08-09-2015, 05:49 PM
Welcome back everyone, to the seasonal top 100 players of today. So for those who do not know, this is the 6th edition of this article, awarding the top 100 players heading into the S25 season.
I'd like to give a big thanks to the following users that helped me make this article possible.
Experts: r1c3bowl22, grimmsterj, Tanner, BluesBoy71, Lunaro
Experts and Writer: ArGarBarGar, Jorec, Abdeezy (Maybe)
Together we made a panel of 8 experts who graded over 121 players, narrowing the list down to 100 and ranking those elite 100 players of the SHL. With a revised rating system (Rating out of 10, specific guidelines for each number), it may surprise you to see your player rise/drop a great deal. Hopefully with this being the norm the next edition will see more consistency year to year.
I'd like to ask the media grader to wait for my PM before grading this article.
10: Generational (Consistent Superstar)
9: Superstar (Consistent Star/Elite)
8: Elite (Upper-Tier 1st Liner/Starter)
7: Star (Middle-Tier 1st Liner/Starter)
6: Very Good (Lower-Tier 1st Liner/Starter)
5: Good (Upper-Tier 2nd Liner/Backup)
4: Decent (Lower-Tier 2nd Liner/Backup)
3: Okay (3rd Liner With Potential)
2: Bad (Regular 3rd Liner)
1: Awful (4th Liner/Fringe Player)
101. (S21) C (Seattle Riot) - Sean Leonidas || New Entry
Grade: 38/80 || Average: 4.75
Past Seasons: None
Sean Leonidas was a player who came into the SMJHL with the hype train at full steam, as he was selected 1st overall to the Kelowna Knights. However over time that hype went away as he dropped out of the top-5 in the SHL draft, and has not quite lived up to expectations since. This season he scored 11 goals and 22 points, way behind on the depth chart in Seattle, but he has shown flashes of skill and poise, winning over 50% of the faceoffs he took during the season. For that, he has made it onto this list by a hair. However he will need to keep improving or he will be right off the list next season.
100. (S17) C (Manhattan Rage) - Thor Ludvigsen || -4
Grade: 38/80 || Average: 4.75
Past Seasons: S20-84, S21-92, S22-93, S23-N/A, S24-96
After missing the list in S23, Ludvigsen has been able to keep on the list for a second straight year, but has not gotten back into the top-90 since Season 20. His goal totals went down, scoring only 9 goals compared to 12 last year, but kept a steady point pace with 27 points on the year. Faceoffs remain solid, but he still has not been able to take advantage of the ice time he gets, which keeps him low on the list.
99. (S22) D (Winnipeg Jets) Drew Myers || -18
Grade: 38/80 || Average: 4.75
Past Seasons: S24-81
When he made the list last season at number 81, it was something quite unprecedented as he was a rookie, and it came into question whether he would be able to repeat his 36 point season and rise on this list. Myers responded with a 3 goal, 25 point season which was a big step below his rookie totals, and tempered expectations for him quite a bit. Myers still has potential, but the question lingers: was his rookie season just an aberration?
98. (S19) C (Seattle Riot) - Nicholas Flamel || -1
Grade: 38/80 || Average: 4.75
Past Seasons: S24-97
At number 98 is Riot center Nicholas Flamel, who dropped two spots despite consistency with another 13 goal, 28 point season. He seemed to play fewer minutes than what was expected for the center, and he was not relied on often to play on the powerplay. This is a concern in terms of best players, because as the player pool gets larger, Flamel will need to be relied on to take those kinds of responsibilities to stay on this list.
97. (S21) D (Los Angeles Panthers) - Tomas Pylon || Returning Entry
Grade: 39/80 || Average: 4.875
Past Seasons: S23-91
Another draftee who began with hype to start his professional career and saw it dwindle away, Tomas Pylon has made it back onto this list after a weak S24 campaign. The defenseman scored 9 goals and 28 points on the year, good for 2nd among Panthers defensemen. However this appears to be due to relatively weaker competition compared to teammates Bottas and Wastlund, who were given PK duties and relied upon more often defensively.
96. (S17) D (Seattle Riot) - Vladimir Bodnar || -38
Grade: 40/80 || Average: 5
Past Seasons: S20-78, S21-56, S22-41, S23-80, S24-58
At number 96 on this list is Vladimir Bodnar, who had a decent improvement in his overall play last season, but fell back quite a bit this season. He scored only 3 goals and 20 points on the year, and despite given some decent minutes, particularly on the powerplay, he was ineffective and really seemed to struggle out there. With the young talent coming up in the league, Seattle will not be expected to wait around for him to get back into form.
95. (S22) RW (Minnesota Chiefs) - Chernika Banananov || New Entry
Grade: 41/80 || Average: 5.125
Past Seasons: None
At number 95 is a new young winger, Chernika Banananov. Banananov has had some struggles to put up offense in previous years, but was able to find the back of the net 18 times this season despite playing on the third line for a stacked roster in Minnesota. The problem with using this as evidence he will score more when given more minutes is he will experience tougher minutes, reducing his potential effectiveness and maybe lowering his totals. Will he be able to keep improving on the scoresheet?
94. (S22) RW (Toronto North Stars) - Pierre-Luc Laflamme || -2
Grade: 42/80 || Average: 5.25
Past Seasons: S24-92
At number 94 is another young winger, but one who has been on this list before, Pierre-Luc Laflamme. Laflamme was given prime minutes at even strength and the PK, but his improvements were only marginal, scoring 11 goals and 26 points. The winger has shown instances of generational potential, but Laflamme will keep dropping if this is the best he can do. However after a long free agent process, he may not feel pressured to perform for a big contract and break out next season.
93. (S16) C (Texas Renegades) - Alexandre Daigle || -49
Grade: 42/80 || Average: 5.25
Past Seasons: S20-76, S21-81, S22-59, S23-67, S24-44
Alexandre Daigle is number 93 on our list, and what an incredible drop he has taken. While he showed improvement in S23 with a 34 point season, Daigle followed it up with only 30 points on the season, taking him out of the top 90 for the first time ever, and potentially concerning his fellow Renegades teammates. Thankfully the team has made a huge turnaround in assets, which may not require Daigle to provide offense for the team.
92. (S8) C (Portland Admirals) - Yousuf Scherbluk || -59
Grade: 42/80 || Average: 5.25
Past Seasons: S20-8, S21-14, S22-23, S23-25, S24-33
At number 93 is center Yousuf Scherbluk, who had one of the worst seasons of his career on the Blizzard. He scored 6 goals and only 16 points, and really only made this list because of his past accomplishments. It will be interesting to see if he can get back to his point per game scoring ways with the Portland Admirals, a new expansion team. However, with the age bias when it comes to the voters in some cases, it may already be too late for Yousuf going into next season.
91. (S8) C (Seattle Riot) - Joe McKeil || -77
Grade: 42/80 || Average: 5.25
Past Seasons: S20-2, S21-1, S22-8, S23-13, S24-14
At number 91 on this list is the biggest drop on this list, and possibly the history of "Top-100". It is future Hall of Famer Joe McKeil, who despite having some incredible years recently, has taken a gigantic dive in production and ice time. He scored 7 goals and 16 points on the year, and with reports that he has declined to show up for training camp and weekly workouts, McKeil appears to be on the last legs of his career, as well as on this list.
90. (S20) C (Edmonton Blizzard) - Aviad Ratzon || +10
Grade: 43/80 || Average: 5.375
Past Seasons: S24-100
At number 90 on the list, Aviad Ratzon has started to slowly climb in the rankings with an improved season for the Blizzard. He scored 16 goals and 33 points, which may not look great on the surface, but was only 3 points behind the leading scorer for the Blizzard. Ratzon took some time to start showing his worth, but he looks destined to start earning more ice time for the Blizzard, particularly on the PK.
89. (S22) D (Winnipeg Jets) Rembrandt Q. Einstein || +5
Grade: 43/80 || Average: 5.375
Past Seasons: S23-85, S24-94
While this young defenseman with a lot of potential earned a place on this list early in his career, he has struggled a bit to get higher, staying around the same area for the last three years. He improved on last season with a 33 point campaign, as well as blocking 64 shots and playing a multitude of minutes in multiple areas. Based on the last three seasons, one would think he should be poised to make a big jump next season. He is a consistent young player who continues to get better.
88. (S19) D (New England Wolfpack) - Kaspars Tsizling || -2
Grade: 43/80 || Average: 5.375
Past Seasons: S21- 86, S22- 54, S23- 78, S24-86
Tsizling comes in at number 89 on our list, dropping a bit after a bounce-back season on defense for the Wolfpack. Despite a very poor plus/minus, he was able to block a whopping 73 shots for the team and score 29 points on the season. The question is will he be able to keep it up while the Wolfpack rebuild? He has failed to reach the 30 point mark the last three years, and two years prior to this he was unable to get past 20 points. With younger players coming up, it will have to be a big improvement.
87. (S15) D (West Kendall Platoon) - Jim Lahey || Returning Entry
Grade: 44/80 || Average: 5.5
Past Seasons: S20-46, S21-51, S22-48, S23-93, S24-N/A
At number 87 is soon-to-be retiring player Jim Lahey, who returns to this list after a 34 point season with the Renegades, who helped bring the team to the Conference Finals with an 8 point playoff campaign. Unfortunately due to his inconsistency, these two factors alone were not enough to propel him higher on the list, which means when we look back on his last season, he will be considered "only" a top-90 player when he left the game.
86. (S20) RW (Manhattan Rage) - Jamie Hawkins || New Entry
Grade: 44/80
Past Seasons: None
At number 86 is newcomer Jamie Hawkins, who finally makes the list after so many years being snubbed by the voters. Hawkins first full season saw a 17 goal, 28 point campaign, which was respectable, but not quite up to par with the competition for this list. However, Hawkins followed it up with a 15 goal, 34 point season, playing a lot of minutes on both the powerplay and penalty kill. Hawkins has finally found a place on this list, but it will take more than last season for him to climb the rankings.
85. (S11) D (Minnesota Chiefs) - Brandon Cant || -44
Grade: 44/80 || Average: 5.5
Past Seasons: S20-25, S21-17, S22-18, S23-34, S24-41
At number 85 is a long-term veteran Brandon Cant, who has continued to drop since S21, but not to this degree. What happened? Cant has simply gotten older, and has lost a bit of his edge over time. That isn't necessarily a bad thing, as with his 26 points with the Chiefs and Wolfpack, Cant remains a valuable part of the SHL. However with him being relegated to the third line for most of the season and some of the talent on defense for the Chiefs, he won't be getting the kind of looks on offense to make a big impact with the team.
84. (S22) G (Seattle Riot) - Valdemorts Karlensons || New Entry
Grade: 45/80 || Average: 5.625
Past Seasons: None
Karlensons comes on our list at number 84, coming off a respectable rookie season with the Riot. While he was .500 in the games he did start, he still was a key part of the Seattle Riot team, a team that perhaps banked a little too much on his ability to win games with their roster. This hubris caused them to miss the playoffs and Karlensons to fall under fire for most of the season. He finished tied for 6th in save percentage, despite facing 1334 shots, a huge amount compared to most of his peers.
83. (S21) C (Calgary Dragons) - Jaime Hill || New Entry
Grade: 45/80 || Average: 5.625
Past Seasons: None
Another newcomer on this list is S21 draftee Jaime Hill. Despite her slow growth as a player, Jaime Hill has been a solid asset for the Dragons, as she continues to show her dedication to the team and the SHL as a whole. She helped the Calgary Dragons to a playoff berth with her 9 goals and 33 points. However one thing that will need to improve will be her faceoff ability, as she was used sparingly in that part of the game and was quite poor when she was used. Improvement on her faceoffs and defensive play will keep her improving on these rankings.
