We are 21.5% of the way through the schedule and 1.5 months down. The season is starting to take shape as we are starting to get an idea of who the contenders are who are some potential sellers come deadline time. Sarnia continues to put up wins but what is most impressive is their goal differential. While they wont win every remaining game they they are doing it tends to make you believe that they are contenders and will be a force to be reckoned with. Mississauga and London seem to be the biggest disappointments early on but both have started to turn it around the last 2 weeks. Goaltending seems to be an interesting issue among OHL fans. It is the haves and have nots between the pipes because it seems you have a team save percentage either greater than .900 or less than .890.
Quick division hits
The Rangers are an interesting team. They chose not to bring back Jason Fortier after last season and then early this season it was announced that Matthew Barnaby would be leaving. They have gotten fantastic goaltending but their offensive players haven't seem to hit their stride.
The Steelheads are slowly turning things around. Everyone points to McLeod and Tippet being gone as the reasons to their struggles but if you watch them play I think they are really missing Vili Saarjarvi on the blueline. The slow start from Ingham hasn't helped things but he has won 3 straight starts since being named to the OHL-Russia roster.
The only way I can describe the 67's is that they have more depth up front than I pictured at the beginning of the year. Their defence is intriguing and full of potential but seems to be missing something and their goaltending has been inconsistent at best. If they are patient with their young D and continue to foster growth I think this group has the potential to be real scary next season.
The Greyhounds have been consistent in getting results all year. They lost their first real test this season in Sarnia but they controlled the play for most of the game and dominated on the shot clock. The Sting did a great job of capitalizing on their chances while Fazio played fantastic. There have been moments where the Hounds have left points on the board like Barrie and Ottawa but they are doing a great job of augmenting their first year players into the lineup while maintaining their competitiveness from last year. This is a deep team from top to bottom who will continue to get better as their young players gain more experience. They will be scary come January/February.
(1) Sarnia Sting 14-1-0 Power Rank Percentage (PR%) .9175
Sarnia keeps winning and they aren't just squashing road apples either. The hosted the Greyhounds on Friday and skated away with a 6-3 win. One thing that has allowed the Sting to exceed expectations is that all of their returning players are having career years and have boosted their Points per Game average over a year ago.
Games This Week: Nov 2nd @ Pbo; Nov 3rd @ Kgn, Nov 5th @ Ott
(2) Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds 10-3-2 PR% .7180.
Swedish import Rasmus Sandin had his IIHF paperwork come in and made his OHL debut on the weekend playing in both games. Backup goalie Tyler Johnson picked up in the Raaymakers trade from London got his first shutout of the season vs Flint. It was also the first shutout of his OHL career. Defenceman Conor Timmins has been huge for the Hounds recently. After starting the season with 4 assists in his first 3 games he only had 1 in his next 6. In his last 4 games Timmins has picked up 1 goal and 9 assists and has been a +8. Timmins is getting hot at the right time with the OHL-Russia game coming up and the World Junior camp roster soon to be announced. The Hounds will now lose 2017 draft picks Fowler and Carrol for the next week as they are off to the U17 challenge.
Games This Week: Nov 1 vs Sby; Nov 4 vs Nia; Nov 5 vs NB
(3) Peterborough Petes 10-5-1 PR% .6904
After giving up 10 goals in 3 games this past week you would have to think that Jody Hull will be looking to give backup goalie Hunter Jones a start this upcoming weekend. Likely Sunday vs Mississauga. Im all for riding Dylan Wells if you dont have a capable back up but Jones is an elite prospect and the Petes future in the net. Not to mention you want to make Wells is fresh come playoff time.
Games This Week: Nov 2 vs Sar; Nov 4 vs Bar; Nov 5 @ Miss
(4) Barrie Colts 9-4-1 PR% .6780
The Colts actually had the league add an instigator to an opponent thus negating an suspension for one of their players. The league offices must have realized they were getting too close to their quote and need a buffer for their next 10 game suspension that will be sent Barrie's way. On the Ice they had a great game against the Hamilton Bulldogs and then a letdown vs the Mississauga Steelheads. They are exceeding expectations with Svechnikov out of the lineup and the stellar play of Leo Lazarev is a big reason why.
Games This Week: Nov 3 @ Ott; Nov 4 @ Ptb
(5) Windsor Spitfires 9-5-1 PR% .6446
With DiPietro, Day, Brown and Luchuk the Spits have a plethora of assets to move at the deadline. A lot has been made of the lack of future draft picks the Spits have but most fans seem to overvalue a draft picks true worth. They will definitely be targeting a 2017 1st round pick with DiPietro and Brown as well as some non committed US prospects. Also a '98 born D will likely be covered who could fill an OA role next year. Needless to say there are plenty of options available for the Spits and their draft cupboard will be filled but so will there roster ready to compete again in the near future.
