2024-25 CHL Top-10 Rankings: Week 2
The Canadian Hockey League (CHL) announced today the Week 2 edition of its CHL Top-10 Rankings for the 2024-25 season.
Holding a 4-1-0-0 record to start the season, the Brampton Steelheads of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) remain in the No. 1 spot for a second straight week. Following right behind them are the Moncton Wildcats of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL), who climbed up to second, while the Prince George Cougars of the Western Hockey League (WHL) jumped up to No.3.
Among the new additions, the QMJHL-leading Sherbrooke Phoenix entered the rankings in fourth. The reigning Memorial Cup champion Saginaw Spirit of the OHL and the Red Deer Rebels of the WHL, two of only four teams in the CHL to remain unbeaten in regulation, come in at No. 5 and No. 7 respectively. While, the only undefeated team in the CHL, the Niagara IceDogs of the OHL are making their Top-10 debut in eighth.
The next rankings will be released the week of October 14, following the third week of regular season action in all three member leagues of the CHL.
CHL Top-10 Rankings – Week 2
1. Brampton Steelheads (OHL): With wins in four of five games to start the 2024-25 campaign, the Brampton Steelheads (4-1-0-0) continue to rank first for a second week in a row. Over the last seven days, the Steelheads scored some notable victories against a tough Barrie Colts team (4-1), and by doubling up the No.10-ranked London Knights (6-3). The only loss of the week came on the tail end of a back-to-back in Niagara, where the IceDogs won convincingly 7-3. Brampton continues to get plenty of production out of its top line of Dallas Stars prospect Angus MacDonnell (2G-1A in 3 GP last week), Seattle Kraken prospect Carson Rehkopf (2G-5A in 3 GP last week), and 2025 NHL Draft prospect Porter Martone (4G-3A in 3 GP last week), who have arguably formed the hottest line in the CHL right now, having factored in on nine of the club’s last 13 goals. Martone’s great start has him ranked first in the OHL with 13 points (5G-8A in 5 GP this season), which also places him among the top five in the CHL. Rehkopf has now registered 10 points (4G-6A in 5 GP this season) to start his 2024-25 campaign, which ranks among the top five leaders in the OHL. Meanwhile, 2025 NHL Draft prospect Jack Ivankovic improved his record to a perfect 4-0-0-0 record and ranks second in the OHL with both a 1.71 GAA and .936 SV%. Also, not to be forgotten is the production of veteran defenceman Spencer Sova (2G-4A in 4 GP this season), who has points in all four games he’s played in. Sova did however miss out on Sunday’s loss against Niagara, and his status this week will be one to follow. Speaking of the next seven days, the Steelheads face another tough set of games when they head to Barrie again this Saturday, a night after they welcome the OHL-leading Windsor Spitfires to the CAA Centre on Friday.
2. Moncton Wildcats (QMJHL): With only one regulation loss to their name, the Moncton Wildcats (4-1-1-0) come in at No. 2 following a pair of wins this week. On Friday, the Wildcats got things started by securing a 5-1 win in Acadie-Bathurst over the Titan, before defeating the Charlottetown Islanders 4-1 on Sunday. Through those two contests, netminder Jacob Steiman continued his great start to the year, turning aside 55-of-57 shots faced and allowing just one goal in each of those games. Steinman’s 1.83 GAA and .935 SV% both rank second in the QMJHL. Additionally, Markus Vidicek (4G-2A in 6 GP this season) came alive over the last seven days, putting together a pair of two-point outings (3G-1A over the last 2 GP) in both of the Wildcats’ victories. Vidicek’s six points through six games lead the club, alongside German forward Julius Sumpf (2G-4A in 6 GP this season). Meanwhile, the Wildcats have been one of the best teams in the CHL at keeping the puck out of their net. Moncton has allowed a QMJHL-best 12 goals this season, good for an average of two goals conceded per game (which ranks as the best of any club in the CHL). It’s worth noting that 2025 NHL Draft prospect Caleb Desnoyers (1G-1A in 3 GP this season) didn’t play in any of the Wildcats’ past two games, and his status will be one to monitor as he remains day-to-day with a minor injury. This week, Moncton will string another pair of victories when they face the No. 4-ranked Sherbrooke Phoenix and the Charlottetown Islanders on home ice.