82. (S21) G (Calgary Dragons) Hunter Wong || Returning Entry
Grade: 45/80 || Average: 5.625
Past Seasons: S23-94
Hunter Wong returns to this list at number 82, and proves that he is resilient as ever and definitely not a first round bust. Wong took a hiatus from this list after a 15-22 record and a .900 save percentage, but came right back in S24 with a 23-18-5 season and a .909 save percentage, 4th among goaltenders, despite facing the most shots among the top-10 goaltenders this year. Unfortunately this did not continue in the playoffs as he was absolutely shelled by the Los Angeles Panthers in a 4 game sweep.
81. (S20) LW (Toronto North Stars) Chester Cunningham || -31
Grade: 45/80 || Average: 5.625
Past Seasons: S23-69, S24-50
At number 81 on the list is Chester Cunningham, who dropped quite a bit after enjoing a top-50 spot in S24. His point production took a dive (40 to 34), as well as his hits (153 to 105), ice time (27.96 to 22.93) and powerplay time. Also, some new voters argued his place on the top-50 last season, which in turn caused his ratings for this year to take a massive dive. Cunningham has been a positive player for the North Stars, but to take that next step, the North Stars need more out of their top players, and Cunningham has to be one.
80. (S20) RW (Buffalo Stampede) - Bryson Thomaz || Returning Entry
Grade: 46/80 || Average: 5.75
Past Seasons: S22-98, S23-92
At number 80 is Bryson Thomaz, who like a few others has returned to the list after a little hiatus. He has joined the expansion Buffalo Stampede and intends to finally climb up on this list, and already has taken a big step in doing so. Bryson spent his final year in Texas on a high note, scoring 12 goals and 33 points, earning a lot of ice time for the Renegades in the regular season and playoffs. His playoff numbers were less than desirable, only scoring 6 points in 13 games, a 26 point pace in the regular season. However, with increased minutes and joining up with a couple other talented players in Buffalo, his numbers could rise considerably.
79. (S16) RW (Minnesota Chiefs) - Jarkko Kallestrom || -52
Grade: 47/80 || Average: 5.875
Past Seasons: S20-44, S21-36, S22-45, S23-27, S24-27
Kallestrom hits the list at number 79, quite a drop from his previous ranking which puts him outside the top-50 for the first time. S23 saw him score 51 points, just shy of Niklas Stryker who scored 52, and made him one of the most valuable players for the Minnesota Chiefs. However, this season saw a huge step back. He scored 31 points, fewer than even the number of assists he had last season, and while his hits went up, he looked like a much less effective player. Unfortunately due to the season before, it is starting to look like his 51 point season was more of an aberration than something to expect each year.
78. (S22) G (Toronto North Stars) - Mark Harter || +23
Grade: 47/80 || Average: 5.875
Past Seasons: S24-101
At number 78 is goaltender Mark Harter, who climbed out of the fringe and has moved into a more stable location on our list, despite his save percentage only improving a small amount. Despite the save percentage, he brought in a much better record for the North Stars despite their 7 game loss to the Chiefs in the first round (which actually saw him post a respectable .910 save percentage). He is one of the biggest acquisitions of the S22 draft, so a jump has to be expected if the playoffs are any indicator.
77. (S21) D (Seattle Riot) - Vsevolod Nikitin || +10
Grade: 47/80 || Average: 5.875
Past Seasons: S23- 98, S24-87
At number 77 is Vsevolor Nikitin, who keeps steadily rising the list while steadily rising in production for the Seattle Riot. With 29 points, 104 hits, and 71 shot blocks, he was a reliable offensive contributor with a good mean-streak and a solid defensive game, something Seattle is going to need in the coming years after falling flat on their faces in the playoff hunt. Nikitin and Koskinen will be two important parts of the roster, whether they succeed or fail could potentially be due to how they play.
76. (S15) D (Calgary Dragons) - Krišs Labsvārds || -9
Grade: 47/80 || Average: 5.875
Past Seasons: S20-46, S21-51, S22-48, S23-72, S24-67
At number 76 is Krišs Labsvārds on defense of the Dragons. A defenseman who seems like he hasn't ever gotten his due, the veteran defenseman continues to put up points, and did so again this year with a 31 point campaign. However, he only blocked 43 shots, which was a problem with most of the Calgary defensemen, as they were one of the worst collective defensive teams in the league last season. With guys like Zoidberg and Jalopski running the show, Labsvārds appears to be relegated to a depth defenseman and will just need to chip in when he can and get those shot blocks up for the Dragons to succeed.
75. (S19) D (Calgary Dragons) - Martins Daugavins || +13
Grade: 47/80 || Average: 5.875
Past Seasons: S21-101, S22-71, S23-70, S24-82
At number 75 is another Dragons defenseman, Martins Daugavins. Daugavins had a down year in S24 after his 40 point S23 campaign, but he appears to have gotten over that with a respectable 32 point campaign. Shot blocks were only at 48, and his hitting game simply wasn't there, giving teams more room to work in front of him. A big reason for the drop in plus minus, as well. Daugavins still has a couple of years to grow before regression sets in, so those are things that will need to be worked on to help improve Calgary defensively, even if Jalopski and Zoidberg are the go-to guys.
74. (S20) D (Edmonton Blizzard) Jackson Rogers-Tanaka || +9
Grade: 47/80 || Average: 5.875
Past Seasons: S23-81, S24-83
At number 74 is Blizzard defenseman Jackson Rogers-Tanaka. The defenseman had a bit of a weaker year as well as his teammates, dropping 2 points and seeing his shot blocks take a massive dive. Rogers-Tanaka was also a little weaker on the physical side, dropping to 79 hits and increasing the number of times he was hit himself. Rogers-Tanaka appears to have slown down a bit despite a couple of promising seasons.
73. (S20) RW (New England Wolfpack) - Dean Colt || New Entry
Grade: 47/80 || Average: 5.875
Past Seasons: None
At number 73 is a new entry, Dean Colt. Colt spent S22 and S23 sitting back and watching players like Chris McZehrl, Carter O'Callahan, and Benjamin Reid work, as he was pretty much a non-factor during his earlier years. However, New England had a need for him to step it up in S24, and he did so in a big way. Scoring 11 goals and 37 points, Colt finished third on the team in scoring, adding 112 and being a stable force on the PK. However, his performance was not quite enough, as the Wolfpack had a dismal year finishing out of the playoffs and ending up as one of the worst teams in the leauge. However, with Dean Colt and potential young prospects in the system, the team can only go up from here.
72. (S20) RW (New England Wolfpack) - Nathan Russell || +19
Grade: 48/80 || Average: 6
Past Seasons: S24-91
At number 72 is another Wolfpack player, Nathan Russell. Russell had a slightly weaker year than Dean Colt, but also has played much better in recent seasons to warrant being placed above him. Russell and Colt, despite having different advantages, should be a very formidable duo if they continue to improve at the rate they are expected. It will also help if they bring in a top-tier center, as the lack of options saw Colt at center and Russell at the wing. If things pan out, could we see a potential one-two punch that would rival any other unit in the league?
71. (S18) C (Seattle Riot) Thomas King || +1
Grade: 48/80 || Average: 6
Past Seasons: S20-65, S21-44, S22-38, S23-50, S24-72
At number 71 is Riot center Thomas King, who remains in roughly the same location as last year. King was part of an uncharacteristic Seattle Riot meltdown during the season, and his numbers suffered as a result, dropping from 15 goals and 34 points to 10 goals and 26 points. Thankfully he was still solid at the faceoff dot, winning 53% of the draws he took, but King has definitely appeared to take a step back in everything else. Not good, especially since the Riot GM Rose has done some wonky things with the lines over the years. If King wants to be a regular center, he has to bring more.
70. (S20)C (New England Wolfpack) - Niklas Wikstrom || +19
Grade: 49/80 || Average: 6.125
Past Seasons: S22-91, S24-89
Starting up at number 70 on the list is Wolfpack center Niklas Wikstrom, who has kept on improving. He finished S24 with 19 goals and 36 points, despite a rebuilding year for the team. His minus 19, however, was a big problem as it was one of the lowest on the team. How can Wikstrom keep improving? Well, maybe keep the puck out of the net, for starters. Also maybe get a little more physical out ther, as he only had 27 hits on the year. Either way, Wikstrom is part of a good ground of players, who should ensure this Wolfpack rebuild will be a short one.
69. (S20) RW (Edmonton Blizzard) - Mark Longford || +10
Grade: 49/80 || Average: 6.125
Past Seasons: S24-79
At 69 is Mark Longford, a Blizzard player who found a spot on our list only last year. Longford didn't take long to start moving on up despite the late arrival, as he followed up his previous season's 35 point performance with a second one right after. Hits went down a bit, and his plus minus took a hit due to the defensive woes of the Blizzard in general, but overall he has joined a group of stellar players in Edmonton with Miles Berger and Theo Kane to help lead the way.
68. (S20) LW (New England Wolfpack) - Blake Sherrill || +17
Grade: 49/80 || Average: 6.125
Past Seasons: S23-83, S24-85
At number 68 is Black Sherrill, who along with other Wolfpack players has experienced a rise in our rankings. If you are to ask why, just look at his 21 goals and 38 points this year. Sherrill was able to take advantage of the likes of Benjamin Reid and Dean Colt to have one of the most productive seasons of his career, and the goals quickly came afterwards. Should New England keep him, he should be able to work wonders with the new talent coming in and hopefully bring them to a playoff berth sooner rather than later.
67. (S9) C (Portland Admirals) - Armin Brovalchuk || -48
Grade: 49/80 || Average: 6.125
Past Seasons: S20-23, S21-13, S22-14, S23-29, S24-19
Brovalchuk comes in at number 67, which may seem like a big surprise when you consider the name. Brovalchuk was a prolific scorer as early as a couple of seasons ago, but somehow he has fallen 48 spots. However, the last two years have not been kind to the veteran, as he scored 28 goals over the next two years and 61 points. Not what you expect from a guy who had years either at a PPG or close to it. Brovalchuk is definitely in the twilight of his career, but he is hoping that bringing a veteran presence to a new locker room in Portland will do both him and the team some good.
66. (S21) D (Los Angeles Panthers) - Fredrick Wastlund || -40
Grade: 50/80 || Average: 6.25
Past Seasons: S22-88, S23-53, S24-26
At number 66 is Fredrick Wastlund, who also took a large drop following a few very productive seasons for the young player. He had two 30+ point seasons in a row, but unfortunately followed it up with only 25 points, which is definitely something different to see. The biggest thing to see is that fellow S21 defenseman Tomas Pylon actually had him beat in points. Wastlund continued to bring the physical game in S24, but when it came to some of the top defensemen in the league, Wastlund had a difficult year. Can't imagine he will be anything but a top-50 player from here on out, though.
65. (S18) G (West Kendall Platoon) - Colin Schmidt || -2
Grade: 50/80 || Average: 6.25
Past Seasons: S20-92, S21-64, S22-55, S23-60, S24-63
Dropping a couple spots to 65 is Platoon goaltender Colin Schmidt. Whether it was by design or not, Schmidt went back to some of his earlier growing pains, dropping below the .900 save percentage threshold and finishing with a measly .896. His team numbers were no better, as he went 18-24-4 during the season. Of course, West Kendall was not a team vying for the Challenge Cup, but this doesn't change the fact Schmidt failed to produce as a goaltender last year. His standards are quite high considering what he knows he is capable of.
64. (S21) RW (Hamilton Steelhawks) - Rider Clitsome || -19
Grade: 50/80 || Average: 6.25
Past Seasons: S23-82, S24-45
At number 64 is winger Rider Clitsome, who saw some issues in his play as well, as he went from a 20 goal, 39 point season to a 14 goal, 31 point season. Hits did drastically improve, though, and he was 3rd among the team in scoring during their playoff run which saw them win four overtime games in a row against the Los Angeles Panthers.
