The CHL Top 10 Rankings were released Wednesday, and it seems like things are starting to normalize. After nine weeks, gone—or mostly gone—are the wild swings that have seen teams jump on and off the list.
#CHL Top-10 Rankings Week 9: 1-REG, 2-ER, 3-EVT, 4-ROU, 5-PG, 6-LDN, 7-WSR, 8-SHA, 9-MH, 10-OSH. HM: BLB, SNB, MJ pic.twitter.com/PpMDJtmZfi
— CanadianHockeyLeague (@CHLHockey) November 16, 2016
The average number of weeks spent in the rankings for this week’s group is 6.2, with Rouyn-Noranda and Shawinigan having made every list and Oshawa debuting. Thanks to Prospect-Stats.com for allowing us an alternative look at the 13 teams named. The chart is sorted by points percentage.
Rank | Team | Record | Pts. Pct. | Est.FC% | GF | GA | GD | GF% | SF | SA | SD | SF% | Sh% | Sv% | PDO |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Regina Pats | 14-0-3-0 | 0.912 | 59.91 | 104 | 57 | 47 | 64.6 | 810 | 557 | 253 | 59.25 | 12.08 | 0.898 | 101.85 |
3 | Everett Silvertips | 15-2-3-0 | 0.825 | 54.11 | 69 | 41 | 28 | 62.73 | 604 | 551 | 53 | 52.29 | 10.83 | 0.926 | 103.39 |
5 | Prince George Cougars | 16-4-2-0 | 0.773 | 52.68 | 80 | 56 | 24 | 58.82 | 709 | 661 | 48 | 51.75 | 10.78 | 0.917 | 102.45 |
6 | London Knights | 13-3-2-1 | 0.763 | 53.87 | 85 | 53 | 32 | 61.59 | 707 | 598 | 109 | 54.18 | 11.9 | 0.913 | 103.19 |
2 | Erie Otters | 15-4-2-0 | 0.762 | 58.13 | 96 | 59 | 37 | 61.94 | 810 | 629 | 181 | 56.29 | 11.52 | 0.906 | 102.14 |
7 | Windsor Spitfires | 13-4-1-0 | 0.750 | 50.38 | 69 | 53 | 16 | 56.56 | 595 | 611 | -16 | 49.34 | 11.15 | 0.919 | 103.08 |
4 | Rouyn-Noranda Huskies | 14-4-1-2 | 0.738 | 54.56 | 84 | 46 | 38 | 64.62 | 700 | 596 | 104 | 54.01 | 11.62 | 0.926 | 104.21 |
10 | Oshawa Generals | 15-5-0-1 | 0.738 | 53.38 | 73 | 57 | 16 | 56.15 | 814 | 719 | 95 | 53.1 | 8.52 | 0.922 | 100.72 |
9 | Medicine Hat Tigers | 14-5-1-0 | 0.725 | 59.88 | 96 | 63 | 33 | 60.38 | 869 | 594 | 275 | 59.4 | 10.74 | 0.900 | 100.74 |
8 | Shawinigan Cataractes | 13-6-0-0 | 0.684 | 48.98 | 74 | 51 | 23 | 59.2 | 664 | 585 | 79 | 53.16 | 11.01 | 0.914 | 102.45 |
HM | Moose Jaw Warriors | 11-4-4-0 | 0.684 | 49.41 | 72 | 67 | 5 | 51.8 | 617 | 700 | -83 | 46.85 | 11.24 | 0.906 | 101.8 |
HM | Blainville-Boisbriand Armada | 14-6-1-1 | 0.682 | 54.34 | 64 | 45 | 19 | 58.72 | 689 | 618 | 71 | 52.72 | 8.89 | 0.927 | 101.61 |
HM | Saint John Sea Dogs | 13-6-2-0 | 0.667 | 61.12 | 87 | 61 | 26 | 58.78 | 863 | 545 | 318 | 61.29 | 9.66 | 0.893 | 98.96 |
There are some interesting trends emerging among this week’s teams. We’ll start in the OHL.