Games this week: vs. Sherbrooke (Oct. 12), vs. Charlottetown (Oct. 14)
3. Prince George Cougars (WHL): Having wrapped up a five-game road trip this weekend, the Prince George Cougars (4-2-1-0) did well to come away with three wins over that stretch. The latter included a pair of victories last week, which is why the Cougars moved up to No. 3 this week. Prince George got things started on Wednesday night in a 5-2 victory over the Kelowna Rockets, which was highlighted by the 2024-25 debuts of Washington Capitals prospect Terik Parascak (2G-2A in 3 GP this season) and Minnesota Wild prospect Riley Heidt (1G-5A in 3 GP this season). Parascak (2G-1A vs. KEL) and Heidt (1G-2A vs. KEL) wound up the night’s first and second stars thanks to their three-point outings. Meanwhile, Borya Valis (3G-6A in 5 GP this season) and Carlin Dezainde (6G-4A in 7 GP this season) continued their strong starts to the 2024-25 campaign. Valis registered a goal and four assists, while Dezainde had three goals and an assist in Prince George’s three games last week. Additionally, 2025 NHL Draft prospect Joshua Ravensbergen (4-0-1-0 record, 2.39 GAA & .927 SV% in 5 GP this season) remained unbeaten in regulation as he made 27 saves in victories against Kelowna and Seattle. Ravensbergen has made a total of 152 saves in five games, which ranks second in the WHL so far. In addition to all of these positives, the best news of all in Prince George in the last week might have been the announcement that Los Angeles Kings prospect Koehn Ziemmer is on his way back to play for the Cougars this season. Last season, Ziemmer posted 31 points (11G-20A) in 21 games before an injury cut his season short. His return might not mean he’ll be in the lineup tonight when the Cougars battle the Winterhawks, but one could expect him to make his 2024-25 WHL debut either on Wednesday or Saturday when the Cougars play another pair of home games.
4. Sherbrooke Phoenix (QMJHL): Standing atop the QMJHL standings through three weeks of the season with the league’s best point percentage (.833), the Sherbrooke Phoenix (5-1-0-0) enter this week’s ranking at No. 4. Over the last seven days, the Phoenix extended their CHL-best winning streak to five games by defeating the Cataractes 3-1 and the Drakkar 2-1. One of the Phoenix’s strengths has been their backend, as defensively they have only given up two goals or fewer in three straight games. Part of that can attributed to the play of Sherbrooke’s goalies Linards Feldbergs (3-0-0-0 record, 2.17 GAA & .917 SV% in 4 GP) and Jacob Brochu (2-1-0-0 record, 2.46 GAA & .910 SV% in 4 GP), who both rank among the top-six goalies in the QMJHL for save percentage. Meanwhile, Phoenix rookie Thomas Rousseau (2G-2A in 6 GP this season) ranks among the top 10 rookie scorers in the QMJHL with four points. On the heels of a career season a year ago, Charles-Antoine Beauregard (4G-2A in 6 GP this season) is averaging a point per game so far through six games, and he leads the club in with four goals and six points. This week, Sherbrooke will have its hands full as they hit the road to the Maritimes for games against the Sea Dogs, the No.2-ranked Wildcats, and the previously-ranked Mooseheads.