63. (S10) D (Texas Renegades) Logan Valentine || -11
Grade: 50/80 || Average: 6.25
Past Seasons: S20-20, S21-26, S22-31, S23-51, S24-52
Valentine hits the list at number 63, and while we all know this defenseman as the village bike, people tend to forget the type of good seasons this veteran defenseman has. Three seasons with 30 points or more, however the specific totals themselves have been trending downward. Valentine led the Renegades in blocked shots as well, which is nothing to scoff at despite being relegated to the second defensive pairing. It is a shame that Valentine will no longer be a part of this list once S25 has ended.
62. (S20) C (Toronto Noth Stars) Alexander Kjaerberg || +2
Grade: 50/80 || Average: 6.25
Past Seasons: S23-62, S24-64
At number 62 is Toronto North Stars center Alexander Kjaerberg. Despite not agreeing to terms on a contract yet, he is still looked to be a valuable asset for the North Stars. The thing is that Kjaerberg has had a few up and down years, seeing him with 39 points in S23, then 33 points this year. Kjaerberg has definitely not gotten the consistency issue figured out, and without proper training he could have trouble ever being a consistent threat.
61. (S15) LW (Hamilton Steelhawks) - Arthur Grosberg || +17
Grade: 50/80 || Average: 6.25
Past Seasons: S20 - 90, S21 - 59, S22 - 69, S23-96, S24-78
At number 61 is Arthur Grosberg, who has risen and risen and risen since falling to 96 in S23. Grosberg decided to spit on this list for two straight years, scoring 17 goals and 37 points in S23, then 18 goals and 39 points in S24. Grosberg also had one of the best plus minus numbers in the league finishing at +22, and finished with a whopping 124 hits without taking a huge number of penalties. Could be be a top-50 candidate next season?
60. (S20) LW (Winnipeg Jets) - Elyk || New Entry
Grade: 50/80 || Average: 6.25
Past Seasons: None
At number 60 is newcomer Elyk, who has made the list after multiple years of decent point totals but a lack of recognition. Elyk responded to this adversity by scoring a whopping 18 goals and 41 points. While offensively the season looked very good for Elyk, the forward still remains a bit one-dimensional, as his physical game is non-existent and is hardly used on the PK. However, as Elyk keeps getting better the ice time should come. There we will see if Elyk can be a top-50 player.
59. (S9) D (Toronto North Stars) - Willie "The Destroyer" Weber || -51
Grade: 50/80 || Average: 6.25
Past Seasons: S20-10, S21-7, S22-11, S23-11, S24-8
At number 59 is veteran North Stars defenseman Willie "The Destroyer" Weber. Weber has continued to dole out a ridiculous number of hits (170 for the season), but his offensive game has taken a slide, as he has gone from a 45 point season to 34, then 27 last year. This is the first time on this list he has fallen below the top-20, and this could be the sign of Toronto losing a potential Hall of Famer.
58. (S17) C (Minnesota Chiefs) - Mr. Feeny || +26
Grade: 50/80 || Average: 6.25
Past Seasons: S21-73, S22-80, S23-79, S24-84
At number 58 is Chiefs center Mr. Feeny. This is the first time Feeny has made it past the top-60, and a lot of it has to do with the consistency in his numbers. 32, 34, 35 points in the last three seasons is a good production from Feeny, making him a dependable asset for the Chiefs. Unfortunately this is one of the many Chiefs players who will be hanging them up after this season, so it should be interesting to see how they can bring in another consistent forward.
57. (S18) C (Edmonton Blizzard) - Miles Berger || +17
Grade: 51/80 || Average: 6.375
Past Seasons: S21-85, S23-99, S24-74
At 57 is another reliable forward who has started to rise back up in the rankings. Miles Berger had another 36 point season, which may not look all that impressive, but he ended up tied for the team lead on the Blizzard, a testament to not only his value to the team, but to Edmonton's woes in general. He has also been a much more physical competitor, with 101 hits on the year.
56. (S21) RW (Edmonton Blizzard) - Theo Kane || +21
Grade: 51/80 || Average: 6.375
Past Seasons: S23-75, S24-77
At number 56 is Winger Theo Kane, who to his own surprise saw him rise up in the rankings despite what he would call a down year. Last season saw him with 19 goals and 41 points, but he fell to 77, and this year saw 18 goals but only 35 points. Some of the speculation is that the voters felt they were wrong about assuming Theo Kane had attitude problems, and thus gave him a much higher rating than the previous year. Currently, this location makes more sense in context of the players around him, but don't expect him to rise higher next year if he falters.
55. (S20) D (Calgary Dragons) - Sachimo Zoidberg || +14
Grade: 51/80 || Average: 6.375
Past Seasons: S22-86, S23-76, S24-69
At number 55 is Dragons defenseman Sachimo Zoidberg, who has been rising at a pretty steady clip, both in offensive production and his ranking on this list. Zoidberg finished the season with 9 goals and 35 points, and was the most physically dominating player for the Dragons in their firs playoff berth in some time. Zoidberg also appears to be toning down the stupid penalties, which is only a positive for the up and coming Dragons.
54. (S20) D (Edmonton Blizzard) Fredirich Müller || +12
Grade: 51/80 || Average: 6.375
Past Seasons: S21-102, S22-47, S23-38, S24-66
At number 54 is defenseman Fredirich Müller, who had a lot of improvement over the previous season. He went from 27 to 35 points, improving his goal totals (9 to 10) and hits (102 to 120). He was relied upon just about the same amount, but for an Edmonton Team that had a lot of struggles, Müller did a good job and has shown some big signs of improvement.
53. (S19) G (Texas Renegades) - Dymo Ranjan || +17
Grade: 52/80 || Average: 6.5
Past Seasons: S21-57, S22-89, S23-90, S24-70
At number 53 is former Chiefs goaltender Dymo Ranjan, who went up quite a few spots this year. Ranjan may not be considered a top-tier goaltender by many pundits, but there is one thing that Ranjan does have going for him, and it is consistency. He once again had at least 25 wins with the Chiefs, and kept to a .902 save percentage despite many considering him a weak goaltender on a strong team. He had some struggles in the playoffs, but that is something he still can keep improving on.
52. (S18) D (Edmonton Blizzard) - Magnus Vikstrand || -12
Grade: 52/80 || Average: 6.5
Past Seasons: S20- 88, S21- 63, S22-63, S23-52, S24-40
At number 52 is Magnus Vikstrand, another Edmonton Blizzard player. Vikstrand falls quite a bit despite an improvement on point totals with a struggling Blizzard team. However some argued that Vikstrand was overrated last season and this drop only indicates a more accurate rating. Vikstrand scored 34 points with Edmonton, right behind Müller for the team lead in defensive scoring. While he blocked more shots than Müller did, his hits were also way down, causing some voters to label him as a "finesse" player instead of a bruiser.
51. (S16) RW (Minnesota Chiefs) - Tom Sawyer || -26
Grade: 54/80 || Average: 6.75
Past Seasons: S20-49, S21-54, S22-52, S23-48, S24-25
At 51 is Chiefs forward Tom Sawyer, whop took a massive drop despite scoring 20 goals for the second straight season. Sawyer's point totals did fall down slightly from 45 to 41, however he was also on a much deeper Minnesota team compared to last year, which most likely affected the number. Hits also increased for the winger, and Sawyer seemed to be more responsible in his own end as well. Unfortunately despite this Sawyer has fallen out of the top-50.
50. (S12) LW (Seattle Riot) Adam Kylrad || -14
Grade: 54/80 || Average: 6.75
Past Seasons: S20-12, S21-34, S22-21, S23-17, S24-36
A slight drop in points leads to a slight drop in ranking, having dropped from his previous 41 points last season to a more modest 36. I doubt that the Riot are displeased with the drop in points though, as Kylrad has rather drastically improved his defensive play from the previous season, going from a whopping minus 12 to a more respectable plus two. Most would agree that a few less points are worth it if he’s not a liability on the ice.
49. (S14) LW (Seattle Riot) - Carter O'Callahan || -31
Grade: 55/80 || Average: 6.875
Past Seasons: S20-1, S21-3, S22-1, S23-3, S24-18
Seemingly in the twilight of his career, the formerly three time top ranked two way centre in the SHL slipped another 31 one points in the rankings this year. With a slightly lower point total, it’s really the physical aspect, once an facet of his game in which he excelled, that shows O’Callahan to have had a rough year with as his hit totals dropping from 188 to a mere 99. He’ll have to go back to that crash and bang style if he wants to regain footing in the rankings this season.
48. (S13) G (Edmonton Blizzard) - Jakub Aittokallio || -9
Grade: 55/80 || Average: 6.875
Past Seasons: S20-7, S21-15, S22-9, S23-19, S24-39
One of the best goalies in the SHL, Aittokallio has seemingly been around forever. It’s a testament to his skill as a goalie that he’s only started to slip now, dropping down to a .887 save percentage this season. Goalie performances are tricky though and often heavily biased by the team in front of them. While it is possible that Aittokallio simply isn’t capable of carrying a team all on his own anymore, but an improved effort by the players in front of him should see his numbers improve, or at the very least remain steady next season.
47. (S11) LW (Edmonton Blizzard) - Kyle Keenan || -26
Grade: 55/80 || Average: 6.875
Past Seasons: S20-26, S21-31, S22-15, S23-22, S24-21
One of the longest serving members in the SHL, Kyle Keenan has been consistently ranked in the upper echelon of the SHL, making this drop seem a little odd on its face. It can be explained though, as Keenan did experience both a drop in production and a worse plus/minus, despite playing his normal amount of minutes. Still, he also had an extremely low shooting percentage of around five percent. Look to see Keenan rebound in the rankings next season, provided lady luck gives him a little bit of love and he returns to his previous shooting percentage of around ten percent.
46. (S15) LW (Minnesota Chiefs) Lionel Byrde || -22
Grade: 55/80 || Average: 6.875
Past Seasons: S20-38, S21-30, S22-33, S23-35, S24-24
Shifting from forward to defence with the Chiefs, Byrde produced… exactly the same as he did as a forward, save that most of his points were assists instead of goals. It seems that the experts were expecting more from him and displeased with what Byrde did when given the extra time on ice, both at even strength and on the power play. Given the rather drastic drop in rankings, Byrde will have to improve his performance as a defender if he wants to rise back up to his previous ranks.
45. (S20) C (Buffalo Stampede) - Adrian Thomaz || +4
Grade: 55/80 || Average: 6.875
Past Seasons: S22-77, S23-57, S24-49
The former Panther gets what he deserves here, a very slight bump in his rank. Fewer goals and more assists, Thomaz had one extra point over last season. The real improvement though was in his defensive play, as he went from an ordinary plus two, to an impressive plus 17. It could be argued that he has actually been undervalued his season, as the Panthers clearly improved their play with him on the ice, despite the rather meager improvement in his own point totals.
44. (S20) D (Texas Renegades) - Chuck Goody || -41
Grade: 56/80 || Average: 7
Past Seasons: S22-56, S23-8, S24-3
Coming off a career year in the form of a 42 point season and Stevens trophy, one had to expect that Goody’s much reduced point total of 29 would see a heavy reduction in rankings. His trade to a new team might reinvigorate the stalwart defender though, as he will have the chance to take the reins from the current Texas defensive corps and make the team his own.
