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Top 100 SHL Players of Today! - S43 - Printable Version

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Top 100 SHL Players of Today! - S43 - ArGarBarGar - 09-28-2018

Top 100 SHL Players of Today!
Season 43



Welcome back everyone, to the seasonal top 100 players of today. So for those who do not know, this is the 24th edition of this article, awarding the top 100 players heading into the 43rd season.

I'd like to give a big thanks to everyone who has helped me over the years and who has helped keep the players and teams accurate each season.

I used a points system which graded over 130 players, narrowing the list down to 100 and ranking those elite 100 players of the SHL. Note that since this was started very late into S43, these rankings may look weird knowing which players actually improved or declined this season. This is meant as a pre-season article and should be treated as such.

I'd like to ask the media grader to wait for my PM before grading this article.

100. (S22) D (Minnesota Chiefs) - Bubba Nuck || -12
Grade: 65.70
Past Seasons: S24-98, S26-59, S28-51, S29-74, S30-63, S31-3, S32-40, S33-69, S34-73, S35-14, S36-10, S37-4, S38-14, S39-20, S40-87, S41-41, S42-88

Starting off the list at number 100 is Bubba Nuck, just inside the list after a long career with a lot of highs and a few lows. Nuck scored two goals and 19 points in S42, nowhere near his best seasons, but was still productive for the Riot, and plans to do whatever he can to make his last year count.

99. (S37) RW (Texas Renegades) - Logan Jensen || New Entry
Grade: 66.20
Past Seasons: None

The spark plug Logan Jensen enters the list at number 99, bringing his on-ice talent to a much of a boil as his off-ice antics. Jensen scored 20 goals and 35 points, and while he wasn't exactly physical, he engaged with the opposition enough to get into the rough stuff, making him an effective antagonistic winger.

98. (S36) RW (Hamilton Steelhawks) - Nour Harrak || New Entry
Grade: 66.50
Past Seasons: None

Another new entry is Nour Harrak at 98. Harrak isn't exactly young anymore, but his career appears to have finally made its jump into "I am a solid player now" category, scoring 17 goals and 42 points last season. Harrak may not have a very long career as a productive player, but there is still time for him to improve on his game.

97. (S39) LW (Seattle Riot) - DeMaricus Smyth || New Entry
Grade: 67.90
Past Seasons: None

A youngster enters the list for the first time in DeMaricus Smyth, following up his S41 campaign with a solid 37 points and 19 goals. His plus minus being -1 wasn't exactly stellar, but he is a player with a ton of room to grow, and shows it every single day in the locker room and in the gym.

96. (S37) LW (Edmonton Blizzard) - Hercules Rockefeller || New Entry
Grade: 68.60
Past Seasons: None

At 96 is Hercules Rockefeller, yet another new entry into the list with his 13 goals and 38 points. The Blizzard didn't rely on him too much for scoring goals (he was 7th on the team in scoring on the season), but overall he contributed a lot, even with playing fewer than 20 minutes a night.

95. (S39) RW (Toronto North Stars) - Mikhail Lokitonov || New Entry
Grade: 68.70
Past Seasons: None

Yet another new entry is Mikhail Lokitonov of the North Stars, also very young and already making a big mark. He scored 22 goals adn 43 points for Toronto, and while his -1 doesn't look good by itself, he had one of the better plus minus ratings on the team, with the team struggling as much as it did last season.

94. (S33) LW (West Kendall Platoon) - John Langabeer || +2
Grade: 69.10
Past Seasons: S40-69, S42-96

At 94 is John Langabeer, still in the 90s but trying to work his way back up on the ladder. Langabeer scored 15 goals and 36 points, and even registered 91 hits and 177 shots. He wasn't the best scorer in the league, but he certainly made his presence known every time he was out on the ice.

93. (S37) D (Edmonton Blizzard) - Tor Tuck || +10
Grade: 69.40
Past Seasons: None

At 93 is Blizzard defender Tor Tuck, coming into the fold with a respectable but not exactly incredible campaign where he scored 7 goals and 26 points. He did pretty well in most areas, but there is a lot he will need to work on if he wants to continue up the ladder in his career.

92. (S39) G (Minnesota Chiefs) - Sebastien Primeau || New Entry
Grade: 69.60
Past Seasons: None

At 92 is Sebastien Primeau of the Minnesota Chiefs. Primeau had his first season as a starter in S42, going 21-21-2, which isn't all that great, but still solid for a goaltender looking to find his own way on a team that is currently in a rebuilding mode.

91. (S36) LW (Seattle Riot) - Alexander Zajac || New Entry
Grade: 69.60
Past Seasons: None

At 91 is Alexander Zajac, with another 37 point performance and showing some serious consistency as an SHL player. He isn't one of the youngest players out there right now, but he is providing a certain set of skills that the Riot are hoping to use to their advantage very soon.

90. (S34) C (Seattle Riot) - Brett Kennedy || -1
Grade: 69.60
Past Seasons: S42-89

At 90 is Brett Kennedy, dropping back a bit but still on the list with his 7 goals and 32 points for Seattle. His physical game has certainly ramped up, and defensively he has seemed to learn a few things, but the offensive part of his game is really going to need to step up at this point. He is very close to regression and won't be getting any younger from here on out.

89. (S20) RW (Toronto North Stars) - Kristian Eriksson || -40
Grade: 69.90
Past Seasons: S22-96, S23-77, S24-57, S25-40, S26-11, S27-30, S28-55, S29-39, S30-55, S31-30, S32-5, S33-20, S34-20, S35-38, S36-55, S37-71, S38-40, S39-22, S40-2, S41-4, S42-49

At 89 is Kristian Eriksson, a long-time veteran (and the second-oldest player in the league right now) still kicking it on this list. Eriksson has dropped back considerably in the points department (which shouldn't be surprising considering he was a top-10 player in the league in his late 30s which never happens). Eriksson scored 18 goals and 29 points in S42, which isn't too bad, but based on what he does in S43 this could be the end of him on this list.

88. (S33) RW (Manhattan Rage) - Yuri Starkonov || New Entry
Grade: 70.20
Past Seasons: None

At 88 is Yuri Starkonov of the Manhattan Rage, enjoying his first entry on the list with his 17 goals and 39 points. While that doesn't look all that good on the surface, consider those 39 points were the most any Rage player scored in S42, meaning there was very little offensive support on that team.

87. (S38) C (Buffalo Stampede) - Dermot Lavelle || +12
Grade: 70.30
Past Seasons: S42-99

At 87 is Dermot Lavelle, moving on up slowly but surely with his 18 goals and 35 points. He has already demonstrated his ability to adapt to the SHL game, winning the Jesster Trophy despite the stacked competition, but in S42 he was unable to capitalize on that head start and really adapt his game to be even more productive. He is still young, and a little improvement is better than no improvement at all, however.

86. (S25) C (Minnesota Chiefs) - Jonathan Lundberg || -15
Grade: 70.30
Past Seasons: 30-82, S31-94, S32-65, S33-59, S34-49, S35-27, S36-30, S37-58, S38-36, S39-27, S40-61, S41-50, S42-71

At 86 is Chiefs center Jonathan Lundberg, falling back even further after his point totals have continued to decline for a number of seasons, now. Lundberg is still productive at his old age (not many S25s left), scoring 14 goals and 30 points, and even registering 185 hits on the year.

85. (S39) LW (Buffalo Stampede) - Viktor Marius || New Entry
Grade: 70.60
Past Seasons: None

At 85 is new entry Viktor Marius, making big strides in his game offensively (and defensively too) with 23 goals and 44 points. While not quite a point per game player, yet, Marius was an integral part of the Stampede and is young to boot, meaning he could be a major part of the franchise for a number of seasons to come.

84. (S25) C (Texas Renegades) - Jack Durden || -12
Grade: 70.90
Past Seasons: S30-76, S31-24, S32-37, S33-33, S34-38, S35-20, S36-15, S37-15, S38-20, S39-19, S40-16, S41-24, S42-72

At 84 is Jack Durden, another S25 who is still kicking (though falling rather quickly). Durden scored 12 goals and 35 points in S42, and while he is unlikely to hit the number 50 again, he could still stretch his career out and possibly stick around the list.

83. (S31) LW (Seattle Riot) - Eduard Selich || +9
Grade: 71.60
Past Seasons: S33-84, S34-36, S35-12, S36-38, S37-52, S38-53, S39-33, S40-40, S42-92

At 83 is Eduard Selich, falling very close to being taken off the list last season, but coming back with his 220 goals and 41 points. It is possible that his brutal S40 campaign where he scored 22 points and was -26 was an anomaly, as in S42 he scored 20 goals and 41 points.