Games this week: @ Saint John (Oct. 11), @ Moncton (Oct. 12), @ Halifax (Oct. 13)
5. Saginaw Spirit (OHL): After losing on opening night in overtime against Windsor, the Saginaw Spirit (4-0-1-0) have bounced back in a big way to jump up to No. 5 in the rankings this week. Over their last four games, the Spirit have strung together four consecutive wins by outscoring their opponents 24-12. A big part of their scoring has come from the CHL’s goal-scoring leader Michael Misa (10G-2A in 5 GP this season), who’s been on a tear to start his NHL Draft year. The 2025 NHL Draft prospect has scored 10 goals in five games to start the season, which includes four multi-goal contests and one hat-trick. Misa is one of only two OHL players in the past 27 years to score 10 goals through the first five games of the season. Since returning to the Spirit lineup, Calgary Flames first-round pick Zayne Parekh has registered points in each of his last two games (0G-4A over last 2 GP). Nashville Predators prospect Joey Willis (2G-3A in 5 GP this season) has tallied points in four of five games and is one of eight Saginaw skaters averaging a point per game through the start of the 2024-25 campaign. Through five games, the Spirit have scored 5.6 goals per game, which ranks second in the CHL, trailing only the Windsor Spitfires (6.2 goals per game). This week, the 2024 Memorial Cup champions will welcome both the Rangers and Greyhounds to the Dow Event Center as they hope to maintain their place among the top five in the CHL.
6. Rimouski Océanic (QMJHL): The 2025 Memorial Cup hosts might not have started the year the way they wanted, but since getting back some key players, the Rimouski Océanic appear to have started taking flight here in 2024-25. Last week, the Océanic took down New Jersey Devils prospect Cam Squires and the Eagles in Cape Breton 5-2, before making the trip to Halifax for what was a well-earned 4-3 win over the Mooseheads. Sunday’s game in Halifax was particularly special for Vegas Golden Knights prospect and reigning MVP Mathieu Cataford (3G-8A in 4 GP this season), who played the last three seasons with the Mooseheads. During their victory in Halifax, Cataford registered what was his fourth straight multi-point game, as he registered the game-winning goal and an assist against his former club. With 11 points to start the season, Cataford is the only player ranked in the QMJHL’s top-10 scorers who have played less than five games. Meanwhile, Rimouski captain Jacob Mathieu (4G-0A in 4 GP this season), Anaheim Ducks prospect Alexandre Blais (1G-3A in 4 GP this season), and Philadelphia Flyers prospect Spencer Gill (0G-2A in 4 GP this season) continue to provide the Océanic with a boost since returning from the NHL training camps they attended. This week, Rimouski will be tested when they continue a nine-game road trip with contests against the Saguenéens and Remparts over the weekend.
Games this week: @ Chicoutimi (Oct. 11), @ Québec (Oct. 12)
7. Red Deer Rebels (WHL): Standing as the only unbeaten WHL team in regulation through three weeks, the Red Deer Rebels (4-0-1-0) are making their Top-10 debut this season at No. 7 this week. Specifically, the Rebels have strung together four straight victories, three of which have come against the No.9-ranked Medicine Hat Tigers. Leading the way for the Rebels are 2025 NHL Draft prospect Matthew Gard (3G-3A in 5 GP this season) and Matteo Fabrizi (2G-4A in 6 GP this season) who lead the team in scoring with six points. Seattle Kraken prospect and Rebels captain Ollie Josephson (2G-3A in 4 GP this season) has gotten off to a strong start, registering a pair of multi-point contests to kickstart his 2024-25 campaign. Meanwhile, Red Deer has flourished in the absence of some key players who remain out of the lineup, including Nashville Predators prospect Kalan Lind (day-to-day with an illness) and New Jersey Devils prospect Kasper Pikkarainen (day-to-day with a lower-body injury). Part of their success can also be attributed to the strong play of their goaltending duo of Rhett Stoesser (2-0-1-0 record, 2.30 GAA & .920 SV% in 3 GP) and Minnesota Wild prospect Chase Wutzke (2-0-0-0 record, 2.50 GAA & .930 SV% in 2 GP). This week, the Rebels will aim to extend their unbeaten streak as they prepare for contests against the Giants, No.10-ranked Tigers, and Oil Kings.