43. (S21) C (Winnipeg Jets) - Patrik Satan || +47
Grade: 56/80 || Average: 7
Past Seasons: S23-89, S24-90
Not surprisingly, Patrik Satan makes a major jump in the rankings this season. Patrik’s nine point improvement from last season means that he might have just broken out. Nothing is certain though, as he had a similar amount of time on ice last season with much reduced point totals. Time will tell if this was simply a career year for the young centre or if he’s actually moved to establish himself as one of the better centres in the league.
42. (S20) G (Hamilton Steelhawks) - Jakob Tanner || +38
Grade: 56/80 || Average: 7
Past Seasons: S22-94, S23-61, S24-80
Fresh off a Cup win, Jakob Tanner was not going to lose rankings this time. That being said, he actually performed worse this season, with a .899 save percentage, compared to the previous seasons .904. He still has a lot of time in his career though and while a Cup is nice, he will have to full establish himself as one of the better goalies in the league if he wants to maintain his new found ranking in the top half of the league.
41. (S20) LW (Los Angeles Panthers) - Jhonas Skarsgaard || +6
Grade: 57/80 || Average: 7.125
Past Seasons: S20-76, S21-84, S22-53, S23-32, S24-47
A bit of a bounce back year in the rankings, Skarsgaard is seemingly benefitting him his team’s recent visit to the finals. Point production wise, Skarsgaard saw a rather large drop, going from an excellent 42 points to a much more run of the mill 35. His saving grace is his improved defensive play, as his plus sixteen more than doubles his previous seasons seven. It might be interesting to see where he’d be ranked by the experts, had his team not gone so deep in the play offs but for next season, Skarsgaard will have to prove that he’s meant to be in the top 50 of the SHL.
40. (S20) RW (Toronto North Stars) - Kristian Eriksson || +17
Grade: 57/80 || Average: 7.125
Past Seasons: S22-96, S23-77, S24-57
We start up the top 40 with one of the leagues brightest young stars, playing wing for the Toronto North Stars and really starting to make a name for himself, Kristian Eriksson. Eriksson had a great season production wise, scoring 19 goals and 41 points. With a 17 point jump this season, much higher placements are expected from him, if his production keeps climbing.
39. (S14) LW/RW (Winnipeg Jets) - Emīls Vilmenietis || -29
Grade: 57/80 || Average: 7.125
Past Seasons: S20-39, S21-47, S22-58, S23-47, S24-10
Emils Vilmeniietis had a great finish last season landing in the top 10. However, this year he has dropped nearly 30 spots to 39th overall due to a slightly lower scoring production than the season prior. Emil’s is still in the top 40 of the league, and is proving to be a very dynamic scorer, getting an even 21 goals and 21 assists, and even putting up 136 hits.
38. (S19) C (West Kendall Platoon) Zallerras Szlerchek || +30
Grade: 57/80 || Average: 7.125
Past Seasons: S20-86, S21-58, S22-40, S23-71, S24-68
Zalleras started off back in S20 ranked 86th on this list, he managed to get up to rank 40 after 2 seasons, and then dropping down to rank 71 the following season. 2 seasons later, he’s back in the top 40, with his best finish ever at 38th overall. He has some rather low goal totals, but has been a fantastic playmaker for the Platoon. 30 of his 42 points were assists.
37. (S7) RW (Seattle Riot) - David Winter || -28
Grade: 58/80 || Average: 7.25
Past Seasons: S20-24, S21-6, S22-10, S23-23, S24-9
David Winter put up 13 goals and 24 assists good for 37 points this season. One of the oldest players left in the game has had a drop in production which resulted in a 28 spot drop in these rankings, however the fact that he is ranked 37th after 18 seasons of play is still incredible.
36. (S10) LW (West Kendall Platoon) - Ivo Willems || -13
Grade: 58/80 || Average: 7.25
Past Seasons: S20-11, S21-12, S22-12, S23-24, S24-23
The natural scorer from West Kendall Ivo Williems has dropped out of the top quarter of these rankings to spot number 36. He managed to put 21 goals and 39 points last season. Olliver Pettyfer who had a career year in Texas, will be rejoining his Platoon squad, and that must be very intriguing for Ivo.
35. (S20) D (New England Wolfpack) - Benjamin Reid || +38
Grade: 59/80 || Average: 7.375
Past Seasons: S22-90, S23-66, S24-73
One of the fastest up and coming defenseman in the SHL, Benjamin Reid put up a great season for the New England Wolfpack, scoring 40 points and blocking 72 shots. Reid is a big part of the Pack’s rebuild and if he keeps up this play, he could be the corner stone to their next cup run.
34. (S18) LW (Calgary Dragons) Esa Anrikkanen || -27
Grade: 60/80 || Average: 7.5
Past Seasons: S20-45, S21-48, S22-35, S23-6, S24-7
Its hard to imagine it was just a season ago Esa was ranked the 7th best player in the SHL. This year Esa falls 27 spots to 34th overall due to a pretty average 34 point season that only included 16 goals for the Calgary Dragons. Esa did put up 156 hits however, so at least that department is still strong.
33. (S20) LW (Minnesota Chiefs) - Pedro Sarantez || -3
Grade: 60/80 || Average: 7.5
Past Seasons: S22-75, S23-54, S24-30
Pedro Sarantez made a big jump last year to spot 30, and he managed to nearly repeat that finish, this year finishing 33rd. Pedro put up a solid 40 point season for the Chiefs and managed to put up 17 goals.
32. (S14) D (Calgary Dragons) Steven Jalopski || -1
Grade: 60/80 || Average: 7.5
Past Seasons: S20-30, S21-22, S22-27, S23-30, S24-31
The controversial Calgary defenseman has been one of the most consistent players on this list, never finishing lower than this year’s 32nd position, and never higher than S21’s 22nd spot. Jalopski had another great year at the Dragon’s blue line, scoring 40 points and nearing 50 shot blocks.
31. (S15) C (West Kendall Platoon) Roberts Birkavs || -19
Grade: 60/80 || Average: 7.5
Past Seasons: S20-62, S21-35, S22-30, S23-14, S24-12
Robert Brikavs’ 44 points was not good enough to keep him up with his pace in the last 2 editions of this list, which had him just outside the top 10. He’s now finished outside the top 30 which must not settle well with him.
30. (S17) LW (Minnesota Chiefs) Magnus Jakobsen || -28
Grade: 61/80 || Average: 7.625
Past Seasons: S20-48, S21-50, S22 – 22, S23-9, S24-2
At number 30 is star winger for the Chiefs, Magnus Jakobsen. The controversial winger has had an interesting last few seasons. He was suspended for the entirety of S22, had a ridiculous 57 point season in S23, and then had one of the worst seasons in recent memory with 13 goals and 36 points in S24. Could this be a sign that Jakobsen is paying off the voters, or does he still have the capability to be a top player? Last season makes it seem like Jakobsen may have just lost his touch now that he is on the Chiefs. We will see this coming year.
29. (S13) G (Winnipeg Jets) - Lauris Prikulis || -9
Grade: 61/80 || Average: 7.625
Past Seasons: S20-3, S21-4, S22-7, S23-12, S24-20
At number 29 is goaltender Lauris Prikulis, who has taken a bit of a fall the last couple years after his S22 campaign which saw 31 wins and a .924 save percentage. However the last couple of years have been a much different story. Prikulis has been good, indeed. But he has not quite been the same type of goaltender we are used to, which could be a sign of age, or simply a sign of the parity between goaltenders these days. Prikulis is still one of the best at his position, but not quite the elite player he was previously during his career.
28. (S20) D (Toronto North Stars) - Barney Stinson || +6
Grade: 61/80 || Average: 7.625
Past Seasons: S23-56, S24-34
At 28 is S20 product and up and comer Barney Stinson. Stinson has increased his production the last two years, and has now hit a personal best 8 goals and 40 points, good for second on the Manhattan Rage in points. Shot blocks took a bit of a hit, but Stinson spent a lot more time in the attacking zone this year which contributed to that. He has also been quite the physical monster out there, with 156 hits and 96 PIMs.
27. (S17) LW (Hamilton Steelhawks) - Chara Brojled || +27
Grade: 61/80 || Average: 7.625
Past Seasons: S20- 85, S21- 83, S22-72, S23-88, S24-54
At 27 is Steelhawks forward Chara Brojled. Brojled has done everything in his power to get people to forget S22 and prior, as he has cracked the top-50 and is challenging for a top-20 spot with his 17 goals and 43 points this season on the Riot. While the 43 points isn't all that impressive in itself, he did lead the Riot in points and was one of the few bright spots for the team this season. He also had one of the best P/20 of the league, scoring almost a point per 20 minutes played.
26. (S20) D (West Kendall Platoon) - Bojo Biscuit || +3
Grade: 61/80 || Average: 7.625
Past Seasons: S22-64, S23-36, S23-29
Bojo Biscuit, the self-proclaimed physical demon of the East, hits our list at number 26, improving for the fourth straight year and proving the "you can't be elite as an enforcer" pundits wrong once again. The physical defenseman scored 37 points while racking up 187 hits on the season, as well as being out there for opposing goals way more than his own team's goals. Perhaps he got too carried away in his own zone?
25. (S19) C (Texas Renegades) - Liam Kinsler || +50
Grade: 62/80 || Average: 7.75
Past Seasons: S24-75
At number 25 is Liam Kinsler, who despite being a late arrival compared to his draft class is quickly becoming a big asset for the Texas Renegades. Going from 20 to 32 to 47 points is no small feat, and should anyone really be surprised with some of the players to come out of Texas lately? Kinsler also took on a lot of minutes for the club, and had a very good 52% clip on faceoffs. However, with the turnover for Texas this offseason, Kinsler may have a new role going into S25.
24. (S18) D (Manhattan Rage) - Roy Razin || -7
Grade: 62/80 || Average: 7.75
Past Seasons: S20-82, S21-62, S22-46, S23-4, S24-17
At 24 is Roy Razin. Razin has taken a bit of a fall in the rankings after his 54 point campaign in S22, this despite scoring 12 goals and 39 points for the Rage. Razin has the second best season among Rage defensemen, and continued to be a 34 point player. This ranking may seem a little harsh since he improved on just about every category as last year, but he has a lot of competition and he knows how difficult it is to maintain your status on this list.
23. (S15) LW (Hamilton Steelhawks) Riko Muerto || -18
Grade: 63/80 || Average: 7.875
Past Seasons: S20-41, S21-33, S22-25, S23-42, S24-15
Riko Muerto hits our list at number 23, remaining a consistent forward despite losing his contention for "one of the top wingers in the league." I'm sure Muerto doesn't entirely care, though. He scored 22 goals this year and 44 points, again one of the top producers for his team, and even though this next year shall be his last, Muerto will remain one of the most consistent players on this list.
22. (S14) G (Minnesota Chiefs) - Jordin FourFour || +20
Grade: 63/80 || Average: 7.875
Past Seasons: S20-16, S21-11, S22-4, S23-18, S24-42
Jordin FourFour has had quite the career, and he has come back to the top-30 after almost falling too far to come back last season. At 22 is soon-to-be retiring goaltender had a resurgence of sorts, posting a .911 save percentage and winning 26 games for the Renegades, helping them get to the Western Conference final but falling short to Jackson Weekes and the Panthers. He has since been traded to Minnesota and is looking for one last run at the cup, so this next season could determine his legacy.
21. (S14) LW (Manhattan Rage) - Daniel Merica || -15
Grade: 64/80 || Average: 8
Past Seasons: S20-32, S21-16, S22-13, S23-2, S24-6
At 21 on this list is winger and general confident guy Daniel Merica. Merica has seen his point totals drop quite a bit since S22 where he scored 58 points, and this season for the first time in awhile he has fallen below the 40 point mark. 37 points and only 16 goals on the season, a major drop. Has Tommy Creller usurped Merica as the face of the franchise?
