006, Ferraro hasn’t benefitted much from a change of scenery. Ferraro was traded from Red Deer to Everett prior to the season after a largely underwhelming campaign a year ago.

Not much has changed for Ferraro, whose stock may be dropping with another below-average season. The fourth-year forward could be on the verge of his second-worst season in his career -- behind only his rookie season -- with a mere five goals and 16 points in 28 games.

Ferraro, however, isn’t the only slumping forward in Everett. American forward Josh Birkholz, who left the University of Minnesota to join the Silvertips, has just 15 points in 36 games. The Silvertips are still in the playoff race, but could use more from their slumping forwards.

Ontario Hockey League

Surprise team: Ottawa 67’s

The 67’s may be the quietest successful team in Canada. Ottawa never receives much in the way of headlines, but they always find a way to win.

The 67’s are atop the East Division standings and tied for the second-most points halfway through the season. Ottawa is just seven points back of the MasterCard Memorial Cup host St. Michael’s Majors.

Ottawa is receiving a lot of scoring from their dynamic duo of Shane Prince and Tyler Toffoli. Prince, an American, and Toffoli, a Canadian, were two surprising omissions for the world junior tournament as neither was invited to their country’s selection camp. Prince is just two points back of Jason Akeson for the league’s scoring race with 58 points in 35 games.

Toffoli has 56 in as many games.

General manager Brian Kilrea opted to trade Chris Perugini to make Czech goaltender Petr Mrazek the undisputed No. 1 goaltender this season. Mrazek, who was left off the Czech world junior team over a contract squabble with his former Czech team, is sporting a .923 save percentage.

The 67’s have never been known to make a big trade deadline deal, but one can’t help but wonder if this team is just a piece or two away from challenging Mississauga for top spot in the Eastern Conference.

Surprise player: Shane Prince, Ottawa 67’s

The product of Rochester, N.Y. is enjoying a solid breakout season. Prince has nearly doubled his point production from last season, where he split time between Kitchener and Ottawa. The Rangers dealt him to Ottawa near last year’s trade deadline in exchange for a third-round pick.

Since then the 67’s offensive dynamo is making a strong case as a first-round pick for the upcoming NHL entry draft in spite of his smaller stature. Prince will be a name fans will come to know before long.

Disappointing team: Peterborough Petes

The Petes may want a do-over with their management change after last season. Peterborough let go of long-time general manager Jeff Twohey and head coach Ken McRae. The team then brought in Dave Reid as general manager and Mike Pelino to fill in as head coach.

The result has been more disastrous than anyone could have thought.

The Petes appeared to be a team on the cusp of great things last season with a red-hot finish to the season. The team was then swept by the Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors in the opening round, which led to the firings.

Nothing has gone right for Reid and Pelino this season and their seats could be getting hotter with the mounting losses.

The team opted not to retain overage goaltender Jason Missiaen, who’s having a decent season with the Baie-Comeau Drakkar in the QMJHL. Then Ryan Spooner left the team and asked to be dealt. The Petes are still in contention for the playoffs, but so much more was expected from this group.

Disappointing player: Jack Campbell, Windsor Spitfires

Few players have come into junior hockey with more hype than Campbell did this season. Campbell was thought to be the best goaltender in junior hockey this season after leading the U.S. to a gold medal as a 17-year-old in last year’s world junior tournament. The transition to the OHL took longer than anyone anticipated and confidence became an issue this season to the point where the team brought in a sports psychologist.

Campbell has shown shades of dominance at times this season, but consistency continues to be a work in progress.

As a result, the Spitfires have kept overage goaltender Troy Passingham as insurance. A return to the American world junior squad could be the confidence-boost Campbell is looking for in order to have a big second half in Windsor.

Québec Major Junior Hockey League

Surprise team: Lewiston MAINEiacs

It wasn’t too long ago the Lewiston MAINEiacs had everything going right their way. The team won its first President’s Trophy as league champions in 2006, just three years after the team moved from Sherbrooke.

A strong core returned with the likes of goaltender Jonathan Bernier and all appeared well in Lewiston. The last two seasons, however, have been an act of futility.

Two terrible seasons coincided with rumours the team would move to Boisbriand, Que., then news came they would stay in Lewiston. Now the team is being linked in some reports as a potential relocation candidate for Summerside, P.E.I.

Although the off-ice picture is rocky, the on-ice product is back to an elite level. Lewiston boasts a balanced group and made headlines with the first significant trade, when they acquired troubled forward Kirill Kabanov from Moncton. Now the MAINEiacs are second in the Telus East Division standings, just eight points back of the Québec Remparts.

Surprise player: Philip-Michael Devos, Victoriaville Tigres

Devos is emblematic of the rapid progression players can make in junior. The overage forward enjoyed a breakout campaign on a deep and talented team a year ago with 93 points and is on pace to shatter that record on a mediocre team.

Devos leads the league with 67 points in 37 games, 13 more points than the next closest scorer.

The fifth-year forward, who spent his entire career in the tiny, central Québec city, could be one of the hottest commodities on the trade front. His availability had been rumoured prior to the start of the season when the Tigres unloaded some of their veterans. Now the Tigres could be on the verge of expediting their rebuilding much more quickly if they decide to move him with his value at its highest.

Disappointing team: P.E.I. Rocket

The only thing more disappointing than the results is the lack of support garnered for this franchise. With rumours swirling about the team’s future in Charlottetown, the on-ice product is producing below expectations.

The Rocket has just one playoff victory since relocating from Montreal in 2003.

The Rocket made some key acquisitions prior to this season, most notably with forwards Andrej Nestrasil and Philippe Paradis. While those two players have produced, the lack of secondary support has crippled the team’s chances. Starting goaltender Evan Mosher has given the team the chance to win, but it hasn’t panned out. The Rocket is fourth in the Maritimes Division and will need to think long and hard whether they should add depth or look to next year and begin trading assets.

Disappointing player: Kirill Kabanov, Lewiston MAINEiacs

Thankfully, the MAINEiacs haven’t needed Kabanov to carry the team. The much-maligned Russian forward is merely another piece turning the wheels for the league’s most surprising team. Lewiston made the ultimate gamble when they traded for Kabanov in late October.

One of the main reasons the MAINEiacs have enjoyed such success is due to their very tight-knit locker room, which made some wonder why they would acquire the talented, yet enigmatic Kabanov.

Kabanov isn’t a disappointment in Lewiston. In fact, his numbers are decent with seven points in 13 games. But for a player who was once being touted as the top prospect for last year’s draft, those numbers are on the low side.

If Kabanov can continue growing as a person and helping his team win, his stat-line won’t matter as much.