HOT
HALIFAX MOOSEHEADS (20-2-0-1)
A number-one rank in the Canadian Hockey League for the past three weeks has the Mooseheads leading this month’s CHL Power Rankings. With seven players posting 10 or more goals already this season, the Mooseheads offensive depth has been unmatched while averaging 5.3 goals-per-game. Leading the CHL with 20 wins, 41 points, and 122 goals, the Mooseheads are, simply put, the best team in the CHL right now, on paper and on the ice.
PORTLAND WINTERHAWKS (18-4-0-1)
Winning 14 of their last 15 while stringing together a 12-game win streak in that span, the Winterhawks have soared into second place in the Western Hockey League. Forwards Nicholas Petan, Ty Rattie, and Brendan Leipsic have been electric with a combined 19 goals and 55 points in just nine games this month, but Portland’s biggest impact has been goaltender Mac Carruth. Since being reassigned from the AHL, Carruth has gone 9-1 with two shutouts, and leads the WHL with a 1.41 GAA and a .947 SV%.
OWEN SOUND ATTACK (17-4-1-2)
The Attack are the top ranked team out of Ontario again this week, leading the OHL with 17 wins and 37 points. Their success comes, in large part, from goaltender Jordan Binnington, who not only leads the OHL with a 2.07 GAA, .936 SV% and 14 wins, but has posted three straight shutouts in the past week. Offensively, Dan Catenacci has been on fire with seven goals and 19 points in November.
BAIE-COMEAU DRAKKAR (16-5-1-2)
By bringing his Memorial Cup winning experience from Shawinigan to Baie-Comeau, Head coach Eric Veilleux has turned the Drakkar into one of the hottest teams in the CHL. With just one regulation loss in their last 16 games, the Drakkar sit fourth in the QMJHL with 35 points. A league-best 21 goals from Petr Straka and a number two penalty kill (85%) have helped Baie-Comeau go 8-1-1 in their last 10 games.
LONDON KNIGHTS (17-5-0-2)
Winners of nine straight, the Knights are the most consistent team in the OHL at the moment and have cracked the CHL Top 10 Rankings this week at number eight. After recording 21 points through his first 14 games this season, Seth Griffith has matched that total with 21 points in 10 November appearances alone, and now sits second in league scoring. In the back end, Pittsburgh Penguins prospect Olli Maata has contributed 23 points in 24 games this season, while Jake Patterson and Kevin Bailie continue to split goaltending duties.
BRAMPTON BATTALION (12-8-3-2)
After a lackluster start with just five wins out of 17 games, the Battalion have now won six straight and seven of their last eight. In typical style, Stan Butler’s troops are shutting down the opposition’s attack with a tight neutral zone trap and reliable goaltending from Matej Machovsky, while Barclay Goodrow has been the offensive weapon with 11 goals in nine games this month.
EDMONTON OIL KINGS (14-5-2-2)
With all the talent on the Oil Kings roster, it was just matter of time before the defending WHL champions got back on a winning note. After a sluggish start, the Oil Kings are looking like a championship caliber team these days with seven wins in their last 10 contests to pull just three points within Calgary for the conference lead. Special teams have been special for Edmonton, while operating the best penalty kill and second-best powerplay in the WHL.
MISSISSAUGA STEELHEADS (16-7-0-1)
An inexperienced Steelheads club continues to succeed to the surprise of many this season. Despite having seven players under the age of 18, the Steelheads are finding ways to win and now sit just two points behind the Barrie Colts for first place in the Eastern Conference. With 75 goals-for this season, defence and goaltending prove to be the team’s strength by allowing just 71. Goaltender Spencer Martin is surpassing expectations in his sophomore season, going 11-4 with a 2.73 GAA and a .915 SV%.
BLAINVILLE-BOISBRIAND ARMADA (18-5-0-2)
The Armada remain hot this month winning six of eight, and are currently riding a five-game win streak which has them averaging 6.4 goals-per-game. The Armada demonstrate that offence isn’t their only weapon with the best penalty kill in the QMJHL allowing just 15 goals on 118 powerplay chances, while Étienne Marcoux continues his strong play with the best goals-against-average (210) and save-percentage (.917) in the league.