82. (S36) C (Hamilton Steelhawks) - Oliver König || +26
Grade: 71.70
Past Seasons: None

At 82 is Steelhawks center Oliver König, another young player making big strides in his game and getting rewarded for it as a result. König scored 12 goals and 44 points, a career high, all while bringing his defensive game up despite the lack of physicality.

81. (S36) C (Los Angeles Panthers) - Yuri Boyka Jr. || -6
Grade: 72.20
Past Seasons: S41-90, S42-75

Yuri Boyka Jr. comes in on the list at 81, unable to get another 40+ season on the books as he scored 11 goals and 39 points on the year. However, scoring at just under a 40 point clip is still something to be excited about, as he still can improve for a couple more seasons before he starts to regress and shows major signs of aging.

80. (S38) D (Buffalo Stampede) - Tatu Mäkelä || New Entry
Grade: 72.80
Past Seasons: S42-84

At 80 is Stampede defender Tatu Mäkelä, who while his game hasn't improved THAT much, he has shown some growth in a few intangible areas and is helping shape Buffalo into a major contender. Mäkelä scored 99 goals and 30 points, and did have his first plus season in his short career.

79. (S28) RW (New England Wolfpack) - Dieter Dominique || +4
Grade: 73.20
Past Seasons: S34-51, S35-86, S36-59, S37-73, S38-59, S39-50, S40-23, S41-44, S42-83

At 79 is Dieter Dominique of the New England Wolfpack. Dominique had a solid bounce-back year in S42 where he scored 18 goals and 42 points, improved his defensive game, and made it his fifth 40+ point season in the last six. While regression is starting to hit, he is taking it with stride so far.

78. (S32) LW (Winnipeg Jets) - Kyle Kylrad || -24
Grade: 73.70
Past Seasons: S35-100, S36-75, S37-20, S38-34, S39-44, S40-51, S41-73, S42-54

At 78 is Kyle Kylrad, going into his fifth season with the Winnipeg Jets, but having some inconsistencies with his production. His S41 50 point season was expected to be the first of many in Winnipeg, but S42 saw him score 19 goals and 38 points, well below what was expected. Not to mention the physicality has dropped off as well.

77. (S36) LW (Edmonton Blizzard) - Teddy Cuddles || +21
Grade: 74
Past Seasons: S41-86, S42-98

At 77 is Blizzard winger Teddy Cuddles, enjoying his highest ranking yet after a 17 goal, 41 point season which was arguably his best season ever (at least in his short career thus far). Coupled with his consistent physical game and his playoff resume (13 points in 11 games last season), he could be on the fast track to the top-10.

76. (S25) RW (Minnesota Chiefs) - Lord Pretty Flacko || -12
Grade: 74.10
Past Seasons: S30-70, S31-11, S32-1, S33-1, S34-6, S35-2, S36-1, S37-1, S38-2, S39-5, S40-46, S41-46, S42-64

At 76 is Lord Pretty Flacko, his final installment on the list after a ton of success through his career. Flacko was one of the most consistent players during his career, scoring 40+ points 13 straight seasons going into S43, with many of those above 60 points (6) and even enjoying one 70 point season to boot. He may not score 900 points, but his career has been something to behold.

75. (S33) D (Edmonton Blizzard) - Isaac Cormier-Hale || -23
Grade: 74.10
Past Seasons: S40-76, S41-27, S42-52

Isaac Cormier-Hale comes in at 75, back and forth with his production lately, and likely not to get much better with regression creeping up on him. Cormier-Hale scored 4 goals and 27 points, one of his worst seasons in the last five, and his defensive game struggled as wlel. Cormier-Hale did have one of his best physical seasons, however, so there is a chance he is just changing up his role in Edmonton.

74. (S40) G (Texas Renegades) - Walter Hobbs || New Entry
Grade: 75.20
Past Seasons: None

At 74 is Walter Hobbs, doing a pretty decent job for his first season as a starter. Hobbs went 24-16-4 in S42, with a .901 save percentage, and when you are a youngster just starting out, some times that is all you should really ask for in a goaltender. Considering he was able to take them to the playoffs, that is quite a solid rookie year.

73. (S34) LW (Seattle Riot) - Elias Lindstrom || -28
Grade: 75.20
Past Seasons: S40-29, S41-17, S42-45

At 73 is Elias Lindstrom of the Seattle Riot. Lindstrom had some struggles with his new team, scoring 20 goals and 37 points, 9 fewer than the season before, and 17 fewer than the two seasons before that. Lindstrom is in his prime, still, which means there is a good chance he will jump right back into the swing of things,

72. (S35) D (Hamilton Steelhawks) - Finn Krüger || -6
Grade: 75.30
Past Seasons: S39-82, S40-77, S41-79, S42-66

At 72 is Finn Krüger, another player who recently joined a new team, and with some struggles of his own (somewhat). Krüger scored 7 goals and 33 points in S42, with a +11 and 60 blocked shots. Without the physical play, this is about where you would expect him to end up, and until he improves more (which he has time to do before regression hits) he will stay in this area.

71. (S31) LW (Winnipeg Jets) - Pietra Volkova || -25
Grade: 75.50
Past Seasons: S36-93, S37-98, S38-85, S39-41, S40-35, S41-21, S42-46

At 71 is Pietra Volkova of the Jets, dropping back significantly (and consistently since S40) with her 13 goal, 34 point season. To top it all off she was -10 on the season, the first minus season she has had since S36. Is this regression causing the unrest?

70. (S30) D (West Kendall Platoon) - Jon Ross || +6
Grade: 75.70
Past Seasons: S33-89, S34-84, S35-58, S36-63, S37-92, S38-98, S39-99, S40-66, S42-76

At 70 is Jon Ross, a long-time Platoon veteran who is still kicking it on this list. Ross scored 10 goals and 37 points, a big bounce back from previous seasons where he was unable to break the 30 point mark, and kept up his defensive play with a +10 and 68 blocked shots.

69. (S39) D (Toronto North Stars) - Bob Bergen || -11
Grade: 75.80
Past Seasons: S42-58

At 69 is Bob Bergen, a player who has already made a name for himself despite only a couple seasons in the league. Bergen dropped a bit on the rankings, but his 10 goals and 34 points is a hell of a second year for a defenseman (not taking into account the plus minus, which is something you somewhat expect on a team like Toronto at this point). Bergen could be a player that will be a Stevens contender year in and year out, but he first needs to break that 30 point plateau and get some real production going.

68. (S35) LW (Hamilton Steelhawks) - Angelo Odjick || +10
Grade: 75.90
Past Seasons: S41-70, S42-78

At 68 is Steelhawks winger angelo Odjick, starting to find his niche in the league and perhaps getting underrated as a result. This is his second 40+ point season (scored 21 goals and 43 points in S42), and he was pretty good in all areas, especially hits (where he registered 146), but for some reason is not getting the recognition that he may deserve. However, with him getting into his prime years he could be poised to take the league by storm and show everyone what he is all about.

67. (S32) D (Buffalo Stampede) - Charles Walker || -47
Grade: 75.90
Past Seasons: , S37-, S38-133, S39-81, S40-95, S41-55, S42-20

At 67 is Charles Walker of the Stempede, who has played a lot of hockey with a solid set of results as a defenseman. However in S42 he scored only 4 goals and 24 points, the worst pair of statistics since S36 (8 seasons), and is certainly going to be looking for some kind of bounce-back in S43. Walker definitely has the talent to do so, but does he have the work ethic?

66. (S32) RW (West Kendall Platoon) - Leafer Rielly || -22
Grade: 76.20
Past Seasons: S39-95, S40-44, S41-39, S42-44

At 66 is Leafer Rielly of the West Kendall Platoon, another lifer (so far) who is experiencing somewhat of a down year production-wise. Rielly scored 15 goals and 39 points, their worst season since S37 (7 seasons), and with Rielly's advanced age (as in hitting regression) this could spell the beginning of the end for the veteran winger.

65. (S34) LW (Minnesota Chiefs) - Noro Wozy || -38
Grade: 76.30
Past Seasons: S37-88, S38-68, S39-58, S40-30, S41-20, S42-27

At 65 is new Minnesota acquisition Noro Wozy. The former Steelhawk scored 13 goals and 37 points in S42, which was a major mark down from the previous season (I am sensing a pattern here in the 60s), and considering regression is right around the corner I am going to chalk this one up to the player hitting their mid-life crisis at an early age and instead of buying a car well below their age they are just sucking at hockey. Come on, Wozy. Get it together.