Games This Week: Nov 2 vs Ham; Nov 4 @ Eri; Nov 5 @ Ham
(6) Owen Sound Attack 8-4-2 PR% .6437
The Owen Sound Attack continue to have issues between the pipes but they were still able to pick up 4 out of a possible 6 points this weekend. Last years OHL champions Erie won in spite of the fact they had mediocre goaltending. That said they still finished 11th in the league in team save percentage. Owen Sound this year sits 17th in the OHL and their .868 save percentage is well below the .892 that Erie sported last season.
Games This Week: Nov 3 @ Miss; Nov 4 vs Ldn
(7) Ottawa 67's 9-6-1 PR% .6339
The 67's are currently 3rd in the OHL with 14 points in their last 10 games. Still not sure what to make of them. I came away impressed with their forward depth after their visit to Sault Ste. Marie but this team tends to either win real close or get blown out of the water which explains their putrid goal differential. They are locked in at home with a 5-0 record but on the road they are 4-6-1 and have somehow managed a -25 goal differential even though they have only lost 3 more than they have won away from the NCR.
Games This Week: Nov 1 vs Kgn; Nov 3 vs Bar; Nov 5 vs Sar
(8) Erie Otters 7-6-1 PR% .6043
Don't look now but the Otters 6 game point streak is the 2nd longest in the OHL and has allowed them to rebound from their slow start and move up the Power Rankings. Not bad considering the Otters have the worst save % in the OHL. Although it is so bad you have to question if that can be maintained and it is fair to expect a continued rebound which should help the Otters sustain some of their recent success.
Games This Week: Nov 1 vs Kit; Nov 3 vs Osh; Nov 4 vs Wsr
(9) Niagara Icedogs 7-4-3 PR% .6017
A tough stretch for the Icedogs that in the big picture will be a good learning experience for this squad. An OT loss to Ottawa last week before dropping one in a shootout to Oshawa this week and then a pair of regulation losses to Eastern Conference bottom feeders Sudbury and Mississauga. In the 4 games the Icedogs managed only 6 goals. They now have a Northern Ontario road swing to work things out but without Phillip Tomasino who is on his way to the U17
Games This Week: Nov 3 @ Sudbury; Nov 4 @ SSM
(10) Oshawa Generals 8-5-2 PR% .5934
3 games and 3 wins this past week for the Oshawa Generals as it has been all Keyser all the time recently. The Bruins prospect has a save% greater than .900 in 5 of his last 7 starts. They'll need to find a game to sacrifice at some point to give him a breather but till they the Generals seem content on riding the hot hand. Ian Blacker made his season debut on Sunday on the 4th line. Given the glut of quality defenders a trade may be on the horizon for the Generals. Wong and Brewer will be on their way to the U17 this week and will probably be the hardest duo to replace even with the depth the Generals have.
Games This Week: Nov 3 @ Eri; Nov 4 @ Ham; Nov 5 @ Kgn
(11) Guelph Storm 7-6-2 PR% .5677
Last season the Storm ranked 19th in the OHL in team save percentage. This year through a month and a half of hockey they currently sit tied for 7th. I don't think the .921 save percentage that Popovich is sporting is sustainable but he is definitely asserting himself as a bonafide #1 goalie in the OHL and having that between the pipes has been a great benefit to this young Storm squad who have yet to get 100% healthy this season.
Games This Week: Nov 3 @ Kit; Nov 4 @ Fli
(12) Hamilton Bulldogs 6-4-4 PR% .5602
The Bulldogs took quite the tumble in this weeks power rankings after a week they would rather forget. They had 2 great tests against some of the Eastern Conferences best in Barrie and Peterborough and got absolutely thumped in both games losing in Barrie 6-0 and in Peterborough 8-3. Between those two games they lost the lowly but improving London Knights 3-2 at home in a shootout. The offence has still yet to meet expectations but you have to wonder if Staois goes all in. He made a preemptive strike last year getting Bitten. Is there another elite '98 out there he covets?