20. (S20) D (Seattle Riot) Mikko Koskinen || +26
Grade: 64/80 || Average: 8
Past Seasons: S23-86, S24-46
At number 20 is Riot defenseman Mikko Koskinen, a consistent and integral part of the Riot lineup. Koskinen kept up his stellar play with another 40 point season, blocking 83 shots, and posting 97 hits on the ice, as well as finishing 2nd among Riot skaters in scoring. He saw his goal totals drop but with the season Seattle had, it shouldn't be entirely surprising.
19. (S20) RW (West Kendall Platoon) - Jed Lloren || +43
Grade: 64/80 || Average: 8
Past Seasons: S22-83, S23-68, S24-62
At number 19 is Jed Lloren, who took a massive jump in the rankings after his 16 goal, 45 point season on the struggling Platoon. Lloren was the team leader in points and was a consistent threat on the ice both in production and physical play. Lloren is yet another S20 player who is starting to make waves and show why this draft class is as dominant as it is.
18. (S21) D (Minnesota Chiefs) - Alonzo Garbanzo || +58
Grade: 64/80 || Average: 8
Past Seasons: S23-59, S24-76
At number 18 is defenseman Alonzo Garbanzo, another player taking a massive jump in the rankings. Garbanzo has finally broken out as a top-tier talent on defense, recovering after two seasons below his rookie season's 29 point campaign. This year he was able to break the 30 point plateau and hit the 40 point mark as well, finishing with 5 goals and 42 points, top 5 in assists as well. However as a defensive defenseman he will have to keep the points coming, because hits and shot blocks won't cut it year in and year out.
17. (S20) LW (Los Angeles Panthers) - Yuri Boyka || +38
Grade: 64/80 || Average: 8
Past Seasons: S22-97, S23-64, S24-55
At number 17 is Yuri Boyka, who hit the top-50 in a big way this season after a 47 point year, the best of his career so far. He was an important piece for the Panthers winning the President's trophy and was an integral part of the team as they played through the Cup Finals. Despite losing, Boyka is primed to be a dominant force for the Panthers for a number of years.
16. (S20) C (Los Angeles Panthers) - Nicholas Pedersen || +43
Grade: 65/80 || Average: 8.125
Past Seasons: S23-46, S24-59
At number 16 is center for the Panthers, Nicholas Pedersen. The center had the exact same points as Boyka, but with more goals (18), more hits (155), and a wizard on the dot in comparison. Pedersen would be considered the undisputed best center for the Panthers if not for that pesky player Brian Morley who remains on the team. However Pedersen is okay with that assuming it means more team success on the horizon.
15. (S16) RW (Texas Renegades) - Niklas Stryker || -4
Grade: 67/80 || Average: 8.375
Past Seasons: S20-42, S21-38, S22-57, S23-10, S24-11
Despite a drop in production, Niklas Stryker remains one of the top players on this list, coming in at number 15. While the veteran forward would rather be going up instead of down, he is likely very happy remaining a top-20 player as he goes to a new location in Texas. Stryker scored 20+ goals yet again, and was second on the Chiefs in scoring. He couldn't bring the Chiefs to salvation, but could do so in Texas with a new identity.
14. (S20) C (Hamilton Steelhawks) - Griffin Simons || +23
Grade: 67/80 || Average: 8.375
Past Seasons: S22-66, S23-58, S24-37
At number 14 is Griffin Simons, rising to the top-20 on this list. Simons had his best year as a Steelhawk, scoring 24 goals and 55 points, the only Steelhawk to pass 50 points. Despite limited PK minutes Simons continued to improve defensively despite a more finesse game (only 11 hits on the season). His play at the dot was also very solid, with a 51% clip. Not the best in the league, but still another positive for the young center.
13. (S15) G (Manhattan Rage) - C.J. James || +3
Grade: 68/80 || Average: 8.5
Past Seasons: S20-51, S21-46, S22-49, S23-16, S24-16
Lucky number 13 features Rage goaltender C.J. James, who has improved from S22 and improved to a .914 save percentage on the year. He also again had 20+ wins on the season, with a 2.19 GAA. He was second only to Jackson Weekes in both save percentage and goals against average, as well as shutouts, of which he had 5. C.J. James is clearly a goaltender who remains great despite some of the top-tier talent in goal today.
12. (S18) RW (West Kendall Platoon) - Oliver Pettyfer || +39
Grade: 69/80 || Average: 8.625
Past Seasons: S20-87, S21-41, S22-60, S23-65, S24-51
At number 12 is West Kendall Platoon winger Oliver Pettyfer, rising up in a big way thanks to an incredible 51 point season which was good for second on the Renegades last season. While Pettyfer hasn't been a PK guy the last couple years, Pettyfer has seen his offense rise and he is only just shy of hitting the PPG mark which many players fail to reach even through their entire careers. With him coming back to West Kendall, Pettyfer is hoping he will reach that mark.
11. (S21) RW (Manhattan Rage) - Tommy Creller || +27
Grade: 69/80 || Average: 8.625
Past Seasons: S22-99, S23-40, S24-38
At number 11 is prolific winger Tommy Creller. Creller has been arguably the most consistent and talented S21 player as of today, which shows his constant improvement on his abilities and his role on the Manhattan Rage. There were very few doubters when he was picked #1 overall, and those few doubters are even starting to rethink things with his 18 goal, 47 point season, which was best among all Rage players, even veteran Daniel Merica.
I'd like to give a big thanks to the following users that helped me make this article possible.
Experts: r1c3bowl22, grimmsterj, Tanner, BluesBoy71, Lunaro
Experts and Writer: ArGarBarGar, Jorec, Abdeezy (Maybe)
Together we made a panel of 8 experts who graded over 121 players, narrowing the list down to 100 and ranking those elite 100 players of the SHL. With a revised rating system (Rating out of 10, specific guidelines for each number), it may surprise you to see your player rise/drop a great deal. Hopefully with this being the norm the next edition will see more consistency year to year.
I'd like to ask the media grader to wait for my PM before grading this article.
10: Generational (Consistent Superstar)
9: Superstar (Consistent Star/Elite)
8: Elite (Upper-Tier 1st Liner/Starter)
7: Star (Middle-Tier 1st Liner/Starter)
6: Very Good (Lower-Tier 1st Liner/Starter)
5: Good (Upper-Tier 2nd Liner/Backup)
4: Decent (Lower-Tier 2nd Liner/Backup)
3: Okay (3rd Liner With Potential)
2: Bad (Regular 3rd Liner)
1: Awful (4th Liner/Fringe Player)
101. (S21) C (Seattle Riot) - Sean Leonidas || New Entry
Grade: 38/80 || Average: 4.75
Past Seasons: None
Sean Leonidas was a player who came into the SMJHL with the hype train at full steam, as he was selected 1st overall to the Kelowna Knights. However over time that hype went away as he dropped out of the top-5 in the SHL draft, and has not quite lived up to expectations since. This season he scored 11 goals and 22 points, way behind on the depth chart in Seattle, but he has shown flashes of skill and poise, winning over 50% of the faceoffs he took during the season. For that, he has made it onto this list by a hair. However he will need to keep improving or he will be right off the list next season.
100. (S17) C (Manhattan Rage) - Thor Ludvigsen || -4
Grade: 38/80 || Average: 4.75
Past Seasons: S20-84, S21-92, S22-93, S23-N/A, S24-96
After missing the list in S23, Ludvigsen has been able to keep on the list for a second straight year, but has not gotten back into the top-90 since Season 20. His goal totals went down, scoring only 9 goals compared to 12 last year, but kept a steady point pace with 27 points on the year. Faceoffs remain solid, but he still has not been able to take advantage of the ice time he gets, which keeps him low on the list.
99. (S22) D (Winnipeg Jets) Drew Myers || -18
Grade: 38/80 || Average: 4.75
Past Seasons: S24-81
When he made the list last season at number 81, it was something quite unprecedented as he was a rookie, and it came into question whether he would be able to repeat his 36 point season and rise on this list. Myers responded with a 3 goal, 25 point season which was a big step below his rookie totals, and tempered expectations for him quite a bit. Myers still has potential, but the question lingers: was his rookie season just an aberration?
98. (S19) C (Seattle Riot) - Nicholas Flamel || -1
Grade: 38/80 || Average: 4.75
Past Seasons: S24-97
At number 98 is Riot center Nicholas Flamel, who dropped two spots despite consistency with another 13 goal, 28 point season. He seemed to play fewer minutes than what was expected for the center, and he was not relied on often to play on the powerplay. This is a concern in terms of best players, because as the player pool gets larger, Flamel will need to be relied on to take those kinds of responsibilities to stay on this list.
97. (S21) D (Los Angeles Panthers) - Tomas Pylon || Returning Entry
Grade: 39/80 || Average: 4.875
Past Seasons: S23-91
Another draftee who began with hype to start his professional career and saw it dwindle away, Tomas Pylon has made it back onto this list after a weak S24 campaign. The defenseman scored 9 goals and 28 points on the year, good for 2nd among Panthers defensemen. However this appears to be due to relatively weaker competition compared to teammates Bottas and Wastlund, who were given PK duties and relied upon more often defensively.
96. (S17) D (Seattle Riot) - Vladimir Bodnar || -38
Grade: 40/80 || Average: 5
Past Seasons: S20-78, S21-56, S22-41, S23-80, S24-58
At number 96 on this list is Vladimir Bodnar, who had a decent improvement in his overall play last season, but fell back quite a bit this season. He scored only 3 goals and 20 points on the year, and despite given some decent minutes, particularly on the powerplay, he was ineffective and really seemed to struggle out there. With the young talent coming up in the league, Seattle will not be expected to wait around for him to get back into form.
95. (S22) RW (Minnesota Chiefs) - Chernika Banananov || New Entry
Grade: 41/80 || Average: 5.125
Past Seasons: None
At number 95 is a new young winger, Chernika Banananov. Banananov has had some struggles to put up offense in previous years, but was able to find the back of the net 18 times this season despite playing on the third line for a stacked roster in Minnesota. The problem with using this as evidence he will score more when given more minutes is he will experience tougher minutes, reducing his potential effectiveness and maybe lowering his totals. Will he be able to keep improving on the scoresheet?
94. (S22) RW (Toronto North Stars) - Pierre-Luc Laflamme || -2
Grade: 42/80 || Average: 5.25
Past Seasons: S24-92
At number 94 is another young winger, but one who has been on this list before, Pierre-Luc Laflamme. Laflamme was given prime minutes at even strength and the PK, but his improvements were only marginal, scoring 11 goals and 26 points. The winger has shown instances of generational potential, but Laflamme will keep dropping if this is the best he can do. However after a long free agent process, he may not feel pressured to perform for a big contract and break out next season.
93. (S16) C (Texas Renegades) - Alexandre Daigle || -49
Grade: 42/80 || Average: 5.25
Past Seasons: S20-76, S21-81, S22-59, S23-67, S24-44
Alexandre Daigle is number 93 on our list, and what an incredible drop he has taken. While he showed improvement in S23 with a 34 point season, Daigle followed it up with only 30 points on the season, taking him out of the top 90 for the first time ever, and potentially concerning his fellow Renegades teammates. Thankfully the team has made a huge turnaround in assets, which may not require Daigle to provide offense for the team.
92. (S8) C (Portland Admirals) - Yousuf Scherbluk || -59
Grade: 42/80 || Average: 5.25
Past Seasons: S20-8, S21-14, S22-23, S23-25, S24-33
At number 93 is center Yousuf Scherbluk, who had one of the worst seasons of his career on the Blizzard. He scored 6 goals and only 16 points, and really only made this list because of his past accomplishments. It will be interesting to see if he can get back to his point per game scoring ways with the Portland Admirals, a new expansion team. However, with the age bias when it comes to the voters in some cases, it may already be too late for Yousuf going into next season.