64. (S21) D (Minnesota Chiefs) - Alonzo Garbanzo || -57
Grade: 76.30
Past Seasons: S23-59, S24-76, S25-18, S26-30, S27-13, S28-3, S29-15, S30-6, S31-4, S32-4, S33-9, S34-2, S35-5, S36-2, S37-3, S38-3, S39-7, S40-22, S41-8, S42-7

At 64 is defenseman Alonzo Garbanzo, one of the greatest defensemen to ever lace them up (the author is definitely not biased in this statement at all). Going in classic "oh the mighty have fallen" fashion, Garbanzo dropped his production by over 50%, scoring only 4 goals and 23 points in S42, though his minutes dropped by almost 15%, but of course we all know the math doesn't quite add up there. This is the lowest Garbanzo has ranked on the list since S24, and considering that fact it is likely that the aging future Hall of Famer (not biased at all, once again) should be retiring very soon.

63. (S32) D (West Kendall Platoon) - Noctis Caelum || -13
Grade: 76.40
Past Seasons: , S37-97, S38-79, S39-37, S40-70, S41-58, S42-50

At 63 is Platoon defender Noctis Caelum, a player who has been pretty consistent through his career but wasn't quite up to his normal speed in S42. Last season he scored 11 goals and 31 points, though his plus minus didn't exactly improve with a -6 on the season. Overall his season didn't turn many heads, so it is possible that him leaving Minnesota was a mistake and he should consider that his actions have consequences next time he is a free agent.

62. (S36) D (Winnipeg Jets) - Karl Hefeweizen || -40
Grade: 76.90
Past Seasons: S41-68, S42-22

At 62 is Karl Hefeweizen, Jets defender and YET AGAIN a player who had a significant down year in S42. Hefeweizen scored 9 goals and 27 points, which put a damper on all fantasy hockey players considering he was on an upward trend the previous two seasons. Not to mention his plus minus was the lowest of his career. Is there potentially some reason he has just stopped caring or is Winnipeg so terrible that he is looking for his first out?

61. (S30) LW (Texas Renegades) - Conklin Owen || +4
Grade: 77
Past Seasons: S35-85, S37-57, S38-57, S40-6, S41-47, S42-65

At 61 is Conklin Owen, who is the first player in a few who has actually shown some consistency and is not dropping like a rock in the list. Owen followed up his 21 goal, 43 point season with 22 goals and 43 points. While he was simply consistent on the offense, his defense shot up where he was only a -3 player on the season and even got back to his100+ hits which we thought would be a regular thing in S41.

60. (S33) LW (Hamilton Steelhawks) - Zanarkand Abes || -24
Grade: 77.30
Past Seasons: S39-68, S40-14, S41-43, S42-36

At 60 is Zanarkand Abes, honest Abe as we call him in the original nickname factory. Abes scored 20 goals and 39 points in S42, which unfortunately means he himself had a regression (which tallies up the regression players in the 60s to 7, which is out of 10 for all you people bad at math). The one thing consistent with his game was the physicality, which means he may be a major intangible monster in the coming years and not be bringing as much of the offense as the Steelhawks look for the next Challenge Cup in their history.

59. (S32) C (Edmonton Blizzard) - Teodors Cukurs || +9
Grade: 77.60
Past Seasons: S39-56, S40-59, S41-87, S42-68

At number 59 is Blizzard center Teodoors Cukurs, moving back into the 50s with consistency where he scored 17 goals and 45 points, his second straight 40+ point season. Cukurs has been a pretty decent player though the majority of his career, and this is no different as despite regression starting on him he is still able to keep consistent and a major contributor to the Blizzard.

58. (S31) RW (Edmonton Blizzard) - Ace Redding || -7
Grade: 78.10
Past Seasons: S34-78, S35-42, S36-8, S37-8, S38-15, S39-16, S40-11, S41-23, S42-51

AT 58 is Blizzard winger Ace Redding, dropping off but still remaining one of the most consistent players in the league right now. Redding scored 19 goals and 43 points in S42, and enjoyed his best plus minus season ever with a +25. Despite being unable to reach his career high from S35 where he scored 67 points, he has been able to bring back his two-way play which made him a top-20 and top-10 player in the league.

57. (S35) D (Manhattan Rage) - Shoyu Kikkoman || -31
Grade: 78.10
Past Seasons: S41-29, S42-26

At 57 is Shoyu Kikkoman, a player who looked to be quickly on the rise taking a major drop on the list after his production in S42. Kikkoman had a bit of a struggle in S41 where he failed to match his previous season of 42 points, but in S42 things got even worse, as he scored only 7 goals and 28 points. Not to mention this became his second straight season at -20 or worse, meaning his physical game didn't seem to garner much in the way of solid defense.

56. (S38) RW (Minnesota Chiefs) - Bobby Watson || +24
Grade: 78.20
Past Seasons: S41-98, S42-80

Bobby Watson enters the list at 56, taking another solid bump in his fourth season in the SHL. Watson scored 18 goals and 48 points in S42, and while he did not meet his previous two totals in goals, he finished with a career high in points. The only issue with his game right now is defensive positioning and physical game. Not much of a two-way player at the moment with the way he is playing.

55. (S36) D (Calgary Dragons) - Roman Augustus || -14
Grade: 78.60
Past Seasons: S40-83, S41-49, S42-41

At 55 is Dragons defenseman Roman Augustus, a player who started his career off pretty strong, even though he wasn't imemdiately recognized, and even now has been about as consistent as you can be from a defensive standpoint. Augustus scored 9 goals and 35 points in S42, which was his fourth straight season with at least 35 points (he scored 36 the previous three). Augustus does have one major issue, however: his physicality. It is non-existent at this point in time and he doesn't seem all that interested in changing things.

54. (S31) LW (Winnipeg Jets) - Corey Bearss || -43
Grade: 78.70
Past Seasons: S37-55, S38-9, S39-2, S40-32, S41-52, S42-11

At 54 is Jets winger Corey Bearss, a player who came pretty much out of nowhere after he was drafted in the third round by the Jets. Bearss has been lighting the lamp at will for the last few seasons, culminating in a season he never expected where he scored 70 points (S41). S42 was a different story, however, as he only scored 15 goals and 35 points, his lowest total since S35. Could this be regression finally kicking in and the end of an era?

53. (S36) D (Minnesota Chiefs) - Isak Ødegård || +6
Grade: 78.90
Past Seasons: S42-59

At 53 is Isak Ødegård, his second time being placed on the list and while he did not make a major jump, it is better than falling at this point. Ødegård has come to form in recent years, scoring 30+ points the last three seasons and actually rounding out his game a great deal. Ødegård scored 11 goals and 37 points in S42, and despite the decrease in hits he was still somewhat formidable on the ice.

52. (S33) C (Buffalo Stampede) - Viktor Vorkämpfer || +45
Grade: 79.30
Past Seasons: S41-84, S42-97

At 52 is Viktor Vorkämpfer, with a major jump after his best season yet, even if it occured right before regression was ready to take its toll. Vorkämpfer scored 16 goals and 49 points in S42, along with a +28, 131 shots, 194 hits, and 14 points on the powerplay. This was a season in which this veteran center was able to do just about everything right, and while we may not see him repeat this next season, it is always nice to see the whole package come together for a player.

51. (S28) G (New England Wolfpack) - Mikke Laukkanen || +9
Grade: 79.30
Past Seasons: S32-61, S33-30, S34-17, S35-25, S36-27, S37-34, S38-75, S39-49, S40-67, S41-26, S42-60

Mikke Laukkanen enters the list at 51, a goaltender with a long track record of being a top-tier goaltender in the league, but with some inconsistencies as of late. Laukkanen went 23-15-6 in S42, with a .902 save percentage and 3.20 goals against average. Despite the wins Laukkanen wasn't getting a lot of help back there, and for such an old goaltender that is a pretty amazing feat that he was able to do so well in the team statistics.

50. (S31) D (West Kendall Platoon) - Ludwig Koch Schröder || -19
Grade: 79.30
Past Seasons: S33-98, S34-92, S35-82, S36-71, S37-11, S38-32, S39-32, S40-18, S41-31, S42-31

At 50 is Platoon defender Ludwig Koch Schröder, who seemed poised to finally break that top-10 mark for the first time, but unfortunately falling the complete opposite way. Schröder's statline actually makes it seem like he should not have been rated so low, but in the end it is possible that he can no longer rely on his 50 point season to carry him anymore. Schröder scored 5 goals and 36 points in S42, with a +19 and not much else to speak of. He had high blocked shots but overall wasn't a major factor on the ice, meaning he was passed up for recognition for other, more flashy defensemen.