Games This Week: Nov 2 @ Wsr; Nov 4 vs Osh; Nov 5 vs Wsr
(13) Kitchener Rangers 8-6-1 PR% .5598
A weekend split for the Rangers helped snapped a 3 game losing steak as they opened the weekend with a loss to Owen Sound before an uninspiring 2-1 victory over North Bay on Sunday. Newly acquired Kole Sherwood only has 1 assist in 4 games as the offence continues to fail to live up to expectations. Adam Mascherin who at the beginning of the year seemed like a lock for the World Junior Camp is sliding more and more towards bubble status.
Games This Week: Nov 1 @ Eri; Nov 3 vs Gue
(14) Kingston Frontanacs 6-5-3 PR% .5369
The Fronts finally snapped a horrendous stretch that saw them fail to pick up a win in 7 games. The most troubling thing so far this season may be the drop in production from Jason Robertson. After averaging 1.19 PPG as a 17 year old he is down to .93 so far this year as an 18 year old. It is still early in the year and he is averaging 5 shots a game but on a team that lacks offensive depth they need him to continue to push towards career bests.
Games This Week: Nov 1 @ Ott; Nov 3 vs Sar; Nov 5 @ Osh
(15) Mississauga Steelheads 5-9-0 PR% .5109
3 wins in a row for Mississauga which has them tied with Oshawa for the 2nd longest in the league. This weeks wins didnt come against pushovers either as they picked up a W vs Barrie and Niagara. Ingham seems to have put his early struggles behind him and while their scoring ticked up this week they have had strong special teams all year which is something they didnt have last year in their struggles. With 5 games under his belt Owen Tippet is half way to the 10 game NHL threshold. He did score his first NHL but we are likely another 2 or 3 weeks away before anything definitive comes down about where he will finish the season.
Games This Week: Nov 3 vs OS; Nov 4 @ Sby; Nov 5 vs Pbo
(16) London Knights 5-9-1 PR% .4777
The Knights 4 game winning streak was snapped Sunday with a shutout loss in Guelph. Joseph Raaymakers seems to have solidified the team in net while the offence is finally coming along. The big news of the weekend however was that Victor Mete will be playing his 10th game with the Canadians and will likely be in Montreal for the whole season. It will be interesting to see if this team makes a move for a defender or selectively makes some moves to rebuild their asset base for next season.
Games This Week: Nov 3 vs Sag; Nov 4 @ OS
(17) Sudbury Wolves 5-9-2 PR% .4601
The Wolves picked up a big win on the road in Niagara on Saturday but dropped their other 2 games on the week. More concerning however is the health of forward David Levin who was on the receiving end of a Knee on Knee hit from Icedogs forward Kyle Langdon. Langdon escaped supplemental discipline from the league because they dont take those kinds of hits seriously. Initial reports have Levin as week to week.
Games This Week: Nov 1 @ SSM; Nov 3 vs Nia; Nov 4 vs Miss
(18) Flint Firebirds 6-7-1 PR% .4487
After a rough ending to last week with a 6-1 loss to the Windsor Spitfires the Flint Firebirds carried that over with a murderer's row of games this week. A road game in London followed by a home game versus the Greyhounds capped off with a Sunday tilt vs the #1 ranked team in the Country the Sarnia Sting. The Firebirds limped to 3 losses by scores of 8-2, 7-0 and 6-2. This week they get the 19th and 20th ranked teams in the power rankings and it couldn't have come at a better time as this young team looks to right the ship.
Games This Week: Nov 1 @ Sag; Nov 3 vs NB; Nov 4 vs Gue
(19) North Bay Battalion 5-8-2 PR%.3993
The Battalion continue to slump with only 5 points in their last 10 games. However they did have a strong week shutting out Windsor on Thursday before a pair of tough 1 goal losses to strong Western Conference teams in Owen Sound and Kitchener. The goaltending this week was greatly improved but offensive depth questions continue to plague this team as they just dont have the options upfront to compete with most teams.
Games This Week: Nov 3 @ Fli; Nov 4 @ Sag; Nov 5 @ SSM
(20) Saginaw Spirit 3-8-2 PR% .3591
The Spirit held a 2-0 lead over Kingston in the 3rd period on Sunday before dropping the match in Overtime thus snapping their 2 game winning streak over Eastern Conference opponents on Sunday games. The Spirit are quite competitive vs the East holding a 3-3-1 record while struggling immensely vs the West sporting an 0-5-1 record. They get North Bay at home on Sunday which will be the 2nd time in 3 weeks the 19th and 20th place teams in the power rankings face each other. Not sure if it will be a springboard for these two teams like it was for Mississauga and London.
Games This Week: Nov 1 vs Fli; Nov 3 @ Ldn; Nov 4 vs NB
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