Sorry guys, with Christmas and some other things I was busy with I did not get a chance to post an updated power rankings before the Christmas break so I will therefore try and bring things back to date now.
1. Humboldt Broncos (29-8-0-1) LR: 3
All the Broncos have done since the last rankings was rattle off a 5-0 record with wins over Estevan, Notre Dame, Weyburn, Melville and Nipawin. The Broncos are a well balanced team that rolls four lines and the statistics prove that. Laurent Benjamin and Jordan Schindel continue to lead the way offensively. Tanner Vandesype appears to have fit in well with the Broncos and is part of a veteran defense crew that includes the likes of Russ Nielsen, Matt Rintoul and Brady Wacker. If I was picking the all-star teams I would have trouble keeping any one those four defenseman off the roster. Taylor Nelson continues to lead or be in the top three in all goaltending categories. I do not expect the Broncos to make any moves on the 10th of January because how much more could this team possibly improve? This week the Broncos will play a New Year's Eve game at home against the Hawks before embarking on a road trip to Flin Flon and La Ronge on the weekend.
2. Weyburn Red Wings (22-11-2-4) LR: 6
The Wings played four games during this period with wins over Melville, La Ronge and Estevan and a lopsided loss to the Broncos. The Red Wings continue to be a team that uses all four lines to produce offense. The trio of Preston Shupe, Torrey Lindsay and Rhett Bly has been hot as of late. To show the balance the Wings possess, three players share the scoring lead with 36 points each - Josh Bray, Lindsay and Shupe. Shawn Courtney is becoming a favorite on the back end with his physical presence and fighting ability. After seeing some of the actions late in Saturday's game, I expect Courtney will have a score to settle with one of the Bruins on Tuesday afternoon, perhaps Bruins captain Kyle Garagan who seemed anxious to drop the gloves late in Saturday's game. In addition to the New Year's Day Game, the Wings will also have a battle on their hands at home on Friday night when the Kindersley Klippers are in town. This is the first of three battles over the next 2 weeks between the Wings and Klippers and these games could go a long way's in determining the final Sherwood standings.
3. Kindersley Klippers(23-14-0-2) LR: 8
The Klippers are currently one of the hottest teams in the league as they went 4-0 during the period which the rankings cover. The Klippers posted a pair of wins over Notre Dame while also defeating Flin Flon and Melville. Ryan Sawka, Brett Leedahl and Jonathan Redlick all now find themselves amongst the top 10 scorers in the SJHL. The Klippers also have a young but steady group of defenseman led by veterans Scott Linnell and Milo Miller. Ryan Nieszner gets most of the work in goal but Matt Weninger has been phenomenal when called upon. The Klippers will have the aforementioned battle with the Red Wings on Friday and then head to Estevan on Saturday to battle the Bruins.
4. Flin Flon Bombers (23-13-1-1) LW: 2
The Bombers do drop in the rankings this period but continue to play pretty good hockey. Granted two of there three wins during this period were against the woeful Stars, they did play two pretty good games against the Mustangs this past weekend picking up three out of four possible points. The issue still seems to be that this team struggles on the road which is something they will have to look to rectify if they hope to be among the contenders come playoff time. Although the " Big Three " have cooled off a little after their torrid start, they continue to be amongst the top five in league scoring. The Bombers get to play a pair of games at the Whitney Forum this weekend as they host Humboldt on Friday night and Notre Dame on Saturday.
5. La Ronge Ice Wolves (23-15-2-2) LR: 3
When Bob Beatty attended the scheduling meeting this past summer he got his wish as he got all his southern road trips out of the way before Christmas. The Ice Wolves played a league high 32 games before the break and came out with a pretty good record so it will be interesting to see how well they play with the lighter schedule after the break. Jordie Johnston, Jarrid Dowhay and Bruno-Pier Gosselin have formed one of the most explosive lines I have seen in awhile and Johnston moved into the league lead in scoring prior to the break. If the Ice Wolves defense can hold up and goaltender Jonathan Jobin is on his game, the Wolves could be a legitimate contender down the stretch. The Wolves have a home matchup with the Humboldt Broncos on Saturday night and then host Notre Dame on Sunday night.