49. (S32) LW (Buffalo Stampede) - Luke Atmey || -26
Grade: 79.30
Past Seasons: S34-93, S36-51, S37-14, S38-8, S39-21, S40-10, S41-3, S42-23

At 49 is Luke Atmey, dropping back for the second straight season with dwindling point totals and his body starting to betray him as he hits regression. Atmey scored 9 goals and 39, which isn't bad, but not up to par with the previous three seasons where he scored over 50 points and even mixed a 60+ point season in there. His shot totals in particular have dropped, which is a major concern going forward as he is not driving offense like he used to.

48. (S35) C (Hamilton Steelhawks) - Robert Phelps || -13
Grade: 79.40
Past Seasons: S39-66, S40-37, S41-57, S42-35

At 48 is Robert Phelps of the Steelhawks, another player dropping on the lists with dropping point totals, though this player should be getting better, not worse. Phelps followed up his first 50+ point season in S41 with 14 goals and 42 points in S42, a noticeable drop but not something that is going to ruin his career. He did have his most physical season, however, meaning his two-way game may be seriously improving going forward (100 hits, a career high).

47. (S34) C (New England Wolfpack) - Xander Green || +55
Grade: 79.70
Past Seasons: S40-99, S41-92

At 47 is Wolfpack center Xander Green, a big riser with his 23 goals and 57 points in S42, a major jump in production that nobody seemed to be expecting. To top it all off he was +22 with 91 hits, pretty good all around and still has a year or so to grow his game before he is likely as good as we are going to see. Now the question is whether or not this season was a one-off and this is now as good as he is going to get.

46. (S36) D (Hamilton Steelhawks) - Sami Owens || +23
Grade: 79.80
Past Seasons: S42-69

Sami Owens comes in at 46, his second appearance on the list and starting to find some consistency in the league. Owens scored 15 goals and 39 points in S42, a career high in both. He also had over 100 shots for the first time in his career. Right now for a player without a big defensive game and no physical game to speak of, this is a pretty solid statline for a defenseman.

45. (S33) RW (Minnesota Chiefs) - Halfdan Thorstein || +29
Grade: 80
Past Seasons: S37-83, S38-81, S39-76, S40-74, S41-69, S42-74

At 45 is Halfdan Thorstein of the Chiefs, who has been a consistent player for the last three seasons, scoring 40+ points in each of them. This was also his fifth 40+ point season in the last 7, another mark of consistency over a major part of his career. Thorstein scored 22 goals and 49 points in S42, and while his -3 wasn't anything to brag about, he generated a lot of scoring chances even when he didn't score.

44. (S31) RW (Texas Renegades) - Vasily Horvat || New Entry
Grade: 80.10
Past Seasons: None

At 44 is a surprising new entry on the list, Vasily Horvat. For some reason this player wasn't put on the list last season when he scored 46 goals, but he is on now, with his second straight 40+ point season despite his age and taking awhile to develop. In S42 he scored 16 goals and 47 points, a career high in both categories, and even registered 200 hits for only the third time in his career. With this kind of production at his age it is possible we may have a player who continues to age like fine wine.

43. (S28) D (New England Wolfpack) - Mia Landvik || -15
Grade: 80.10
Past Seasons: S35-56, S36-60, S38-65, S39-40, S40-63, S41-36, S42-28

At 43 is Wolfpack defender Mia Landvik, making a sizeable drop but maintaining a pretty consistent stat line over he career the last 6 seasons. Landvik scored 6 goals and 34 points in S42, and while not amazing defensively certainly threw her weight around with 150 hits. While she has lost a bit of her physicality, she is still finding ways to produce at her age.

42. (S37) G (Seattle Riot) - Johnny Yuma || New Entry
Grade: 80.20
Past Seasons: None-

At 42 is Johnny Yuma, another player entering the list for the first time. Yuma's career has been interesting over the years. Splitting time with another goaltender in S39, then a full-fledged starter in S40, then back to splitting starts, then a starter again in S42. He had a solid season in S42 (though not record-wise) with a 21-19-4 record, .905 save percentage and 3.05 goals against average. Yuma is pretty young, and if he is able to get things together at the same time the Riot get their core in order and actually bring a solid team in front of him, there could be a lot of success in his future.

41. (S38) D (Texas Renegades) - Thé Dude || New Entry
Grade: 80.30
Past Seasons: None

At 41 is Thé Dude, a player who already in his short career has made a big statement for himself. Thé Dude scored 5 goals and 42 points in S42, and while he was a minus player for the second straight season, his defensive abilities have certainly improved, and he has developed skills on both ends of the ice. Now all he has to do at this point is bulk up a bit and he may be a force to be reckoned with.

40. (S35) D (New England Wolfpack) - Spitfire || New Entry
Grade: 80.60
Past Seasons: None

Finishing off the 40s is Spitfire of the New England Wolfpack. Not to be confused with the English fighter plane in World War 2, Spitfire has surprisingly had a lengthy career already with the Wolfpack, but is only just now entering the list. Spitfire scored 4 goals and 40 points in S42, and over the last three seasons has seen the numbers continue to increase. While the player isn't really all that special in anything else, there is a possibility Spitfire could be a solid offensive player for many seasons, now.

39. (S36) G (Los Angeles Panthers) - Evgueni Marmeladov || +9
Grade: 81.10
Past Seasons: S41-89, S42-48

At 39 is Panthers goaltender Evgueni Marmeladov, entering his fourth straight season as the starter for the Panthers, and doing pretty well so far. Marmeladov went 23-19-0 in S42, had a .902 save percentage, and a 3.21 goals against average. Despite the high shots against and goals against average he was able to hold his own in net, and could be getting even better by S43.

38. (S34) C (Los Angeles Panthers) - Matthew Auston || +43
Grade: 81.40
Past Seasons: S42-81

At 38 is Panthers center Matthew Auston, making big strides in his game, particularly offensively. Auston scored 24 goals and 54 points in S42, a career high in both categories, and did so by doing one thing: putting shots on the net. Auston registered over 200 shots for the first time in his career, and didn't even play as many minutes as the season prior.

37. (S36) D (Seattle Riot) - Clint Eastwood || +20
Grade: 81.40
Past Seasons: S42-57

Clint Eastwood comes in at 37, starting to find his game midway through his developing years, scoring 40+ points for the second straight season with 7 goals and 40 points. His defensive game needs a bit of work, but with his physical game still up to par (never had a season below 100 hits) all he has to do is concentrate a little harder to become a two-way monster.

36. (S28) RW (Calgary Dragons) - Mikko Linna || +6
Grade: 81.40
Past Seasons: S32-76, S33-81, S34-98, S35-61, S36-48, S37-48, S38-17, S39-38, S40-24, S41-16, S42-42

At 36 is new Dragons acquisition Mikko Linna, who is already fitting in nicely with his new team. Linna scored 18 goals and 48 points in S42, his ninth straight 40+ point season, and despite dropping back on the list a couple seasons back, seems poised to jump right back in it with a new team and new locker room to feed from.

35. (S36) RW (Texas Renegades) - Colton Hagan || +52
Grade: 81.70
Past Seasons: S41-81, S42-87

At 35 is Colton Hagan of the Renegades, pretty early in his career, but already enjoying his first point per game season in S42. He scored 24 goals and 52 points last season, was a +7, and even registered a career high in hits with 149. As of right now he can do it all, and if he continues to be a consistent contributor he could be a top-10 player in no time at all.

34. (S37) D (San Francisco Pride) - Jack Tanner || -13
Grade: 81.70
Past Seasons: S41-65, S42-21

At 34 is Jack Tanner of the San Francisco Pride, falling back somewhat after being unable to repeat his S41 performance where he scored 16 goals and 46 points. Tanner instead had to settle for 8 goals and 38 points, which is still a very good stat line for a defenseman, but with his -10 (his fourth straight minus season) and a lack of physical play, he may not be getting the benefit of the doubt much longer, and may have a reputation as a soft one-way defenseman.

33. (S31) RW (WInnipeg Jets) - Zach Evans || -15
Grade: 81.80
Past Seasons: S36-62, S37-23, S38-7, S39-4, S40-8, S41-14, S42-18

At 33 is Jets winger Zach Evans, another dropper after his multiple top-10 and top-20 finishes. Evans scored 16 goals and 45 points in S42, which is still really good considering he is entering regression and may not have as much in the tank. For those counting that is eight straight 40+ point seasons. However he isn't showing the same kind of mettle as previous seasons where he scored 50 point and 60 point seasons at will.