8. Niagara IceDogs (OHL): Standing as the only unbeaten team in the CHL having won all four of their games to start the season, the Niagara IceDogs (4-0-0-0) are making their Top-10 debut in the eighth spot. Notably, after securing three wins on the road to start the season including against the previously-ranked Oshawa Generals, the IceDogs scored their most impressive victory of the season this past Sunday. In what was their home opener, Niagara convincingly beat the No.1-ranked Steelheads 7-3, thanks in part to the incredible performance of Winnipeg Jets prospect Kevin He (4G-6A in 4 GP this season), who racked up a franchise record-tying six points (3G-3A) in that one game. Through four contests this season, He has been a force – registering points in each game including three multi-point outings. His efforts were recognized as he was named the Cogeco OHL Player of the Week. Meanwhile, a pair of IceDogs rookies Braidy Wassilyn (2G-3A in 4 GP this season) and Max Crete (3G-1A in 4 GP this season) have been impact players for the club through the first couple of weeks. Additionally, new addition Seattle Kraken prospect Andrei Loshko (2G-5A in 4 GP this season), as his seven points through four games rank second on the team in scoring behind He. Goaltender Owen Flores also has put together some strong performances of 48- and 35-saves through his first four stars. Flores’ 2.33 GAA and .935 SV% both rank among the top five in the OHL. This week, Niagara will look to maintain its perfect record as they get set to face both Owen Sound and North Bay at the Meridian Centre.
9. Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL): Following four straight losses, including three against the No.7-ranked Red Deer Rebels, the Medicine Hat Tigers (1-4-0-0) find themselves in the No. 9 spot after starting the season as the top-ranked team of our preseason rankings. Last week, the Tigers dropped a pair of 6-3 games to the Moose Jaw Warriors and No. 7-ranked Rebels. Despite still searching for his first goal of the season, 2026 NHL Draft prospect Gavin McKenna (0G-7A in 5 GP this season) has registered seven assists through five games, and he has six points over his last three contests. Meanwhile, in his return to the lineup this week, Florida Panthers prospect Hunter St. Martin (2G-0A in 2 GP this season) made an immediate impact, scoring a pair of goals against the Warriors on Saturday. The Tigers also made a splash over the weekend by acquiring Tampa Bay Lightning prospect and goalie Harrison Meneghin. A CHL Third-Team All-Star selection in 2023-24, Meneghin ranked among the WHL leaders in several different categories last season, including save percentage (.919, 2nd), shutouts (3, T-4th), minutes played (3,040, 4th) and saves (1,483, 5th). Although his Medicine Hat debut wasn’t what he hoped it would be on Saturday (having allowed four goals on 27 shots against the Warriors), Meneghin should help provide some much-needed talent to the crease as the Tigers look to find the win column for the first time since their home opener over two weeks ago. Meanwhile, worth noting, that the Columbus Blue Jackets announced that 2024 fourth-overall pick Cayden Lindstrom will continue injury treatment in Columbus as the NHL season gets underway tonight.
10. London Knights (OHL): Faced with a difficult schedule thanks to matchups against the Erie Otters and the No.1-ranked Brampton Steelheads, the London Knights (1-3-0-0) struggled over the last week having lost both of those contests – hence their fall to No. 10 in this week’s rankings. Although they were outscored 11-6 over the weekend, it seems like better days are ahead for the Knights. First and foremost, having already welcomed back San Jose Sharks prospect Sam Dickinson (0G-2A in 2 GP this season) and Edmonton Oilers prospect Sam O’Reilly (1G-1A in 2 GP this season), London is set to see the returns of some of its other brightest stars. Specifically, the Knights’ pair of Philadelphia Flyers prospects Denver Barkey and Oliver Bonk were released back to their club this past Friday, while the reigning OHL MVP and Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Easton Cowan is set to return this week after the Maple Leafs announced the news late on Monday. Meanwhile, in addition to the return of this trio, 2025 NHL Draft prospect and Knights defenceman Henry Brzustewicz (0G-5A in 4 GP this season) has enjoyed an impressive start to the season. Brzustewicz has collected points in three of four games, having recorded five assists through the 2024-25 campaign. London has also been effective on the power play, converting on 8-of-27 opportunities with the man advantage for a 29.6% conversion rate. This week, as they welcome back some serious talent, the Knights will look to snap their two-game skid when they face the Attack, Colts, and Storm over the next seven days.