6. Melfort Mustangs(19-10-2-4) LR: 7
Maybe the Mustangs should be ranked higher but I had a tough time ranking them any higher than the teams I have above them - for now. Ilia Ejov has proven that he is among the league elite in the goaltending department. If the likes of Taylor Watt and Clint Olson can remain healthy down the stretch and newcomer Jason Walker can pick up his game a bit, I believe the Mustangs have a chance to make some noise this year. Melfort travels to North Battleford on Friday and then hosts Melville on Saturday.
7. Melville Millionaires (21-14-2-0) LR: 4
Does anyone even remember that the Millionaires were 11-0 to start the season? Things have not been all that rosy since but the quick start has allowed Melville a chance to rebound as they are still only six points out of first despite their struggles. On paper, this team is as good as any in the league. For whatever reason, that has not always transpired in the ice. Jamie Fiesel will be encouraged by the big win over Yorkton tonight. Jordan Wilson appears to have found his scoring touch as he scored his first goal as a Millionaire. Rookie Jordan Reeve is starting to play more minutes and is playing well. The Mils biggest problem as of late may be inconsistent goaltending as Kyle Cantlon and Travis Bosch have both struggled somewhat lately and will have to improve if the Mils are going to challenge for the division. The Millionaires have games against Yorkton, Nipawin and Melfort this week.
8. Estevan Bruins (19-18-2-1) LW: 5
The Bruins struggled during this period going only 1-4. The Bruins have been relying on a lot of their younger players to score. Rookies Brennan Wrigley and Brody Haygarth played on the number one line in Weyburn on Saturday night with Kyle Stroh. The defense situation appears to be settled for now although GM/Head Coach Karry Biette would like to add more depth before the deadline. Colton MacPherson is back with the Bruins after starting this season with the Saskatoon Blades. However, as MacPherson was returning to Estevan, Gabriel Carle was packing his bags and leaving town to return to Quebec. The Bruins look to rebound this week but it won't be easy as they host Weyburn and Kindersley.
9. Nipawin Hawks (12-15-1-4) LW: 9
The Hawks were .500 in their four games played during this period. The line of Torrie Dyck, Brent Ottmann and Steve Mason continues to provide a majority of the offense. The Hawks will also need offensive help from the likes of Dean Prpick, Keldon Sanderson, and Jordon Miller, to name a few, down the stretch in order to be any kind of challenge come playoff time. The goaltending situation is a bit changed as of late as the Hawks brought in Daniel Di Camillo. Di Camillo has started three consecutive games with Derek Kleinsteuber riding the pine. It will be interesting to see who gets a majority of the starts down the stretch. The Hawks do not have an easy week as they have games against Humboldt, Melville and Yorkton.
10. Yorkton Terriers (17-16-2-3) LW: 10
My opinion - the Terriers are going to have to deal from strength (defense) to address a deficiency (offense). I know that is easier said than done but it is clear this team is struggling to score and that has been the theme for most of the season. Things really went down hill when Bryan Hull went down to injury and Carter Smith left the team for the Red Deer Rebels. I still feel this team is capable of upsetting a few teams come playoff time if Lynden Sammartino is on his game. Inconsistency has plagued Sammartino at times this season. The Terriers will look for revenge against the Millionaires on New Year's Day and then host Nipawin on Saturday.
11. Notre Dame Hounds (10-22-1-0) LW: 11
It has been a long season for the young Hounds and I am interested to see how they come out after the break. Will the Hounds make any more deals? They continue to have the disgruntled Evan Bryksa who has not played a game and 20 year old forward Chris Bratina could be an attractive addition for contending teams. Mark Currie and Andre Guay have split most of the goaltending duties prior to the break. The Hounds on most nights use 2 or 3 players from their midget program so be sure to pick up a program if you head to a game in Notre Dame. The Hounds return from the break and hit the road with games in Flin Flon and La Ronge.
12. Battlefords North Stars (4-29-2-3) LW: 12
The Stars are already in next year country so the next six weeks of action will allow the current roster to show that they want to be back next season. One area that does appear to be a bright spot for the future is the goaltending. Despite playing on a young, struggling team, Ryan Kerpan and Adrien Lemay have been impressive in many of their starts. The Stars will host Melfort on Friday night.