91. (S8) C (Seattle Riot) - Joe McKeil || -77
Grade: 42/80 || Average: 5.25
Past Seasons: S20-2, S21-1, S22-8, S23-13, S24-14
At number 91 on this list is the biggest drop on this list, and possibly the history of "Top-100". It is future Hall of Famer Joe McKeil, who despite having some incredible years recently, has taken a gigantic dive in production and ice time. He scored 7 goals and 16 points on the year, and with reports that he has declined to show up for training camp and weekly workouts, McKeil appears to be on the last legs of his career, as well as on this list.
90. (S20) C (Edmonton Blizzard) - Aviad Ratzon || +10
Grade: 43/80 || Average: 5.375
Past Seasons: S24-100
At number 90 on the list, Aviad Ratzon has started to slowly climb in the rankings with an improved season for the Blizzard. He scored 16 goals and 33 points, which may not look great on the surface, but was only 3 points behind the leading scorer for the Blizzard. Ratzon took some time to start showing his worth, but he looks destined to start earning more ice time for the Blizzard, particularly on the PK.
89. (S22) D (Winnipeg Jets) Rembrandt Q. Einstein || +5
Grade: 43/80 || Average: 5.375
Past Seasons: S23-85, S24-94
While this young defenseman with a lot of potential earned a place on this list early in his career, he has struggled a bit to get higher, staying around the same area for the last three years. He improved on last season with a 33 point campaign, as well as blocking 64 shots and playing a multitude of minutes in multiple areas. Based on the last three seasons, one would think he should be poised to make a big jump next season. He is a consistent young player who continues to get better.
88. (S19) D (New England Wolfpack) - Kaspars Tsizling || -2
Grade: 43/80 || Average: 5.375
Past Seasons: S21- 86, S22- 54, S23- 78, S24-86
Tsizling comes in at number 89 on our list, dropping a bit after a bounce-back season on defense for the Wolfpack. Despite a very poor plus/minus, he was able to block a whopping 73 shots for the team and score 29 points on the season. The question is will he be able to keep it up while the Wolfpack rebuild? He has failed to reach the 30 point mark the last three years, and two years prior to this he was unable to get past 20 points. With younger players coming up, it will have to be a big improvement.
87. (S15) D (West Kendall Platoon) - Jim Lahey || Returning Entry
Grade: 44/80 || Average: 5.5
Past Seasons: S20-46, S21-51, S22-48, S23-93, S24-N/A
At number 87 is soon-to-be retiring player Jim Lahey, who returns to this list after a 34 point season with the Renegades, who helped bring the team to the Conference Finals with an 8 point playoff campaign. Unfortunately due to his inconsistency, these two factors alone were not enough to propel him higher on the list, which means when we look back on his last season, he will be considered "only" a top-90 player when he left the game.
86. (S20) RW (Manhattan Rage) - Jamie Hawkins || New Entry
Grade: 44/80
Past Seasons: None
At number 86 is newcomer Jamie Hawkins, who finally makes the list after so many years being snubbed by the voters. Hawkins first full season saw a 17 goal, 28 point campaign, which was respectable, but not quite up to par with the competition for this list. However, Hawkins followed it up with a 15 goal, 34 point season, playing a lot of minutes on both the powerplay and penalty kill. Hawkins has finally found a place on this list, but it will take more than last season for him to climb the rankings.
85. (S11) D (Minnesota Chiefs) - Brandon Cant || -44
Grade: 44/80 || Average: 5.5
Past Seasons: S20-25, S21-17, S22-18, S23-34, S24-41
At number 85 is a long-term veteran Brandon Cant, who has continued to drop since S21, but not to this degree. What happened? Cant has simply gotten older, and has lost a bit of his edge over time. That isn't necessarily a bad thing, as with his 26 points with the Chiefs and Wolfpack, Cant remains a valuable part of the SHL. However with him being relegated to the third line for most of the season and some of the talent on defense for the Chiefs, he won't be getting the kind of looks on offense to make a big impact with the team.
84. (S22) G (Seattle Riot) - Valdemorts Karlensons || New Entry
Grade: 45/80 || Average: 5.625
Past Seasons: None
Karlensons comes on our list at number 84, coming off a respectable rookie season with the Riot. While he was .500 in the games he did start, he still was a key part of the Seattle Riot team, a team that perhaps banked a little too much on his ability to win games with their roster. This hubris caused them to miss the playoffs and Karlensons to fall under fire for most of the season. He finished tied for 6th in save percentage, despite facing 1334 shots, a huge amount compared to most of his peers.
83. (S21) C (Calgary Dragons) - Jaime Hill || New Entry
Grade: 45/80 || Average: 5.625
Past Seasons: None
Another newcomer on this list is S21 draftee Jaime Hill. Despite her slow growth as a player, Jaime Hill has been a solid asset for the Dragons, as she continues to show her dedication to the team and the SHL as a whole. She helped the Calgary Dragons to a playoff berth with her 9 goals and 33 points. However one thing that will need to improve will be her faceoff ability, as she was used sparingly in that part of the game and was quite poor when she was used. Improvement on her faceoffs and defensive play will keep her improving on these rankings.
82. (S21) G (Calgary Dragons) Hunter Wong || Returning Entry
Grade: 45/80 || Average: 5.625
Past Seasons: S23-94
Hunter Wong returns to this list at number 82, and proves that he is resilient as ever and definitely not a first round bust. Wong took a hiatus from this list after a 15-22 record and a .900 save percentage, but came right back in S24 with a 23-18-5 season and a .909 save percentage, 4th among goaltenders, despite facing the most shots among the top-10 goaltenders this year. Unfortunately this did not continue in the playoffs as he was absolutely shelled by the Los Angeles Panthers in a 4 game sweep.
81. (S20) LW (Toronto North Stars) Chester Cunningham || -31
Grade: 45/80 || Average: 5.625
Past Seasons: S23-69, S24-50
At number 81 on the list is Chester Cunningham, who dropped quite a bit after enjoing a top-50 spot in S24. His point production took a dive (40 to 34), as well as his hits (153 to 105), ice time (27.96 to 22.93) and powerplay time. Also, some new voters argued his place on the top-50 last season, which in turn caused his ratings for this year to take a massive dive. Cunningham has been a positive player for the North Stars, but to take that next step, the North Stars need more out of their top players, and Cunningham has to be one.
80. (S20) RW (Buffalo Stampede) - Bryson Thomaz || Returning Entry
Grade: 46/80 || Average: 5.75
Past Seasons: S22-98, S23-92
At number 80 is Bryson Thomaz, who like a few others has returned to the list after a little hiatus. He has joined the expansion Buffalo Stampede and intends to finally climb up on this list, and already has taken a big step in doing so. Bryson spent his final year in Texas on a high note, scoring 12 goals and 33 points, earning a lot of ice time for the Renegades in the regular season and playoffs. His playoff numbers were less than desirable, only scoring 6 points in 13 games, a 26 point pace in the regular season. However, with increased minutes and joining up with a couple other talented players in Buffalo, his numbers could rise considerably.
79. (S16) RW (Minnesota Chiefs) - Jarkko Kallestrom || -52
Grade: 47/80 || Average: 5.875
Past Seasons: S20-44, S21-36, S22-45, S23-27, S24-27
Kallestrom hits the list at number 79, quite a drop from his previous ranking which puts him outside the top-50 for the first time. S23 saw him score 51 points, just shy of Niklas Stryker who scored 52, and made him one of the most valuable players for the Minnesota Chiefs. However, this season saw a huge step back. He scored 31 points, fewer than even the number of assists he had last season, and while his hits went up, he looked like a much less effective player. Unfortunately due to the season before, it is starting to look like his 51 point season was more of an aberration than something to expect each year.
78. (S22) G (Toronto North Stars) - Mark Harter || +23
Grade: 47/80 || Average: 5.875
Past Seasons: S24-101
At number 78 is goaltender Mark Harter, who climbed out of the fringe and has moved into a more stable location on our list, despite his save percentage only improving a small amount. Despite the save percentage, he brought in a much better record for the North Stars despite their 7 game loss to the Chiefs in the first round (which actually saw him post a respectable .910 save percentage). He is one of the biggest acquisitions of the S22 draft, so a jump has to be expected if the playoffs are any indicator.
77. (S21) D (Seattle Riot) - Vsevolod Nikitin || +10
Grade: 47/80 || Average: 5.875
Past Seasons: S23- 98, S24-87
At number 77 is Vsevolor Nikitin, who keeps steadily rising the list while steadily rising in production for the Seattle Riot. With 29 points, 104 hits, and 71 shot blocks, he was a reliable offensive contributor with a good mean-streak and a solid defensive game, something Seattle is going to need in the coming years after falling flat on their faces in the playoff hunt. Nikitin and Koskinen will be two important parts of the roster, whether they succeed or fail could potentially be due to how they play.
76. (S15) D (Calgary Dragons) - Krišs Labsvārds || -9
Grade: 47/80 || Average: 5.875
Past Seasons: S20-46, S21-51, S22-48, S23-72, S24-67
At number 76 is Krišs Labsvārds on defense of the Dragons. A defenseman who seems like he hasn't ever gotten his due, the veteran defenseman continues to put up points, and did so again this year with a 31 point campaign. However, he only blocked 43 shots, which was a problem with most of the Calgary defensemen, as they were one of the worst collective defensive teams in the league last season. With guys like Zoidberg and Jalopski running the show, Labsvārds appears to be relegated to a depth defenseman and will just need to chip in when he can and get those shot blocks up for the Dragons to succeed.
75. (S19) D (Calgary Dragons) - Martins Daugavins || +13
Grade: 47/80 || Average: 5.875
Past Seasons: S21-101, S22-71, S23-70, S24-82
At number 75 is another Dragons defenseman, Martins Daugavins. Daugavins had a down year in S24 after his 40 point S23 campaign, but he appears to have gotten over that with a respectable 32 point campaign. Shot blocks were only at 48, and his hitting game simply wasn't there, giving teams more room to work in front of him. A big reason for the drop in plus minus, as well. Daugavins still has a couple of years to grow before regression sets in, so those are things that will need to be worked on to help improve Calgary defensively, even if Jalopski and Zoidberg are the go-to guys.
74. (S20) D (Edmonton Blizzard) Jackson Rogers-Tanaka || +9
Grade: 47/80 || Average: 5.875
Past Seasons: S23-81, S24-83
At number 74 is Blizzard defenseman Jackson Rogers-Tanaka. The defenseman had a bit of a weaker year as well as his teammates, dropping 2 points and seeing his shot blocks take a massive dive. Rogers-Tanaka was also a little weaker on the physical side, dropping to 79 hits and increasing the number of times he was hit himself. Rogers-Tanaka appears to have slown down a bit despite a couple of promising seasons.
73. (S20) RW (New England Wolfpack) - Dean Colt || New Entry
Grade: 47/80 || Average: 5.875
Past Seasons: None
At number 73 is a new entry, Dean Colt. Colt spent S22 and S23 sitting back and watching players like Chris McZehrl, Carter O'Callahan, and Benjamin Reid work, as he was pretty much a non-factor during his earlier years. However, New England had a need for him to step it up in S24, and he did so in a big way. Scoring 11 goals and 37 points, Colt finished third on the team in scoring, adding 112 and being a stable force on the PK. However, his performance was not quite enough, as the Wolfpack had a dismal year finishing out of the playoffs and ending up as one of the worst teams in the leauge. However, with Dean Colt and potential young prospects in the system, the team can only go up from here.