32. (S31) D (Hamilton Steelhawks) - Ronnie Westbrook || -23
Grade: 82.60
Past Seasons: S34-97, S35-83, S37-40, S38-27, S39-25, S40-4, S41-25, S42-9

At 32 is Ronnie Westbrook, dropping out of the top-10 once again but still within striking distance to get back there again. Westbrook scored 3 goals and 33 points, and was even a +11 on the season. What is confusing is Westbrook scoring so few goals. This was the first season in his career (even going back to his rookie season) where he failed to score at least 10 goals, and some have to wonder if there is a nagging injury to his wrist that is keeping him from taking a ton of shots.

31. (S32) RW (Minnesota Chiefs) - Terrance Nova || +12
Grade: 82.90
Past Seasons: S34-83, S35-28, S36-36, S37-56, S38-24, S39-15, S40-7, S41-45, S42-43

At 31 is Terrance Nova of the Minnesota Chiefs, getting back into the swing of things and trying to get back into the top-20 wit his recent performances. Nova scored 24 goals and 49 points in S42, registering 200+ shots and over 100 hits on the year. Despite getting older it doesn't seem like Nova is planning on slowing down, and with this being his ninth straight 40+ point season there is no indication that we should expect anything less.

30. (S32) D (Winnipeg Jets) - Max Weber || -18
Grade: 83.10
Past Seasons: S36-74, S37-29, S38-12, S39-9, S40-31, S41-9, S42-12

At 30 is Jets defender Max Weber, falling out of the top-20 after failing to register 40 points, a streak that has surprised many in the league to a degree. Weber has been very productive in recent years, particularly with the Jets, and S42 wasn't much different as he scored 9 goals and 37 points. The physical game still hasn't developed, but he has found a solid niche as a defenseman and is sticking to it with a lot of success.

29. (S30) LW (San Francisco Pride) - Kelly Rivet || +18
Grade: 83.40
Past Seasons: S36-86, S38-41, S39-29, S40-38, S41-28, S42-47

At 29 is Pride winger Kelly Rivet, right back in the top-30 after his first 50+ point season. Rivet scored 23 goals and 51 points, averaging a little over 47 points the last five seasons. His physical play has dropped slightly, and defensively he has not been immune from San Francisco's defensive struggles, but the veteran winger certainly has been consistent offensively and demonstrated a lot of value to a team looking for the talent to become a contender.

28. (S31) C (Winnipeg Jets) - Jason Visser || -27
Grade: 83.50
Past Seasons: S36-49, S37-6, S38-4, S39-3, S40-28, S41-11, S42-1

At 28 is Jets center Jason Visser, taken off his throne and stuck with being a top-30 player this season after seeing his point totals drop by half from 78 points to 39. To top it all off his goals went from 34 to 13, his plus minus went from 36 to -2, and all this without any real change to his intangibles. So what happened? Was he just not that good? Or was it an anomaly of a season? The voters think a little of column A and a little of column B. He won't be as bad as this in S43, but he probably won't be as good as S41.

27. (S35) LW (Calgary Dragons) - Mike Izzy || +28
Grade: 83.90
Past Seasons: S40-56, S41-59, S42-55

At 27 is Mike Izzy of the Calgary Dragons, with his first ever 50+ point season and not only first top-50 selection but first time in the top-30 to boot. Izzy scored 26 goals and 52 points in S42, which shouldn't be all that surprising to those who followed him closely, as his last three seasons of 40+ points indicated he had a lot more offense to bring than some assumed. Topping off his physical play continuing to be a major facet to his game, Izzy is a deadly force both with the puck and without it.

26. (S37) D (Edmonton Blizzard) - Connor Tanner || +30
Grade: 84
Past Seasons: S42-56

At 26 is Blizzard defender Connor Tanner, with his first top-30 selection as well, having the most productive season of his career with 9 goals and 46 points, along with 77 blocked shots. While his defensive game and physicality aren't exactly all-world, he is bringing a defensive charge to the Blizzard that the team has been looking for for awhile.

25. (S31) LW (West Kendall Platoon) - Trevor Wilson || +8
Grade: 84.20
Past Seasons: S37-82, S38-56, S39-39, S40-12, S41-13, S42-33

At 25 is Trevor Wilson, Platoon winger and one of the biggest acquisitions in terms of bringing the points to the table. So far with West Kendall Wilson has scored 206 points, over a point per game pace, which is the kind of consistency that is hard to come by in this league. His physical game is also on point, and defensively he is one of the most dangerous wingers in the game, making him the exact kind of player the Platoon need going forward.

24. (S28) G (Edmonton Blizzard) - Michael McFadden || -11
Grade: 84.60
Past Seasons: S31-73, S32-73, S33-56, S34-58, S35-21, S36-26, S37-42, S38-16, S39-26, S40-21, S41-10, S42-13

At 24 is Michael McFadden of the Blizzard, a goaltender who has been pretty damn good over the last few seasons, though not quite up to the level the previous two seasons showed. McFadden went 28-12-4, had a save percentage of .906, and a goals against average of 2.79. He is still a solid goaltender, but in his long career he may be starting to slow down.

23. (S31) LW (West Kendall Platoon) - Alex Light || +39
Grade: 84.80
Past Seasons: S37-74, S38-80, S39-53, S40-49, S41-37, S42-62

At 23 is Platoon winger Alex Light, jumping up and into the top-30 for the first time with his first ever point per game season as an SHL player. Light scored 25 goals and 55 points in S42, and even was a +28, making him a major two-way figure and really only needs the hitting to get back to form for him to really do damage. Unsure if that will happen with regression knocking on the door.

22. (S31) D (New England Wolfpack) - Toivo Kosonen || +31
Grade: 85.60
Past Seasons: S36-76, S37-76, S38-84, S39-46, S40-60, S41-40, S42-53

At 22 is Toivo Kosonen of the Wolfpack, with a season we haven't seen for a few years, now. Kosonen scored 14 goals and 49 points in S42, which was a major step up to form from the previous season which saw him just a hair above 30 points. Not to mention he went from -21 to +5, meaning he was really able to get his defensive awareness in check, and could be using it to fight regression and stay a viable player for a while.

21. (S35) RW (Los Angeles Panthers) - Sophia Bennett || +16
Grade: 85.60
Past Seasons: S40-98, S41-54, S42-37

At 21 is Los Angeles Panther Sophia Bennett, who wasn't able to match the season prior but is starting to really find her groove in the league. Bennett scored 25 goals and 50 points in S42, along with 113 hits which was a career high for her. As she continues to get closer to her prime she will likely continue to turn heads, as her dogged determination doesn't appear to be slowing down any time soon.

20. (S25) D (New England Wolfpack) - Jasper Clayton || -6
Grade: 85.60
Past Seasons:  S29-99, S30-84, S31-66, S32-22, S33-8, S34-19, S35-8, S36-8, S37-12, S38-25, S39-14, S40-41, S41-34, S42-14

At 20 is Wolfpack defender Jasper Clayton, coming back home for his final season in the SHL before retirement. Clayton has had an incredible run as a defenseman, winning trophies and Challenge Cups, and S42 was no different in terms of his abilities, as he scored 6 goals and 43 points last season. Not to mention he blocked nearly 100 shots, a career high in fact, which surprised everyone. While this is his last moment on the SHL's Top 100, it is unlikely he will be forgotten any time soon.

19. (S35) G (Winnipeg Jets) - Artom Zhumbayev || Even
Grade: 86.20
Past Seasons: S41-100, S42-19

At 19 is Jets goaltender Artom Zhumbayev, sticking right where he was last season with another solid season. Zhumbayev went 21-19-4 in S42, with a .903 save percentage and 2.89 goals against average, and is holding his own each and every game behind a Jets team that could potentially be a perennial contender. At this point, all he really needs to do is be solid and consistent and he could be winning multiple Challenge Cups in the near future.

18. (S36) RW (Edmonton Blizzard) - Tigole Bitties || +45
Grade: 86.50
Past Seasons: S41-66, S42-63

At 18 is Blizzard winger Tigole Bitties, moving up to the top-20 for the first time ever after being unable to crack the top-50 for so long. Bitties scored 29 goals and 58 points in S42, which was even better than the season he had in S41 where he scored 50 points, and in the process improved on his defensive game as well. He still has room to grow, too, which means there is no telling what kind of skills he could improve upon before regression finally hits, and by that time it may be too late for the rest of the league.

