Kia CHL Top-10 Rankings: Islanders making waves as QMJHL returns
Kia CHL Top-10 Rankings – Week 15
1. Winnipeg ICE
2. Everett Silvertips
3. Charlottetown Islanders
4. Edmonton Oil Kings
5. Portland Winterhawks
6. Kamloops Blazers
7. Hamilton Bulldogs
8. Sherbrooke Phoenix
9. London Knights
10. Quebec Remparts
HM. Kingston Frontenacs
HM. Mississauga Steelheads
HM. Moose Jaw Warriors
There is no sinking the Charlottetown Islanders. Standing atop the QMJHL with a 24-7-2-0 showing and 50 points, the No. 3 nationally ranked squad returned to the ice this weekend, coming away with a pair of road victories versus Baie-Comeau and Chicoutimi to push their win streak to six straight. Among the top performers for the Islanders in the wins was offensive blue-liner Lukas Cormier, a 2020 third-round selection of the Vegas Golden Knights who netted his first career hat-trick Saturday versus the Drakkar.
The Quebec Remparts picked up three of four points on the week underscored by a 6-1 road win in Drummondville in which 18-year-old centre Nathan Gaucher led the way with a two-goal effort. Ranked No. 16 among North American skaters per Central Scouting ahead of the 2022 NHL Draft, the budding forward has put together a solid third season with the Remparts that sees him sit third in team scoring with near point-per-game production counting 17 goals and 11 assists in 32 appearances.
Rounding out recognition from the QMJHL, the Sherbrooke Phoenix climb to eighth best in the national spotlight after coming away with back-to-back road wins over Val-d’Or and Rouyn-Noranda to hold down top spot in the Western Conference with a record of 21-7-2-1 and 45 points. On the season, the Phoenix continue to see impressive returns from Montreal Canadiens 2021 fifth-round selection Joshua Roy who picked up two goals and three assists in the pair of victories to shift to top spot in league-wide scoring with 52 points in 29 games.
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Returning to action Thursday in what begins a three-game homestand, the Winnipeg ICE are among the most offensively dynamic clubs in the circuit led by key veterans like Mikey Milne and Connor McClennon while also ushering in the next era that counts Matthew Savoie and Connor Geekie, both of whom are slated for opening-round selection in the upcoming NHL Draft. Averaging nearly five goals a game, the ICE have surrendered just six regulation losses through the first half of the season.
Standing atop the WHL with 70 points in 44 games, the Everett Silvertips are winners of eight straight highlighted by a perfect three-in-three weekend that counts wins against Victoria, Prince George, and Kelowna. Among the top performers for the club over the weekend was 2002-born centre Ryan Hofer who notched a season high of four points in Sunday’s 6-2 win over the Rockets. Picking up a pair of tallies, Hofer is now one of four Silvertips skaters to score 20 or more times this season.
After falling short Friday in Saskatoon, the Edmonton Oil Kings turned the tables the next night in Prince Albert as they rediscovered their winning ways in coming away with a 5-2 victory. Key to the win for the Oil Kings was new recruit Justin Sourdif, a 2020 third-round selection of the Florida Panthers who twice found the back of the net, including the eventual game-winning tally coming early in the middle frame. Since arriving in the Alberta capital, Sourdif has impressed with seven points in as many games.
Make it 16-straight games without a regulation loss for the Portland Winterhawks, a stretch in which the club has secured 31 of 32 points. Next up, the Winterhawks will look to keep up their winning ways Wednesday against Spokane that could also see newly added goaltender Taylor Gauthier take command of the franchise’s all-time shutout streak should he hold off the opposition for the opening 2:39. The overage netminder currently stands at just over 172 consecutive minutes without allowing a goal.
Climbing to No. 6, the scorching Kamloops Blazers are now winners of nine straight following a perfect weekend that counted a road win against Vancouver before a national audience before then taking a pair in Victoria. Leading the way for the Blazers was 18-year-old right-wing Matthew Seminoff, who picked up three goals and three assists in the trio of contests. The No. 50 ranked North American skater per Central Scouting ahead of the upcoming NHL Draft, on the season Seminoff sits third in team scoring with 42 points in 39 outings.
In the honourable mention category, the Moose Jaw Warriors are among the hottest teams in the circuit having won eight in a row that counts weekend victories on the road in Swift Current and Medicine Hat. The Warriors return to the ice Wednesday as they host Lethbridge where they will look to keep up their winning ways and continue to close in on national recognition.
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The Hamilton Bulldogs continue to turn heads having won five in a row, including an impressive 1-0 feat over league-leading Mississauga on Saturday that saw 2002-born netminder Marco Costantini turn aside all 21 shots to record his third shutout of the season. The Bulldogs also continue to see impressive returns from centre Ryan Winterton, a 2021 third-round selection of the Seattle Kraken who since making his season debut last month has put up 17 points in nine games.
Returning to the national spotlight for the 11th time this season, the No. 9 ranked London Knights saw a weekend dominated by Nashville Predators 2020 second-round pick and talented right-wing Luke Evangelista who collected 10 points in three games, highlighted by a season-high three-goal, two-assist outburst versus rival Kitchener on Saturday en route to a 6-3 win. The victory was one of three the Knights scored on the weekend to improve to 24-10-1-0 on the season, good for 49 points and top spot in the OHL’s Midwest Division. Tune in Friday on TSN at 7:30 p.m. Eastern as the Knights take to the national stage to once again face off against the Rangers.
Earning honourable mention, the Kingston Frontenacs picked up four of six points on the week including Thursday’s 5-2 road win in Barrie where 2022 NHL Draft headliner Shane Wright was one of three Frontenacs to close out the contest with a multi-point effort. The Mississauga Steelheads continue to sit top spot league wide with a 28-9-1-4 showing and 61 points through 42 appearances. Coming away with a lone point in a hard-battled 4-3 shootout decision versus Oshawa on Friday, the Steelheads continue to witness a breakout season from 2002-born left-wing James Hardie, whose one-goal, one-assist showing put him tied for top spot in team scoring with fellow forward Luca Del Bel Belluz with 56 points in 42 games. Both players are earmarked for selection in the upcoming NHL Draft per Central Scouting.