72. (S20) RW (New England Wolfpack) - Nathan Russell || +19
Grade: 48/80 || Average: 6
Past Seasons: S24-91
At number 72 is another Wolfpack player, Nathan Russell. Russell had a slightly weaker year than Dean Colt, but also has played much better in recent seasons to warrant being placed above him. Russell and Colt, despite having different advantages, should be a very formidable duo if they continue to improve at the rate they are expected. It will also help if they bring in a top-tier center, as the lack of options saw Colt at center and Russell at the wing. If things pan out, could we see a potential one-two punch that would rival any other unit in the league?
71. (S18) C (Seattle Riot) Thomas King || +1
Grade: 48/80 || Average: 6
Past Seasons: S20-65, S21-44, S22-38, S23-50, S24-72
At number 71 is Riot center Thomas King, who remains in roughly the same location as last year. King was part of an uncharacteristic Seattle Riot meltdown during the season, and his numbers suffered as a result, dropping from 15 goals and 34 points to 10 goals and 26 points. Thankfully he was still solid at the faceoff dot, winning 53% of the draws he took, but King has definitely appeared to take a step back in everything else. Not good, especially since the Riot GM Rose has done some wonky things with the lines over the years. If King wants to be a regular center, he has to bring more.
70. (S20)C (New England Wolfpack) - Niklas Wikstrom || +19
Grade: 49/80 || Average: 6.125
Past Seasons: S22-91, S24-89
Starting up at number 70 on the list is Wolfpack center Niklas Wikstrom, who has kept on improving. He finished S24 with 19 goals and 36 points, despite a rebuilding year for the team. His minus 19, however, was a big problem as it was one of the lowest on the team. How can Wikstrom keep improving? Well, maybe keep the puck out of the net, for starters. Also maybe get a little more physical out ther, as he only had 27 hits on the year. Either way, Wikstrom is part of a good ground of players, who should ensure this Wolfpack rebuild will be a short one.
69. (S20) RW (Edmonton Blizzard) - Mark Longford || +10
Grade: 49/80 || Average: 6.125
Past Seasons: S24-79
At 69 is Mark Longford, a Blizzard player who found a spot on our list only last year. Longford didn't take long to start moving on up despite the late arrival, as he followed up his previous season's 35 point performance with a second one right after. Hits went down a bit, and his plus minus took a hit due to the defensive woes of the Blizzard in general, but overall he has joined a group of stellar players in Edmonton with Miles Berger and Theo Kane to help lead the way.
68. (S20) LW (New England Wolfpack) - Blake Sherrill || +17
Grade: 49/80 || Average: 6.125
Past Seasons: S23-83, S24-85
At number 68 is Black Sherrill, who along with other Wolfpack players has experienced a rise in our rankings. If you are to ask why, just look at his 21 goals and 38 points this year. Sherrill was able to take advantage of the likes of Benjamin Reid and Dean Colt to have one of the most productive seasons of his career, and the goals quickly came afterwards. Should New England keep him, he should be able to work wonders with the new talent coming in and hopefully bring them to a playoff berth sooner rather than later.
67. (S9) C (Portland Admirals) - Armin Brovalchuk || -48
Grade: 49/80 || Average: 6.125
Past Seasons: S20-23, S21-13, S22-14, S23-29, S24-19
Brovalchuk comes in at number 67, which may seem like a big surprise when you consider the name. Brovalchuk was a prolific scorer as early as a couple of seasons ago, but somehow he has fallen 48 spots. However, the last two years have not been kind to the veteran, as he scored 28 goals over the next two years and 61 points. Not what you expect from a guy who had years either at a PPG or close to it. Brovalchuk is definitely in the twilight of his career, but he is hoping that bringing a veteran presence to a new locker room in Portland will do both him and the team some good.
66. (S21) D (Los Angeles Panthers) - Fredrick Wastlund || -40
Grade: 50/80 || Average: 6.25
Past Seasons: S22-88, S23-53, S24-26
At number 66 is Fredrick Wastlund, who also took a large drop following a few very productive seasons for the young player. He had two 30+ point seasons in a row, but unfortunately followed it up with only 25 points, which is definitely something different to see. The biggest thing to see is that fellow S21 defenseman Tomas Pylon actually had him beat in points. Wastlund continued to bring the physical game in S24, but when it came to some of the top defensemen in the league, Wastlund had a difficult year. Can't imagine he will be anything but a top-50 player from here on out, though.
65. (S18) G (West Kendall Platoon) - Colin Schmidt || -2
Grade: 50/80 || Average: 6.25
Past Seasons: S20-92, S21-64, S22-55, S23-60, S24-63
Dropping a couple spots to 65 is Platoon goaltender Colin Schmidt. Whether it was by design or not, Schmidt went back to some of his earlier growing pains, dropping below the .900 save percentage threshold and finishing with a measly .896. His team numbers were no better, as he went 18-24-4 during the season. Of course, West Kendall was not a team vying for the Challenge Cup, but this doesn't change the fact Schmidt failed to produce as a goaltender last year. His standards are quite high considering what he knows he is capable of.
64. (S21) RW (Hamilton Steelhawks) - Rider Clitsome || -19
Grade: 50/80 || Average: 6.25
Past Seasons: S23-82, S24-45
At number 64 is winger Rider Clitsome, who saw some issues in his play as well, as he went from a 20 goal, 39 point season to a 14 goal, 31 point season. Hits did drastically improve, though, and he was 3rd among the team in scoring during their playoff run which saw them win four overtime games in a row against the Los Angeles Panthers.
63. (S10) D (Texas Renegades) Logan Valentine || -11
Grade: 50/80 || Average: 6.25
Past Seasons: S20-20, S21-26, S22-31, S23-51, S24-52
Valentine hits the list at number 63, and while we all know this defenseman as the village bike, people tend to forget the type of good seasons this veteran defenseman has. Three seasons with 30 points or more, however the specific totals themselves have been trending downward. Valentine led the Renegades in blocked shots as well, which is nothing to scoff at despite being relegated to the second defensive pairing. It is a shame that Valentine will no longer be a part of this list once S25 has ended.
62. (S20) C (Toronto Noth Stars) Alexander Kjaerberg || +2
Grade: 50/80 || Average: 6.25
Past Seasons: S23-62, S24-64
At number 62 is Toronto North Stars center Alexander Kjaerberg. Despite not agreeing to terms on a contract yet, he is still looked to be a valuable asset for the North Stars. The thing is that Kjaerberg has had a few up and down years, seeing him with 39 points in S23, then 33 points this year. Kjaerberg has definitely not gotten the consistency issue figured out, and without proper training he could have trouble ever being a consistent threat.
61. (S15) LW (Hamilton Steelhawks) - Arthur Grosberg || +17
Grade: 50/80 || Average: 6.25
Past Seasons: S20 - 90, S21 - 59, S22 - 69, S23-96, S24-78
At number 61 is Arthur Grosberg, who has risen and risen and risen since falling to 96 in S23. Grosberg decided to spit on this list for two straight years, scoring 17 goals and 37 points in S23, then 18 goals and 39 points in S24. Grosberg also had one of the best plus minus numbers in the league finishing at +22, and finished with a whopping 124 hits without taking a huge number of penalties. Could be be a top-50 candidate next season?
60. (S20) LW (Winnipeg Jets) - Elyk || New Entry
Grade: 50/80 || Average: 6.25
Past Seasons: None
At number 60 is newcomer Elyk, who has made the list after multiple years of decent point totals but a lack of recognition. Elyk responded to this adversity by scoring a whopping 18 goals and 41 points. While offensively the season looked very good for Elyk, the forward still remains a bit one-dimensional, as his physical game is non-existent and is hardly used on the PK. However, as Elyk keeps getting better the ice time should come. There we will see if Elyk can be a top-50 player.
59. (S9) D (Toronto North Stars) - Willie "The Destroyer" Weber || -51
Grade: 50/80 || Average: 6.25
Past Seasons: S20-10, S21-7, S22-11, S23-11, S24-8
At number 59 is veteran North Stars defenseman Willie "The Destroyer" Weber. Weber has continued to dole out a ridiculous number of hits (170 for the season), but his offensive game has taken a slide, as he has gone from a 45 point season to 34, then 27 last year. This is the first time on this list he has fallen below the top-20, and this could be the sign of Toronto losing a potential Hall of Famer.
58. (S17) C (Minnesota Chiefs) - Mr. Feeny || +26
Grade: 50/80 || Average: 6.25
Past Seasons: S21-73, S22-80, S23-79, S24-84
At number 58 is Chiefs center Mr. Feeny. This is the first time Feeny has made it past the top-60, and a lot of it has to do with the consistency in his numbers. 32, 34, 35 points in the last three seasons is a good production from Feeny, making him a dependable asset for the Chiefs. Unfortunately this is one of the many Chiefs players who will be hanging them up after this season, so it should be interesting to see how they can bring in another consistent forward.
57. (S18) C (Edmonton Blizzard) - Miles Berger || +17
Grade: 51/80 || Average: 6.375
Past Seasons: S21-85, S23-99, S24-74
At 57 is another reliable forward who has started to rise back up in the rankings. Miles Berger had another 36 point season, which may not look all that impressive, but he ended up tied for the team lead on the Blizzard, a testament to not only his value to the team, but to Edmonton's woes in general. He has also been a much more physical competitor, with 101 hits on the year.
56. (S21) RW (Edmonton Blizzard) - Theo Kane || +21
Grade: 51/80 || Average: 6.375
Past Seasons: S23-75, S24-77
At number 56 is Winger Theo Kane, who to his own surprise saw him rise up in the rankings despite what he would call a down year. Last season saw him with 19 goals and 41 points, but he fell to 77, and this year saw 18 goals but only 35 points. Some of the speculation is that the voters felt they were wrong about assuming Theo Kane had attitude problems, and thus gave him a much higher rating than the previous year. Currently, this location makes more sense in context of the players around him, but don't expect him to rise higher next year if he falters.
55. (S20) D (Calgary Dragons) - Sachimo Zoidberg || +14
Grade: 51/80 || Average: 6.375
Past Seasons: S22-86, S23-76, S24-69
At number 55 is Dragons defenseman Sachimo Zoidberg, who has been rising at a pretty steady clip, both in offensive production and his ranking on this list. Zoidberg finished the season with 9 goals and 35 points, and was the most physically dominating player for the Dragons in their firs playoff berth in some time. Zoidberg also appears to be toning down the stupid penalties, which is only a positive for the up and coming Dragons.
54. (S20) D (Edmonton Blizzard) Fredirich Müller || +12
Grade: 51/80 || Average: 6.375
Past Seasons: S21-102, S22-47, S23-38, S24-66
At number 54 is defenseman Fredirich Müller, who had a lot of improvement over the previous season. He went from 27 to 35 points, improving his goal totals (9 to 10) and hits (102 to 120). He was relied upon just about the same amount, but for an Edmonton Team that had a lot of struggles, Müller did a good job and has shown some big signs of improvement.
53. (S19) G (Texas Renegades) - Dymo Ranjan || +17
Grade: 52/80 || Average: 6.5
Past Seasons: S21-57, S22-89, S23-90, S24-70
At number 53 is former Chiefs goaltender Dymo Ranjan, who went up quite a few spots this year. Ranjan may not be considered a top-tier goaltender by many pundits, but there is one thing that Ranjan does have going for him, and it is consistency. He once again had at least 25 wins with the Chiefs, and kept to a .902 save percentage despite many considering him a weak goaltender on a strong team. He had some struggles in the playoffs, but that is something he still can keep improving on.
