CALGARY, Alta. – The latest edition of the Canadian Junior Hockey League’s Top 20 rankings sees no change among one through five in the weekly listings as the CJHL gets set to welcome 40 NHL Draft-eligible players to Cornwall, Ont., for its annual Prospects Game on Wednesday.
Action in the MHL sees their defending champion Pictou County Weeks Crushers the first club there to surpass the 50-point plateau with the Truro Bearcats and Miramichi Timberwolves on the verge of joining them.
Collège Français de Longueuil and the Fred Page Cup host Les Cobras de Terrebonne still lead their respective divisions in the LHJQ with the Arctic de St-Léonard sitting third overall in the 12-team league.
Perennial CCHL power Carleton Place Canadians continues to move up the national rankings as do the Ottawa Jr. Senators who trail CPC by four points while also holding two games in hand on their outer-division rivals.
Heading into the OJHL Winter Showcase in Trenton, Ont., the Georgetown Raiders remain on top in league play and in the CJHL rankings as they vie with the Dudley-Hewitt Cup host Trenton Golden Hawks for first overall. The Whitby Fury and RBC Cup host Cobourg Cougars are also in the hunt.
NOJHL play has the Powassan Voodoos nine points clear of the Soo Thunderbirds and Cochrane Crunch in the race for first in northern Ontario.
The SIJHL Showcase starts Tuesday in Thief River Falls, Minn., with the first place Dryden GM Ice Dogs boasting the best record there.
The Steinbach Pistons still lead the way in the MJHL with the Winkler Flyers and Selkirk Steelers also remaining in contention for top spot.
In SJHL action the Battlefords North Stars are 8-1-1 in their past 10 and have upped their cushion on the second place Flin Flon Bombers, who are unbeaten in regulation in their previous eight outings.
The hottest team in the CJHL features the AJHL-leading Brooks Bandits having won 14 in a row to remain in first in league play. The Fort McMurray are riding a nine-game win streak and are neck-and-neck with the Whitecourt Wolverines, who have earned victories in their previous four contests.
Over in the BCHL, the Wenatchee Wild has 74 points to their credit as they pace the overall leaderboard. The Western Canada Cup host Penticton Vees along with the Chilliwack Chiefs and Victoria Grizzlies are also still in the hunt for the regular season crown.
CJHL TOP 20 (As of Jan. 23, 2017)
RANK TEAM (LEAGUE) (LAST WEEK)
1. Georgetown Raiders (OJHL) (1)
2. Brooks Bandits (AJHL) (2)
3. Collège Français de Longueuil (LHJQ) (3)
4. Powassan Voodoos (NOJHL) (4)
5. Steinbach Pistons (MJHL) (5)
6. Trenton Golden Hawks (OJHL) (7)
7. Les Cobras de Terrebonne (LHJQ) (6)
8. Battlefords North Stars (SJHL) (8)
9. Wenatchee Wild (BCHL) (9)
10. Dryden GM Ice Dogs (SIJHL) (10)
11. Carleton Place Canadians (CCHL) (12)
12. Penticton Vees (BCHL) (11)
13. Fort McMurray Oil Barons (AJHL) (14)
14. Pictou County Weeks Crushers (MHL) (17)
15. Whitby Fury (OJHL) (13)
16. Winkler Flyers (MJHL) (18)
17. Whitecourt Wolverines (AJHL) (15)
18. Ottawa Jr. ‘A’ Senators (CCHL) (19)
19. Chilliwack Chiefs (BCHL) (20)
20. Soo Thunderbirds (NOJHL) (16)
Honourable Mention: Victoria Grizzlies (BCHL); Flin Flon Bombers (SJHL); Selkirk Steelers (MJHL); Cochrane Crunch (NOJHL); Cobourg Cougars (OJHL)
ABOUT THE TOP 20 RANKINGS: The CJHL Top 20 weekly rankings are based upon a variety of factors, including the league in which the team plays, winning percentage, win-loss record, total points accumulated, goals-for versus goals-against ratio, etc.