17. (S36) LW (New England Wolfpack) - Oisin Fletcher || +78
Grade: 86.60
Past Seasons: S40-86, S41-96, S42-95

Oisin Fletcher comes in at 17, taking the biggest jump in the rankings after one of the biggest jumps in production. Fletcher went from 17 goals and 38 points in S41 to 29 goals and 64 points the very next season, going from -23 to +24 in the process and even doubling up on hits from 40 to 89. Fletcher had a season for the ages, and arguably had the best up and coming seasons we have ever seen from a player. Could he continue this streak and be a dominant force for seasons to come?

16. (S35) RW (Seattle Riot) - Louie Garrett || +16
Grade: 86.60
Past Seasons: S40-48, S41-42, S42-32

At 16 is Riot winger Louie Garrett, moving up into the top-20 with his 30 goals and 53 points. Not quite at the same level as the previous season where he scored 31 and 56, but with two straight 30 goal, 50 point seasons in the books, he is starting to show consistency and ability to bring his A game on a nightly basis. His physical game has also improved, although not to the degree anyone would call him either a two-way winger or power forward.

15. (S31) C (Edmonton Blizzard) - Geronimo Otto || +15
Grade: 86.90
Past Seasons: S36-90, S38-69, S39-36, S40-8, S41-6, S42-30

At 15 is Geronimo Otto of the Blizzard, with continued success despite the previous drop out of the top-10. Otto is still at it, scoring 21 goals and 55 points in S42, his fifth 50+ point season in a row. Now if he could get out of the minus category again he may be an all-world player that the SHL has rarely seen.

14. (S27) LW (Los Angeles Panthers) - Maximilian Wächter || +1
Grade: 87.70
Past Seasons: S32-98, S33-79, S34-56, S35-22, S36-13, S37-16, S38-39, S39-47, S40-55, S41-35, S42-15

At 14 is Maximilian Wächter, getting oh so close to the elusive top-10 spot after another incredible season. While it wasn't up to the same level as S41, he still scored 22 goals and 54 points, and did it despite the lack of a physical game and his shot totals dropping like a rock.

13. (S34) RW (West Kendall Platoon) - Dani Forsberg || +25
Grade: 88
Past Seasons: S41-51, S42-38

At 13 is Platoon Winger Dani Forsberg, moving up just shy of the top-10 but not too far out with the way he has been playing. Forsberg scored 21 goals and 54 points, just shy of his career high of 55 points the previous year. Another model of consistency, and a solid physical resume to boot. Add in the playoff pedigree and you have one of the most clutch players in the league.

12. (S32) LW (Edmonton Blizzard) - Cory Knouse || +5
Grade: 88.30
Past Seasons: S37-100, S38-96, S39-70, S40-34, S41-12, S42-17

Cory Knouse comes in at 12, a player with some ups and downs recently, but the ups have been so high that he is getting national recognition. Knouse scored 24 goals and 55 points in S42, with a plus minus of +29 and even some blocked shots along the way. His physical game has appeared to drop off considerably, so it isn't entirely known if he will be able to stick around the list much longer.

11. (S30) D (Hamilton Steelhawks) - Ben Dover || -3
Grade: 88.70
Past Seasons: S33-88, S34-34, S35-62, S36-29, S37-30, S38-5, S39-6, S40-15, S41-15, S42-8

At 11 is Ben Dover of the Steelhawks, dropping just outside of the top-10 after his top-10 finish last season. Dover continued to produce at an elite level, however, scoring 17 goals and 44 points in S42. His hits continued to be solid, however he was not getting in front of as many shots last season, blocking only 47. Was it because the team was much better offensively or because Dover doesn't feel the need anymore?

10. (S30) C (Los Angeles Panthers) - Jean-Luc Reflieux || +14
Grade: 88.90
Past Seasons: S34-96, S35-97, S36-99, S37-43, S38-73, S39-61, S40-68, S41-32, S42-24
[Image: 1J64iqo.png]

At number 10 is Jean-Luc Reflieux of the Los Angeles Panthers, entering the top-10 for the first time in his career with his recent streak of 50+ point seasons. He scored 23 goals and 53 points in S42, and while it wasn't the same level as his 26 goals and 62 points in S41, not only did he get back to his physical play that was sorely lacking the previous season but he is demonstrating the type of consistency he has been unable to show for the majority of his career. Reflieux is even doing this while in regression, which is quite the feat, all things considered.

9. (S29) G (Calgary Dragons) - Richard C. Hocolate || +20
Grade: 89.20
Past Seasons: S38-94, S39-98, S40-19, S41-48, S42-29
[Image: nYXk23V.png]

At number 9 on the list is Dragons goaltender Richard C. Hocolate, coming on his first ever top-10 finish after multiple seasons of solid play. Hocolate went 24-15-5 in S42, with a save percentage of .904 and goals against average of 2.88, continuing his legacy as one of Calgary's best goaltenders (which is a high bar considering the goaltenders the teams have had in the past, and considering his predecessor in Hunter Wong. Hocolate enters the top-10 for the first time all while fighting regression, which makes one wonder exactly what else he has in store for his career at this point.

8. (S31) D (Calgary Dragons) - Adam Kaiser || -6
Grade: 89.40
Past Seasons: , S37-888, S38-88, S39-42, S40-25, S41-7, S42-2
[Image: z18mCR5.png]

At number 8 is another Calgary Dragon, Adam Kaiser, who has put his time in Alberta to good use, scoring at least 40 points each of the last three seasons, including 12 goals and 42 assists just last season. Unfortunately he wasn't able to grab the top spot in the league, but if he can get those point totals back up to where he was in S41, then he may be able to jump right back into the top-5 without a problem. Not to mention he still has a ton of gas left in the tank.

7. (S37) G (West Kendall Platoon) - Beaujeaux Biscuit || +18
Grade: 89.90
Past Seasons: S41-53, S42-25
[Image: AIgFz9T.png]

At 7 is Platoon goaltender Beaujeaux Biscuit, who earned his first Challenge Cup early into his career and is right now turning heads with his quick rise to the top-10. It isn't exactly hard to see why, though. Biscuit went 24-15-5 with a .912 save percentage and 2.69 goals against average in S42, and was one of the Platoon's most important players during the season. Biscuit is incredibly young, one of the youngest on the list at this level, which means there is no telling the kind of work he will be able to do with the Platoon.

6. (S33) D (Toronto North Stars) - Zander Rhys || -1
Grade: 91
Past Seasons: S37-99, S38-54, S39-10, S40-5, S41-19, S42-5
[Image: zg3Nu1Q.png]

At number 6 is Zander Rhys of the Toronto North Stars, dropping only slightly, but still making the top-10 for the fourth time in five seasons. Rhys, while not exactly the most consistent, has been one of the highest scoring defenders in the last half a decade, not stopping in his production despite moving away from Toronto and back again. His -12 wasn't particularly impressive, but with a career high 163 hits and a solid 82 blocked shots, Rhys continues to be able to do it all during his prime years.

5. (S31) D (Los Angeles Panthers) - Matthew Leetch || -1
Grade: 91.60
Past Seasons: S39-94, S40-79, S41-60, S42-4
[Image: QZbfyOg.png]

At 5 is Panthers defenseman Matthew Leetch, also slightly dropping, but earning his second straight top-10 finish. Leetch scored 11 goals and 49 points in S42, was +15, blocked 80 shots, and even threw 62 hits into the mix. Leetch is one of the most gifted offensive defenders in recent history, and while not exactly a prominent two-way force, still makes up for it with the few things he does exceptionally well.

4. (S31) D (Buffalo Stampede) - Alexis Metzler || +12
Grade: 91.80
Past Seasons: S36-66, S38-44, S39-35, S40-13, S41-33, S42-16
[Image: tXmqXdi.png]

At number 4 is Alexis Metzler, his first top-10 finish after his S42 campaign which saw him score 12 goals and 52 points. To top it all off he was +16, blocked almost 70 shots, and registered 169 hits on the season. Over the last few seasons he has been able to do almost everything, whether it is scoring goals, disrupting the other team's offensive chances, and bringing the pain when necessary, making him the best defenseman going into S43.

3. (S35) G (Buffalo Stampede) - Jordin Fourfour Jr. || +37
Grade: 92.30
Past Seasons:  S40-42, S41-74, S42-40
[Image: fRjI4CL.png]

At number 3 and ranked as the number one goaltender is Jordin FourFour Jr., his first ever top-10 appearance (and vaulting himself all the way to top-5). FourFour Jr. had an impressive S42 campaign, one of the best we have seen, as he went 25-18-3 with a .920 save percentage and 2.52 goals against average, with four shutouts. With his performance he ran away with the McBride for best goaltender, and almost earned himself a Ron Mexico for his troubles. FourFour Jr. surprisingly still has the ability to improve his game even more, so we could see the next hall of fame goaltender right here in Buffalo.