CALGARY HITMEN (16-5-1-2)
Currently riding a three-game win streak, the Hitmen have carried their consistency into November with an 8-1 record to lead the WHL Eastern Conference with 35 points. Goaltending has been significant with Calgary allowing two goals or less in all eight wins this month, while Chris Driedger has gone 7-0 with a 1.69 goals-against-average. The best teams often win on the road, and right now the Hitmen lead the CHL with a 9-1-0-1 road record.
COLD
KAMLOOPS BLAZERS (19-5-1-1)
Cold isn’t the term you would associate with the Blazers this season, but despite owning one of the best records in the CHL, Kamloops has cooled down with just four wins in their last 10 games. After losing four straight, however, the Blazers answered in a big way with a 6-4 win over their fellow heavyweight contenders from Portland. With the Blazers’ deep talent and proven ability to win, November will prove to be a slight bump in the road this season.
OSHAWA GENERALS (12-10-1-2)
After leading their division through the first month of the season, the Generals have fallen into a November slump with just three wins in their last 10 games, placing them sixth in the OHL Eastern Conference. The offence in Oshawa has been inconsistent, while keeping the puck out of the net has been problematic. In five of their losses this month, the Generals have allowed four or more goals.
ROUYN-NORANDA HUSKIES (14-8-0-1)
Losing five straight and a 1-5 record this month has dropped the Huskies nine points behind the Armada for a division lead. The offence has certainly slowed down lately with Jean-Sébastien Dea and Sven Andrighetto combining for just three goals and seven points in 10 games. However, with services of the newly-acquired Nikita Kucherov in the lineup, things may pick up again for the Huskies.
SAULT STE. MARIE GREYHOUNDS (10-12-2-0)
The Greyhounds jumped out of the gates quickly to start the season, but going 1-8 in their last nine puts the Soo in the Western Conference basement. Sitting last in their division with 22 points, the Greyhounds have allowed four or more goals in six losses this month. Averaging over 17-minutes in penalties in the last three games certainly doesn’t help your chances of winning – especially for a team with the worst penalty kill in the OHL.
ACADIE-BATHURST TITAN (9-14-4-0)
The struggles continue for the Titan, who are riding the worst losing streak in the CHL right now at six games. If losing to the Sherbrooke Phoenix – the worst team in the QMJHL – wasn’t bad enough then suffering a 9-3 blowout at the hands of the Québec Remparts this week was. With just three wins in their last 15 games, the Titan will need to turn the ship around soon in hopes of seeing the playoffs.
MEDICINE HAT TIGERS (11-14-1-0)
It was a tough road trip last week in the Pacific Northwest, where the Tigers dropped three straight and have now lost five in a row. With the exception of Hunter Shinkaruk and Curtis Valk, who have generated 33 of the team’s 89 goals, offence has been limited on a young Tigers’ squad that has 10 players younger than 18.
OTTAWA 67’s (7-15-0-2)
It’s been a tough season in the nation’s capital with the 67’s sitting second-last in the OHL with 16 points, while their 3-10 home record gives them the worst home win percentage (.267) in the league. Last year’s top talent has graduated, and Ottawa is adapting to the change. Expectations fall on the young shoulders of Sean Monahan, but the OHL’s top-ranked player for next summer’s draft has slowed down with just two goals in his last six games.
KOOTENAY ICE (7-13-1-0)
With the fewest wins (7) in the WHL, the Ice sit last in the Eastern Conference with 15 points. General Manager Jeff Chynoweth has been active with a few trades already this season, but inexperience and injuries are two factors behind the team’s struggles. 55 goals through 21 games are the fewest in the league, but with a talented youth up front, the future looks bright in Kootenay.
P.E.I. ROCKET (13-9-1-0)
The Rocket have been inconsistent as of late winning four of six in the past 10 games, while falling into third place in the Maritimes division and eighth in the league. The good news for the Rocket is they have a shot at winning more often than not with Josh Currie and Ben Duffy in their lineup. The two forwards are tied with each other for the QMJHL scoring lead with 43 points apiece, while Currie leads the Q with 21 goals.