Lighting it up
Alex DeBrincat and Taylor Raddysh are the top-scoring duo in the country for the top-tanked team in the Ontario loop. To put it simply, they can’t be stopped. Raddysh is riding a 10-game scoring streak in which he’s put up 13 goals and 27 points, while DeBrincat has seven goals and 15 points in his past five contensts.
The pair sit first and second in OHL scoring, with Raddysh five points up on DeBrincat and 10 points up on No. 3 Jeremy Bracco of Kitchener.
Taylor Raddysh is shooting a ridiculous 20.22 percent this season. (Terry Wilson/OHL Images)
Here come the Knights
I know: different season, same story.
What’s surprising is that the Knights have been doing it without any members of their top line from last season. They were also hoping to have 19-year-old centre Jack Roslovic, but he is leading the Manitoba Moose in scoring and isn’t likely to be loaned to London. Compounding those issues has been injuries to both of London’s top goalies, Tyler Parsons and Tyler Johnson, meaning five netminders have already seen the ice for London this season.
So it’s been plug and play for Dale Hunter’s sqaud, which hasn’t missed a beat. And they’ve been doing it with a brood of kids and a handful of others who’ve played second fiddle the past season or two and are now getting their shots.
Player | Pos | Age | GP | G | P | P/GP |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Richard Whittaker | LW | 16.438 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0.17 |
Billy Moskal | C | 16.485 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 0.33 |
Liam Foudy | C | 16.611 | 14 | 1 | 3 | 0.21 |
Evan Bouchard | D | 16.904 | 19 | 0 | 9 | 0.47 |
Alex Formenton | LW | 17.005 | 19 | 5 | 10 | 0.53 |
Riley Coome | D | 17.192 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Robert Thomas | C | 17.205 | 19 | 6 | 19 | 1 |
Josh Nelson | C | 17.304 | 16 | 1 | 3 | 0.19 |
Ian Blacker | D | 17.304 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Cole Tymkin | RW | 17.447 | 16 | 2 | 4 | 0.25 |
Jacob Golden | D | 17.49 | 17 | 0 | 2 | 0.12 |
Alex Turko | C | 17.688 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Victor Mete | D | 18.274 | 18 | 7 | 18 | 1 |
Cliff Pu | C | 18.285 | 17 | 13 | 32 | 1.88 |
Janne Kuokkanen | C | 18.31 | 17 | 11 | 25 | 1.47 |
Olli Juolevi | D | 18.364 | 15 | 2 | 11 | 0.73 |
Nicolas Mattinen | D | 18.532 | 17 | 0 | 1 | 0.06 |
Max Jones | LW | 18.575 | 10 | 8 | 20 | 2 |
Justin Badour | LW | 18.668 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Noah Bennett | RW | 18.995 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0.5 |
Sam Miletic | LW | 19.367 | 19 | 13 | 17 | 0.89 |
Brandon Crawley | D | 19.616 | 15 | 1 | 7 | 0.47 |
Chris Martenet | D | 19.973 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0.12 |
JJ Piccinich | RW | 20.26 | 17 | 9 | 23 | 1.35 |
Owen MacDonald | C | 20.312 | 12 | 2 | 7 | 0.58 |
Player | Pos | Age | adj.GSAA | SA | GA | Sv% |
Jordan Kooy | G | 16.378 | 1.74 | 34 | 1 | 0.971 |
Trenton McGrail | G | 17.863 | 0.4 | 5 | 0 | 1 |
Tyler Johnson | G | 18.603 | 1.15 | 223 | 19 | 0.915 |
Tyler Parsons | G | 18.992 | -0.06 | 173 | 16 | 0.908 |
Emanuel Vella* | G | 18.104 | -2.85 | 185 | 19 | 0.897 |
*traded |
The latest star turn in London has come courtesy of centre Cliff Pu. He arrived as a 16-year-old from Oshawa in the Michael McCarron deal two seasons ago, made great strides in 2015-16 and was one of the most impressive Knights at the MasterCard Memorial Cup. With 32 points since returning from Sabres camp, he’s already surpassed his total from last season. He’s joined by relative veterans Olli Juolevi, Max Jones, JJ Piccinich and Victor Mete in the Knights core.