- Brad M.
1. Humboldt Broncos (29-8-0-1) LR: 3All the Broncos have done since the last rankings was rattle off a 5-0 record with wins over Estevan, Notre Dame, Weyburn, Melville and Nipawin. The Broncos are a well balanced team that rolls four lines and the statistics prove that. Laurent Benjamin and Jordan Schindel continue to lead the way offensively. Tanner Vandesype appears to have fit in well with the Broncos and is part of a veteran defense crew that includes the likes of Russ Nielsen, Matt Rintoul and Brady Wacker. If I was picking the all-star teams I would have trouble keeping any one those four defenseman off the roster. Taylor Nelson continues to lead or be in the top three in all goaltending categories. I do not expect the Broncos to make any moves on the 10th of January because how much more could this team possibly improve? This week the Broncos will play a New Year's Eve game at home against the Hawks before embarking on a road trip to Flin Flon and La Ronge on the weekend.
2. Weyburn Red Wings (22-11-2-4) LR: 6The Wings played four games during this period with wins over Melville, La Ronge and Estevan and a lopsided loss to the Broncos. The Red Wings continue to be a team that uses all four lines to produce offense. The trio of Preston Shupe, Torrey Lindsay and Rhett Bly has been hot as of late. To show the balance the Wings possess, three players share the scoring lead with 36 points each - Josh Bray, Lindsay and Shupe. Shawn Courtney is becoming a favorite on the back end with his physical presence and fighting ability. After seeing some of the actions late in Saturday's game, I expect Courtney will have a score to settle with one of the Bruins on Tuesday afternoon, perhaps Bruins captain Kyle Garagan who seemed anxious to drop the gloves late in Saturday's game. In addition to the New Year's Day Game, the Wings will also have a battle on their hands at home on Friday night when the Kindersley Klippers are in town. This is the first of three battles over the next 2 weeks between the Wings and Klippers and these games could go a long way's in determining the final Sherwood standings.
3. Kindersley Klippers(23-14-0-2) LR: 8The Klippers are currently one of the hottest teams in the league as they went 4-0 during the period which the rankings cover. The Klippers posted a pair of wins over Notre Dame while also defeating Flin Flon and Melville. Ryan Sawka, Brett Leedahl and Jonathan Redlick all now find themselves amongst the top 10 scorers in the SJHL. The Klippers also have a young but steady group of defenseman led by veterans Scott Linnell and Milo Miller. Ryan Nieszner gets most of the work in goal but Matt Weninger has been phenomenal when called upon. The Klippers will have the aforementioned battle with the Red Wings on Friday and then head to Estevan on Saturday to battle the Bruins.
4. Flin Flon Bombers (23-13-1-1) LW: 2The Bombers do drop in the rankings this period but continue to play pretty good hockey. Granted two of there three wins during this period were against the woeful Stars, they did play two pretty good games against the Mustangs this past weekend picking up three out of four possible points. The issue still seems to be that this team struggles on the road which is something they will have to look to rectify if they hope to be among the contenders come playoff time. Although the " Big Three " have cooled off a little after their torrid start, they continue to be amongst the top five in league scoring. The Bombers get to play a pair of games at the Whitney Forum this weekend as they host Humboldt on Friday night and Notre Dame on Saturday.
5. La Ronge Ice Wolves (23-15-2-2) LR: 3When Bob Beatty attended the scheduling meeting this past summer he got his wish as he got all his southern road trips out of the way before Christmas. The Ice Wolves played a league high 32 games before the break and came out with a pretty good record so it will be interesting to see how well they play with the lighter schedule after the break. Jordie Johnston, Jarrid Dowhay and Bruno-Pier Gosselin have formed one of the most explosive lines I have seen in awhile and Johnston moved into the league lead in scoring prior to the break. If the Ice Wolves defense can hold up and goaltender Jonathan Jobin is on his game, the Wolves could be a legitimate contender down the stretch. The Wolves have a home matchup with the Humboldt Broncos on Saturday night and then host Notre Dame on Sunday night.
