Silvertips rise to fourth in Kia CHL Top 10 Rankings
Toronto, Ont. – The Canadian Hockey League today announced the week nine edition of the Kia CHL Top-10 Rankings for the 2019-20 season. The weekly rankings of the CHL’s Top-10 teams are selected by a panel of National Hockey League scouts.
Moving up the rankings to the fourth sport were the Everett Silvertips, who continue to lead the U.S. Division and Western Conference standings. Everett continued its winning ways by completing a two-game sweep of the Spokane Chiefs on the road Friday and earning a 4-2 win against the Seattle Thunderbirds on Saturday. The team is receiving scoring throughout their lineup, especially from defenceman Wyatte Wylie (Philadelphia Flyers), who ranks fourth in WHL defensive scoring with 18 points (4G-14A) through 17 games. Calgary Flames prospect Dustin Wolfe and 19-year-old Keegan Karki the Silvertips will look to extend the team’s four-game winning streak when they host the Winnipeg ICE on Saturday, November 16 (7:05 p.m. PT).
At the number five spot in the Kia CHL Top-10 Rankings are the Prince Albert Raiders, who are now tied for second in the WHL standings with a 13-4-3-0 record and 29 points. The Raiders downed the Brandon Wheat Kings 6-3 Friday to make themselves winners of six of their last seven games, but suffered a 3-2 setback against the Red Deer Rebels Saturday. Raiders forward Aliaksei Protas (Washington Capitals) is currently tied for first in WHL scoring with 30 points (13G-17A). The Eastern Division leaders will look to bounce back on the road against the Regina Pats on Saturday, November 16 (7:00 p.m. CT).
Occupying sixth place in this week’s rankings are the Edmonton Oil Kings, who lead WHL standings with a 13-3-3-1 record and 30 points. After taking a 4-3 shootout loss against the Lethbridge Hurricanes Friday, the Oil Kings earned a 4-2 victory against the Calgary Hitmen Saturday and were dealt a 3-0 decision at the hands of the Tri-City Americans on Monday. The Oil Kings have a trio of offensive standouts up front, with 20-year-old Riley Sawchuk, 2020 NHL Draft prospect Jake Neighbours, and Team WHL forward Josh Williams all having surpassed the 20-point plateau this season. Edmonton will get a chance to get back into the win column on Saturday, November 16 (7:30 p.m. MT) on the road against the Medicine Hat Tigers.
Earning honourable mentions this week were the Hurricanes and Kamloops Blazers.
The Hurricanes earned a 4-1 victory against the Swift Current Broncos Wednesday and topped the Oil Kings by a 4-3 shootout final Friday, erasing a 3-0 deficit in the third period. The Hurricanes then closed out their weekend with a 3-2 loss to the Americans Saturday. Import forward Oliver Okuliar continues to post strong numbers with 29 points (16G-13A) through 21 games. The Hurricanes will begin their B.C. Division road trip on Friday, November 15 against the Victoria Royals (7:05 p.m. PT).
Also cracking the honourable mentions list this week are the Blazers. Led by 2020 NHL Draft prospect Connor Zary, the Blazers have four forwards inside the top 11 scorers in the WHL thanks to outstanding starts from captain Zane Franklin, Orrin Centazzo, and Ryan Hughes. The Blazers take on the Prince George Cougars on Friday, November 15 (7:00 p.m. PT) in an all-B.C. Division matchup.
Kia CHL Top 10 Rankings – Week 9
Rank: | Team: | Last Week Ranked: | Total Weeks Ranked: |
1 | Sherbrooke Phoenix (17-1-2-0) | 1 | 9 |
2 | Oshawa Generals (14-3-0-1) | 4 | 7 |
3 | Moncton Wildcats (15-4-0-0) | 5 | 3 |
4 | Everett Silvertips (13-4-0-0) | 7 | 3 |
5 | Prince Albert Raiders (13-4-3-0) | 2 | 6 |
6 | Edmonton Oil Kings (13-3-3-1) | 3 | 9 |
7 | Windsor Spitfires (11-3-2-0) | 8 | 2 |
8 | Chicoutimi Sagueneens (13-4-2-0) | 6 | 9 |
9 | Ottawa 67’s (13-5-0-0) | 9 | 7 |
10 | Peterborough Petes (13-5-1-0) | – | 2 |
Honourable Mention: | |||
Cape Breton Eagles (13-6-1-0) | 10 | 5 | |
Lethbridge Hurricanes (13-5-0-3) | – | 0 | |
Kamloops Blazers (13-6-0-0) | – | 1 |
About the Western Hockey League
Regarded as the world’s finest development league for junior hockey players, the Western Hockey League (WHL) head office is based in Calgary, Alberta. The WHL consists of 22 member Clubs with 17 located in Western Canada and five in the U.S. Pacific Northwest. A member of the Canadian Hockey League, the WHL has been a leading supplier of talent for the National Hockey League for over 50 years. The WHL is also the leading provider of hockey scholarships with over 350 graduates each year receiving WHL Scholarships to pursue a post-secondary education of their choice. Each season, WHL players also form the nucleus of Canada’s National Junior Hockey Team.