2. (S31) RW (Calgary Dragons) - Joe Kurczewski || +4
Grade: 92.30
Past Seasons: , S37-44, S38-18, S39-18, S40-26, S41-2, S42-6
[Image: fhwg8ut.png]

At number 2 is Joe Kurczewski of the Calgary Dragons, with another incredible season where he scored 18 goals and 53 points on the year. Coupled with a career high in hits with 212, he was virtually unstoppable. His prime has been among the best we have seen from wingers, and while his defense dropped somewhat, he was still a force to be reckoned with on the wing, and will remain one for some time.

1. (S33) RW (Toronto North Stars) - Chris York || +2
Grade: 98.50
Past Seasons: S39-34, S40-1, S41-1, S42-3
[Image: VtbMBAA.png]

Sitting at number one on the list is Chris York of the Toronto North Stars, back on his throne (third time in four seasons), with another 60+ point season, making him one of the top players in the last five years (arguably the best) and doing it with an impressive physical game to boot (166 hits). Not to mention Toronto didn't even play him as much as they could have, so he could have ran away with the league lead if given as much ice time as other players in the league. When will York relinquish his throne?


RE: Top 100 SHL Players of Today! - S43 - ArGarBarGar - 09-28-2018

Possible placeholder.


RE: Top 100 SHL Players of Today! - S43 - DeletedAtUserRequest - 09-28-2018

It’s back!!


RE: Top 100 SHL Players of Today! - S43 - dizzyDC - 09-28-2018

Dope


RE: Top 100 SHL Players of Today! - S43 - ArGarBarGar - 09-28-2018

100. (S22) D (Minnesota Chiefs) - Bubba Nuck || -12
Grade: 65.70
Past Seasons: S24-98, S26-59, S28-51, S29-74, S30-63, S31-3, S32-40, S33-69, S34-73, S35-14, S36-10, S37-4, S38-14, S39-20, S40-87, S41-41, S42-88

Starting off the list at number 100 is Bubba Nuck, just inside the list after a long career with a lot of highs and a few lows. Nuck scored two goals and 19 points in S42, nowhere near his best seasons, but was still productive for the Riot, and plans to do whatever he can to make his last year count.

99. (S37) RW (Texas Renegades) - Logan Jensen || New Entry
Grade: 66.20
Past Seasons: None

The spark plug Logan Jensen enters the list at number 99, bringing his on-ice talent to a much of a boil as his off-ice antics. Jensen scored 20 goals and 35 points, and while he wasn't exactly physical, he engaged with the opposition enough to get into the rough stuff, making him an effective antagonistic winger.

98. (S36) RW (Hamilton Steelhawks) - Nour Harrak || New Entry
Grade: 66.50
Past Seasons: None

Another new entry is Nour Harrak at 98. Harrak isn't exactly young anymore, but his career appears to have finally made its jump into "I am a solid player now" category, scoring 17 goals and 42 points last season. Harrak may not have a very long career as a productive player, but there is still time for him to improve on his game.

97. (S39) LW (Seattle Riot) - DeMaricus Smyth || New Entry
Grade: 67.90
Past Seasons: None

A youngster enters the list for the first time in DeMaricus Smyth, following up his S41 campaign with a solid 37 points and 19 goals. His plus minus being -1 wasn't exactly stellar, but he is a player with a ton of room to grow, and shows it every single day in the locker room and in the gym.

96. (S37) LW (Edmonton Blizzard) - Hercules Rockefeller || New Entry
Grade: 68.60
Past Seasons: None

At 96 is Hercules Rockefeller, yet another new entry into the list with his 13 goals and 38 points. The Blizzard didn't rely on him too much for scoring goals (he was 7th on the team in scoring on the season), but overall he contributed a lot, even with playing fewer than 20 minutes a night.

95. (S39) RW (Toronto North Stars) - Mikhail Lokitonov || New Entry
Grade: 68.70
Past Seasons: None

Yet another new entry is Mikhail Lokitonov of the North Stars, also very young and already making a big mark. He scored 22 goals adn 43 points for Toronto, and while his -1 doesn't look good by itself, he had one of the better plus minus ratings on the team, with the team struggling as much as it did last season.

94. (S33) LW (West Kendall Platoon) - John Langabeer || +2
Grade: 69.10
Past Seasons: S40-69, S42-96

At 94 is John Langabeer, still in the 90s but trying to work his way back up on the ladder. Langabeer scored 15 goals and 36 points, and even registered 91 hits and 177 shots. He wasn't the best scorer in the league, but he certainly made his presence known every time he was out on the ice.

93. (S37) D (Edmonton Blizzard) - Tor Tuck || +10
Grade: 69.40
Past Seasons: None

At 93 is Blizzard defender Tor Tuck, coming into the fold with a respectable but not exactly incredible campaign where he scored 7 goals and 26 points. He did pretty well in most areas, but there is a lot he will need to work on if he wants to continue up the ladder in his career.

92. (S39) G (Minnesota Chiefs) - Sebastien Primeau || New Entry
Grade: 69.60
Past Seasons: None

At 92 is Sebastien Primeau of the Minnesota Chiefs. Primeau had his first season as a starter in S42, going 21-21-2, which isn't all that great, but still solid for a goaltender looking to find his own way on a team that is currently in a rebuilding mode.

91. (S36) LW (Seattle Riot) - Alexander Zajac || New Entry
Grade: 69.60
Past Seasons: None

At 91 is Alexander Zajac, with another 37 point performance and showing some serious consistency as an SHL player. He isn't one of the youngest players out there right now, but he is providing a certain set of skills that the Riot are hoping to use to their advantage very soon.

90. (S34) C (Seattle Riot) - Brett Kennedy || -1
Grade: 69.60
Past Seasons: S42-89

At 90 is Brett Kennedy, dropping back a bit but still on the list with his 7 goals and 32 points for Seattle. His physical game has certainly ramped up, and defensively he has seemed to learn a few things, but the offensive part of his game is really going to need to step up at this point. He is very close to regression and won't be getting any younger from here on out.


RE: Top 100 SHL Players of Today! - S43 - DeletedAtUserRequest - 09-28-2018

Congrats to fellow Austrian @ml002!
lots of good new players have cracked the top 100 to start off the list..


RE: Top 100 SHL Players of Today! - S43 - luke - 09-28-2018

All hail, ArGar, media master, I must take notes now of your work


RE: Top 100 SHL Players of Today! - S43 - FlappyGiraffe - 09-28-2018

the s39 boys starting to make their way onto the list!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Image: 2558e2911bdc50a8d5ae674a09e352d8]


RE: Top 100 SHL Players of Today! - S43 - ArGarBarGar - 09-30-2018

89. (S20) RW (Toronto North Stars) - Kristian Eriksson || -40
Grade: 69.90
Past Seasons: S22-96, S23-77, S24-57, S25-40, S26-11, S27-30, S28-55, S29-39, S30-55, S31-30, S32-5, S33-20, S34-20, S35-38, S36-55, S37-71, S38-40, S39-22, S40-2, S41-4, S42-49

At 89 is Kristian Eriksson, a long-time veteran (and the second-oldest player in the league right now) still kicking it on this list. Eriksson has dropped back considerably in the points department (which shouldn't be surprising considering he was a top-10 player in the league in his late 30s which never happens). Eriksson scored 18 goals and 29 points in S42, which isn't too bad, but based on what he does in S43 this could be the end of him on this list.

88. (S33) RW (Manhattan Rage) - Yuri Starkonov || New Entry
Grade: 70.20
Past Seasons: None

At 88 is Yuri Starkonov of the Manhattan Rage, enjoying his first entry on the list with his 17 goals and 39 points. While that doesn't look all that good on the surface, consider those 39 points were the most any Rage player scored in S42, meaning there was very little offensive support on that team.

87. (S38) C (Buffalo Stampede) - Dermot Lavelle || +12
Grade: 70.30
Past Seasons: S42-99

At 87 is Dermot Lavelle, moving on up slowly but surely with his 18 goals and 35 points. He has already demonstrated his ability to adapt to the SHL game, winning the Jesster Trophy despite the stacked competition, but in S42 he was unable to capitalize on that head start and really adapt his game to be even more productive. He is still young, and a little improvement is better than no improvement at all, however.