6. Melfort Mustangs(19-10-2-4) LR: 7Maybe the Mustangs should be ranked higher but I had a tough time ranking them any higher than the teams I have above them - for now. Ilia Ejov has proven that he is among the league elite in the goaltending department. If the likes of Taylor Watt and Clint Olson can remain healthy down the stretch and newcomer Jason Walker can pick up his game a bit, I believe the Mustangs have a chance to make some noise this year. Melfort travels to North Battleford on Friday and then hosts Melville on Saturday.
7. Melville Millionaires (21-14-2-0) LR: 4Does anyone even remember that the Millionaires were 11-0 to start the season? Things have not been all that rosy since but the quick start has allowed Melville a chance to rebound as they are still only six points out of first despite their struggles. On paper, this team is as good as any in the league. For whatever reason, that has not always transpired in the ice. Jamie Fiesel will be encouraged by the big win over Yorkton tonight. Jordan Wilson appears to have found his scoring touch as he scored his first goal as a Millionaire. Rookie Jordan Reeve is starting to play more minutes and is playing well. The Mils biggest problem as of late may be inconsistent goaltending as Kyle Cantlon and Travis Bosch have both struggled somewhat lately and will have to improve if the Mils are going to challenge for the division. The Millionaires have games against Yorkton, Nipawin and Melfort this week.
8. Estevan Bruins (19-18-2-1) LW: 5The Bruins struggled during this period going only 1-4. The Bruins have been relying on a lot of their younger players to score. Rookies Brennan Wrigley and Brody Haygarth played on the number one line in Weyburn on Saturday night with Kyle Stroh. The defense situation appears to be settled for now although GM/Head Coach Karry Biette would like to add more depth before the deadline. Colton MacPherson is back with the Bruins after starting this season with the Saskatoon Blades. However, as MacPherson was returning to Estevan, Gabriel Carle was packing his bags and leaving town to return to Quebec. The Bruins look to rebound this week but it won't be easy as they host Weyburn and Kindersley.
9. Nipawin Hawks (12-15-1-4) LW: 9The Hawks were .500 in their four games played during this period. The line of Torrie Dyck, Brent Ottmann and Steve Mason continues to provide a majority of the offense. The Hawks will also need offensive help from the likes of Dean Prpick, Keldon Sanderson, and Jordon Miller, to name a few, down the stretch in order to be any kind of challenge come playoff time. The goaltending situation is a bit changed as of late as the Hawks brought in Daniel Di Camillo. Di Camillo has started three consecutive games with Derek Kleinsteuber riding the pine. It will be interesting to see who gets a majority of the starts down the stretch. The Hawks do not have an easy week as they have games against Humboldt, Melville and Yorkton.
10. Yorkton Terriers (17-16-2-3) LW: 10My opinion - the Terriers are going to have to deal from strength (defense) to address a deficiency (offense). I know that is easier said than done but it is clear this team is struggling to score and that has been the theme for most of the season. Things really went down hill when Bryan Hull went down to injury and Carter Smith left the team for the Red Deer Rebels. I still feel this team is capable of upsetting a few teams come playoff time if Lynden Sammartino is on his game. Inconsistency has plagued Sammartino at times this season. The Terriers will look for revenge against the Millionaires on New Year's Day and then host Nipawin on Saturday.
11. Notre Dame Hounds (10-22-1-0) LW: 11It has been a long season for the young Hounds and I am interested to see how they come out after the break. Will the Hounds make any more deals? They continue to have the disgruntled Evan Bryksa who has not played a game and 20 year old forward Chris Bratina could be an attractive addition for contending teams. Mark Currie and Andre Guay have split most of the goaltending duties prior to the break. The Hounds on most nights use 2 or 3 players from their midget program so be sure to pick up a program if you head to a game in Notre Dame. The Hounds return from the break and hit the road with games in Flin Flon and La Ronge.
12. Battlefords North Stars (4-29-2-3) LW: 12The Stars are already in next year country so the next six weeks of action will allow the current roster to show that they want to be back next season. One area that does appear to be a bright spot for the future is the goaltending. Despite playing on a young, struggling team, Ryan Kerpan and Adrien Lemay have been impressive in many of their starts. The Stars will host Melfort on Friday night.
- Brad M.
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