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Spits not firing at 5-on-5
Windsor is scary in that if not for its power play, who knows where it’d be. The Spits are clipping along at just over 30 per cent to lead the O with the man advantage. Case in point: Logan Brown. The first-rounder leads his team in scoring with 21 points, but 14 have come on the power play. At 5-on-5, his goals-for percentage is 52.17, that’s 101st among OHL forwards who’ve played at least 10 games.
That’s not to put all of Windsor’s 5-on-5 issues at Brown’s feet, but he’s an example of what’s ailing that team, if you agree that the seventh-ranked team in the nation can be ailing.
West is best
In the Dub, the squads at the top of the table are looking as strong as they ever have in recent seasons.
Regina is the only undefeated team left in the country, and WHL teams are holding down the three best points percentages in the CHL, although they’re getting things done in different ways.
Rank | Name | Record | Pts. Pct. | GF | GF% | SD |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Regina Pats | 14-0-3-0 | 0.912 | 104 | 64.6 | 253 |
3 | Everett Silvertips | 15-2-3-0 | 0.825 | 69 | 62.73 | 53 |
5 | Prince George Cougars | 16-4-2-0 | 0.773 | 80 | 58.82 | 48 |
6 | London Knights | 13-3-2-1 | 0.763 | 85 | 61.59 | 109 |
2 | Erie Otters | 15-4-2-0 | 0.762 | 96 | 61.94 | 181 |
7 | Windsor Spitfires | 13-4-1-0 | 0.750 | 69 | 56.56 | -16 |
4 | Rouyn-Noranda Huskies | 14-4-1-2 | 0.738 | 84 | 64.62 | 104 |
10 | Oshawa Generals | 15-5-0-1 | 0.738 | 73 | 56.15 | 95 |
9 | Medicine Hat Tigers | 14-5-1-0 | 0.725 | 96 | 60.38 | 275 |
8 | Shawinigan Cataractes | 13-6-0-0 | 0.684 | 74 | 59.2 | 79 |
HM | Moose Jaw Warriors | 11-4-4-0 | 0.684 | 72 | 51.8 | -83 |
HM | Blainville-Boisbriand Armada | 14-6-1-1 | 0.682 | 64 | 58.72 | 71 |
HM | Saint John Sea Dogs | 13-6-2-0 | 0.667 | 87 | 58.78 | 318 |
All situations |
The Pats are the only team of the 13 to have scored 100 goals and sit third in shot differential. Everett has scored 35 fewer goals in five more games, but is getting a ton of saves from Carter Hart and Co. Medicine Hat is tied for second in goals and second alone in shots generated. With a negative shot differential and a goal differntial of just plus-5, Moose Jaw looks like it could drop off this list pretty quickly.
Carter Hart is sporting a 1.85 GAA and 0.929 Sv% in 972 minutes so far this season for Everett. (Marissa Baecker/Getty)
Oh Danny boy
In the QMJHL, Rouyn-Noranda rises one spot while Shawinigan drops six after losing to Gatineau and Rimouski last week. Both have been mainstays in the Top 10 and aren’t likely to be going anywhere any time soon.
But the Saint John Sea Dogs could be. Danny Flynn’s team has been ranked for six of nine weeks, but is falling. I wrote a while back that they needed to either find a way to get more offence out of the core or shake things up. Of course, they went out a couple hours after I pressed “publish” and hung a 10-spot on the Moncton Wildcats.
Saint John Sea Dogs on Twitter
The Sea Dogs have been averaging 3.57 goals per game at 5-on-5 since I penned that bulletin board material, but book-ended by dropping eight on Moncton and six on Sherbrooke. Take away those two contests and the 5-on-5 production falls to an average of 2.2.
There’s no doubt the Sea Dogs are generating shots, but, like Windsor, they can’t score—they are 10th in 5-on-5 goals in the QMJHL—and are being kept afloat by a power play clicking at 32 per cent. In all situations, Saint John is controlling play and generating a huge volume of shots, but look at that PDO in the first chart, it’s ridiculously low.
Possession is great, but the name of the game is scoring more than your opponent. The Sea Dogs are going to need to figure out how to do that before the playoffs.
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