86. (S25) C (Minnesota Chiefs) - Jonathan Lundberg || -15
Grade: 70.30
Past Seasons: 30-82, S31-94, S32-65, S33-59, S34-49, S35-27, S36-30, S37-58, S38-36, S39-27, S40-61, S41-50, S42-71

At 86 is Chiefs center Jonathan Lundberg, falling back even further after his point totals have continued to decline for a number of seasons, now. Lundberg is still productive at his old age (not many S25s left), scoring 14 goals and 30 points, and even registering 185 hits on the year.

85. (S39) LW (Buffalo Stampede) - Viktor Marius || New Entry
Grade: 70.60
Past Seasons: None

At 85 is new entry Viktor Marius, making big strides in his game offensively (and defensively too) with 23 goals and 44 points. While not quite a point per game player, yet, Marius was an integral part of the Stampede and is young to boot, meaning he could be a major part of the franchise for a number of seasons to come.

84. (S25) C (Texas Renegades) - Jack Durden || -12
Grade: 70.90
Past Seasons: S30-76, S31-24, S32-37, S33-33, S34-38, S35-20, S36-15, S37-15, S38-20, S39-19, S40-16, S41-24, S42-72

At 84 is Jack Durden, another S25 who is still kicking (though falling rather quickly). Durden scored 12 goals and 35 points in S42, and while he is unlikely to hit the number 50 again, he could still stretch his career out and possibly stick around the list.

83. (S31) LW (Seattle Riot) - Eduard Selich || +9
Grade: 71.60
Past Seasons: S33-84, S34-36, S35-12, S36-38, S37-52, S38-53, S39-33, S40-40, S42-92

At 83 is Eduard Selich, falling very close to being taken off the list last season, but coming back with his 220 goals and 41 points. It is possible that his brutal S40 campaign where he scored 22 points and was -26 was an anomaly, as in S42 he scored 20 goals and 41 points.

82. (S36) C (Hamilton Steelhawks) - Oliver König || +26
Grade: 71.70
Past Seasons: None

At 82 is Steelhawks center Oliver König, another young player making big strides in his game and getting rewarded for it as a result. König scored 12 goals and 44 points, a career high, all while bringing his defensive game up despite the lack of physicality.

81. (S36) C (Los Angeles Panthers) - Yuri Boyka Jr. || -6
Grade: 72.20
Past Seasons: S41-90, S42-75

Yuri Boyka Jr. comes in on the list at 81, unable to get another 40+ season on the books as he scored 11 goals and 39 points on the year. However, scoring at just under a 40 point clip is still something to be excited about, as he still can improve for a couple more seasons before he starts to regress and shows major signs of aging.

80. (S38) D (Buffalo Stampede) - Tatu Mäkelä || New Entry
Grade: 72.80
Past Seasons: S42-84

At 80 is Stampede defender Tatu Mäkelä, who while his game hasn't improved THAT much, he has shown some growth in a few intangible areas and is helping shape Buffalo into a major contender. Mäkelä scored 99 goals and 30 points, and did have his first plus season in his short career.


RE: Top 100 SHL Players of Today! - S43 - DeletedAtUserRequest - 09-30-2018

Wow lots of 38’s and 39’s populating the list so far.


RE: Top 100 SHL Players of Today! - S43 - WannabeFinn - 09-30-2018

Holy shit I scored 99 goals


RE: Top 100 SHL Players of Today! - S43 - StaticShocked - 10-02-2018

Can't believe I made it onto one of these finally! Smile


RE: Top 100 SHL Players of Today! - S43 - ArGarBarGar - 10-02-2018

79. (S28) RW (New England Wolfpack) - Dieter Dominique || +4
Grade: 73.20
Past Seasons: S34-51, S35-86, S36-59, S37-73, S38-59, S39-50, S40-23, S41-44, S42-83

At 79 is Dieter Dominique of the New England Wolfpack. Dominique had a solid bounce-back year in S42 where he scored 18 goals and 42 points, improved his defensive game, and made it his fifth 40+ point season in the last six. While regression is starting to hit, he is taking it with stride so far.

78. (S32) LW (Winnipeg Jets) - Kyle Kylrad || -24
Grade: 73.70
Past Seasons: S35-100, S36-75, S37-20, S38-34, S39-44, S40-51, S41-73, S42-54

At 78 is Kyle Kylrad, going into his fifth season with the Winnipeg Jets, but having some inconsistencies with his production. His S41 50 point season was expected to be the first of many in Winnipeg, but S42 saw him score 19 goals and 38 points, well below what was expected. Not to mention the physicality has dropped off as well.

77. (S36) LW (Edmonton Blizzard) - Teddy Cuddles || +21
Grade: 74
Past Seasons: S41-86, S42-98

At 77 is Blizzard winger Teddy Cuddles, enjoying his highest ranking yet after a 17 goal, 41 point season which was arguably his best season ever (at least in his short career thus far). Coupled with his consistent physical game and his playoff resume (13 points in 11 games last season), he could be on the fast track to the top-10.

76. (S25) RW (Minnesota Chiefs) - Lord Pretty Flacko || -12
Grade: 74.10
Past Seasons: S30-70, S31-11, S32-1, S33-1, S34-6, S35-2, S36-1, S37-1, S38-2, S39-5, S40-46, S41-46, S42-64

At 76 is Lord Pretty Flacko, his final installment on the list after a ton of success through his career. Flacko was one of the most consistent players during his career, scoring 40+ points 13 straight seasons going into S43, with many of those above 60 points (6) and even enjoying one 70 point season to boot. He may not score 900 points, but his career has been something to behold.

75. (S33) D (Edmonton Blizzard) - Isaac Cormier-Hale || -23
Grade: 74.10
Past Seasons: S40-76, S41-27, S42-52

Isaac Cormier-Hale comes in at 75, back and forth with his production lately, and likely not to get much better with regression creeping up on him. Cormier-Hale scored 4 goals and 27 points, one of his worst seasons in the last five, and his defensive game struggled as wlel. Cormier-Hale did have one of his best physical seasons, however, so there is a chance he is just changing up his role in Edmonton.

74. (S40) G (Texas Renegades) - Walter Hobbs || New Entry
Grade: 75.20
Past Seasons: None

At 74 is Walter Hobbs, doing a pretty decent job for his first season as a starter. Hobbs went 24-16-4 in S42, with a .901 save percentage, and when you are a youngster just starting out, some times that is all you should really ask for in a goaltender. Considering he was able to take them to the playoffs, that is quite a solid rookie year.

73. (S34) LW (Seattle Riot) - Elias Lindstrom || -28
Grade: 75.20
Past Seasons: S40-29, S41-17, S42-45

At 73 is Elias Lindstrom of the Seattle Riot. Lindstrom had some struggles with his new team, scoring 20 goals and 37 points, 9 fewer than the season before, and 17 fewer than the two seasons before that. Lindstrom is in his prime, still, which means there is a good chance he will jump right back into the swing of things,

72. (S35) D (Hamilton Steelhawks) - Finn Krüger || -6
Grade: 75.30
Past Seasons: S39-82, S40-77, S41-79, S42-66

At 72 is Finn Krüger, another player who recently joined a new team, and with some struggles of his own (somewhat). Krüger scored 7 goals and 33 points in S42, with a +11 and 60 blocked shots. Without the physical play, this is about where you would expect him to end up, and until he improves more (which he has time to do before regression hits) he will stay in this area.

71. (S31) LW (Winnipeg Jets) - Pietra Volkova || -25
Grade: 75.50
Past Seasons: S36-93, S37-98, S38-85, S39-41, S40-35, S41-21, S42-46

At 71 is Pietra Volkova of the Jets, dropping back significantly (and consistently since S40) with her 13 goal, 34 point season. To top it all off she was -10 on the season, the first minus season she has had since S36. Is this regression causing the unrest?

70. (S30) D (West Kendall Platoon) - Jon Ross || +6
Grade: 75.70
Past Seasons: S33-89, S34-84, S35-58, S36-63, S37-92, S38-98, S39-99, S40-66, S42-76

At 70 is Jon Ross, a long-time Platoon veteran who is still kicking it on this list. Ross scored 10 goals and 37 points, a big bounce back from previous seasons where he was unable to break the 30 point mark, and kept up his defensive play with a +10 and 68 blocked shots.


RE: Top 100 SHL Players of Today! - S43 - bluesfan55 - 10-02-2018

I got snubbed wooo


RE: Top 100 SHL Players of Today! - S43 - Dude - 10-03-2018

10-02-2018, 09:00 AMbluesfan55 Wrote: I got snubbed wooo

Snubbed for the bottom 30 of the list? That just means you're even higher!