52. (S18) D (Edmonton Blizzard) - Magnus Vikstrand || -12
Grade: 52/80 || Average: 6.5
Past Seasons: S20- 88, S21- 63, S22-63, S23-52, S24-40
At number 52 is Magnus Vikstrand, another Edmonton Blizzard player. Vikstrand falls quite a bit despite an improvement on point totals with a struggling Blizzard team. However some argued that Vikstrand was overrated last season and this drop only indicates a more accurate rating. Vikstrand scored 34 points with Edmonton, right behind Müller for the team lead in defensive scoring. While he blocked more shots than Müller did, his hits were also way down, causing some voters to label him as a "finesse" player instead of a bruiser.
51. (S16) RW (Minnesota Chiefs) - Tom Sawyer || -26
Grade: 54/80 || Average: 6.75
Past Seasons: S20-49, S21-54, S22-52, S23-48, S24-25
At 51 is Chiefs forward Tom Sawyer, whop took a massive drop despite scoring 20 goals for the second straight season. Sawyer's point totals did fall down slightly from 45 to 41, however he was also on a much deeper Minnesota team compared to last year, which most likely affected the number. Hits also increased for the winger, and Sawyer seemed to be more responsible in his own end as well. Unfortunately despite this Sawyer has fallen out of the top-50.
50. (S12) LW (Seattle Riot) Adam Kylrad || -14
Grade: 54/80 || Average: 6.75
Past Seasons: S20-12, S21-34, S22-21, S23-17, S24-36
A slight drop in points leads to a slight drop in ranking, having dropped from his previous 41 points last season to a more modest 36. I doubt that the Riot are displeased with the drop in points though, as Kylrad has rather drastically improved his defensive play from the previous season, going from a whopping minus 12 to a more respectable plus two. Most would agree that a few less points are worth it if he’s not a liability on the ice.
49. (S14) LW (Seattle Riot) - Carter O'Callahan || -31
Grade: 55/80 || Average: 6.875
Past Seasons: S20-1, S21-3, S22-1, S23-3, S24-18
Seemingly in the twilight of his career, the formerly three time top ranked two way centre in the SHL slipped another 31 one points in the rankings this year. With a slightly lower point total, it’s really the physical aspect, once an facet of his game in which he excelled, that shows O’Callahan to have had a rough year with as his hit totals dropping from 188 to a mere 99. He’ll have to go back to that crash and bang style if he wants to regain footing in the rankings this season.
48. (S13) G (Edmonton Blizzard) - Jakub Aittokallio || -9
Grade: 55/80 || Average: 6.875
Past Seasons: S20-7, S21-15, S22-9, S23-19, S24-39
One of the best goalies in the SHL, Aittokallio has seemingly been around forever. It’s a testament to his skill as a goalie that he’s only started to slip now, dropping down to a .887 save percentage this season. Goalie performances are tricky though and often heavily biased by the team in front of them. While it is possible that Aittokallio simply isn’t capable of carrying a team all on his own anymore, but an improved effort by the players in front of him should see his numbers improve, or at the very least remain steady next season.
47. (S11) LW (Edmonton Blizzard) - Kyle Keenan || -26
Grade: 55/80 || Average: 6.875
Past Seasons: S20-26, S21-31, S22-15, S23-22, S24-21
One of the longest serving members in the SHL, Kyle Keenan has been consistently ranked in the upper echelon of the SHL, making this drop seem a little odd on its face. It can be explained though, as Keenan did experience both a drop in production and a worse plus/minus, despite playing his normal amount of minutes. Still, he also had an extremely low shooting percentage of around five percent. Look to see Keenan rebound in the rankings next season, provided lady luck gives him a little bit of love and he returns to his previous shooting percentage of around ten percent.
46. (S15) LW (Minnesota Chiefs) Lionel Byrde || -22
Grade: 55/80 || Average: 6.875
Past Seasons: S20-38, S21-30, S22-33, S23-35, S24-24
Shifting from forward to defence with the Chiefs, Byrde produced… exactly the same as he did as a forward, save that most of his points were assists instead of goals. It seems that the experts were expecting more from him and displeased with what Byrde did when given the extra time on ice, both at even strength and on the power play. Given the rather drastic drop in rankings, Byrde will have to improve his performance as a defender if he wants to rise back up to his previous ranks.
45. (S20) C (Buffalo Stampede) - Adrian Thomaz || +4
Grade: 55/80 || Average: 6.875
Past Seasons: S22-77, S23-57, S24-49
The former Panther gets what he deserves here, a very slight bump in his rank. Fewer goals and more assists, Thomaz had one extra point over last season. The real improvement though was in his defensive play, as he went from an ordinary plus two, to an impressive plus 17. It could be argued that he has actually been undervalued his season, as the Panthers clearly improved their play with him on the ice, despite the rather meager improvement in his own point totals.
44. (S20) D (Texas Renegades) - Chuck Goody || -41
Grade: 56/80 || Average: 7
Past Seasons: S22-56, S23-8, S24-3
Coming off a career year in the form of a 42 point season and Stevens trophy, one had to expect that Goody’s much reduced point total of 29 would see a heavy reduction in rankings. His trade to a new team might reinvigorate the stalwart defender though, as he will have the chance to take the reins from the current Texas defensive corps and make the team his own.
43. (S21) C (Winnipeg Jets) - Patrik Satan || +47
Grade: 56/80 || Average: 7
Past Seasons: S23-89, S24-90
Not surprisingly, Patrik Satan makes a major jump in the rankings this season. Patrik’s nine point improvement from last season means that he might have just broken out. Nothing is certain though, as he had a similar amount of time on ice last season with much reduced point totals. Time will tell if this was simply a career year for the young centre or if he’s actually moved to establish himself as one of the better centres in the league.
42. (S20) G (Hamilton Steelhawks) - Jakob Tanner || +38
Grade: 56/80 || Average: 7
Past Seasons: S22-94, S23-61, S24-80
Fresh off a Cup win, Jakob Tanner was not going to lose rankings this time. That being said, he actually performed worse this season, with a .899 save percentage, compared to the previous seasons .904. He still has a lot of time in his career though and while a Cup is nice, he will have to full establish himself as one of the better goalies in the league if he wants to maintain his new found ranking in the top half of the league.
41. (S20) LW (Los Angeles Panthers) - Jhonas Skarsgaard || +6
Grade: 57/80 || Average: 7.125
Past Seasons: S20-76, S21-84, S22-53, S23-32, S24-47
A bit of a bounce back year in the rankings, Skarsgaard is seemingly benefitting him his team’s recent visit to the finals. Point production wise, Skarsgaard saw a rather large drop, going from an excellent 42 points to a much more run of the mill 35. His saving grace is his improved defensive play, as his plus sixteen more than doubles his previous seasons seven. It might be interesting to see where he’d be ranked by the experts, had his team not gone so deep in the play offs but for next season, Skarsgaard will have to prove that he’s meant to be in the top 50 of the SHL.
40. (S20) RW (Toronto North Stars) - Kristian Eriksson || +17
Grade: 57/80 || Average: 7.125
Past Seasons: S22-96, S23-77, S24-57
We start up the top 40 with one of the leagues brightest young stars, playing wing for the Toronto North Stars and really starting to make a name for himself, Kristian Eriksson. Eriksson had a great season production wise, scoring 19 goals and 41 points. With a 17 point jump this season, much higher placements are expected from him, if his production keeps climbing.
39. (S14) LW/RW (Winnipeg Jets) - Emīls Vilmenietis || -29
Grade: 57/80 || Average: 7.125
Past Seasons: S20-39, S21-47, S22-58, S23-47, S24-10
Emils Vilmeniietis had a great finish last season landing in the top 10. However, this year he has dropped nearly 30 spots to 39th overall due to a slightly lower scoring production than the season prior. Emil’s is still in the top 40 of the league, and is proving to be a very dynamic scorer, getting an even 21 goals and 21 assists, and even putting up 136 hits.
38. (S19) C (West Kendall Platoon) Zallerras Szlerchek || +30
Grade: 57/80 || Average: 7.125
Past Seasons: S20-86, S21-58, S22-40, S23-71, S24-68
Zalleras started off back in S20 ranked 86th on this list, he managed to get up to rank 40 after 2 seasons, and then dropping down to rank 71 the following season. 2 seasons later, he’s back in the top 40, with his best finish ever at 38th overall. He has some rather low goal totals, but has been a fantastic playmaker for the Platoon. 30 of his 42 points were assists.
37. (S7) RW (Seattle Riot) - David Winter || -28
Grade: 58/80 || Average: 7.25
Past Seasons: S20-24, S21-6, S22-10, S23-23, S24-9
David Winter put up 13 goals and 24 assists good for 37 points this season. One of the oldest players left in the game has had a drop in production which resulted in a 28 spot drop in these rankings, however the fact that he is ranked 37th after 18 seasons of play is still incredible.
36. (S10) LW (West Kendall Platoon) - Ivo Willems || -13
Grade: 58/80 || Average: 7.25
Past Seasons: S20-11, S21-12, S22-12, S23-24, S24-23
The natural scorer from West Kendall Ivo Williems has dropped out of the top quarter of these rankings to spot number 36. He managed to put 21 goals and 39 points last season. Olliver Pettyfer who had a career year in Texas, will be rejoining his Platoon squad, and that must be very intriguing for Ivo.
35. (S20) D (New England Wolfpack) - Benjamin Reid || +38
Grade: 59/80 || Average: 7.375
Past Seasons: S22-90, S23-66, S24-73
One of the fastest up and coming defenseman in the SHL, Benjamin Reid put up a great season for the New England Wolfpack, scoring 40 points and blocking 72 shots. Reid is a big part of the Pack’s rebuild and if he keeps up this play, he could be the corner stone to their next cup run.
34. (S18) LW (Calgary Dragons) Esa Anrikkanen || -27
Grade: 60/80 || Average: 7.5
Past Seasons: S20-45, S21-48, S22-35, S23-6, S24-7
Its hard to imagine it was just a season ago Esa was ranked the 7th best player in the SHL. This year Esa falls 27 spots to 34th overall due to a pretty average 34 point season that only included 16 goals for the Calgary Dragons. Esa did put up 156 hits however, so at least that department is still strong.
33. (S20) LW (Minnesota Chiefs) - Pedro Sarantez || -3
Grade: 60/80 || Average: 7.5
Past Seasons: S22-75, S23-54, S24-30
Pedro Sarantez made a big jump last year to spot 30, and he managed to nearly repeat that finish, this year finishing 33rd. Pedro put up a solid 40 point season for the Chiefs and managed to put up 17 goals.
32. (S14) D (Calgary Dragons) Steven Jalopski || -1
Grade: 60/80 || Average: 7.5
Past Seasons: S20-30, S21-22, S22-27, S23-30, S24-31
The controversial Calgary defenseman has been one of the most consistent players on this list, never finishing lower than this year’s 32nd position, and never higher than S21’s 22nd spot. Jalopski had another great year at the Dragon’s blue line, scoring 40 points and nearing 50 shot blocks.
31. (S15) C (West Kendall Platoon) Roberts Birkavs || -19
Grade: 60/80 || Average: 7.5
Past Seasons: S20-62, S21-35, S22-30, S23-14, S24-12
Robert Brikavs’ 44 points was not good enough to keep him up with his pace in the last 2 editions of this list, which had him just outside the top 10. He’s now finished outside the top 30 which must not settle well with him.
30. (S17) LW (Minnesota Chiefs) Magnus Jakobsen || -28
Grade: 61/80 || Average: 7.625
Past Seasons: S20-48, S21-50, S22 – 22, S23-9, S24-2
At number 30 is star winger for the Chiefs, Magnus Jakobsen. The controversial winger has had an interesting last few seasons. He was suspended for the entirety of S22, had a ridiculous 57 point season in S23, and then had one of the worst seasons in recent memory with 13 goals and 36 points in S24. Could this be a sign that Jakobsen is paying off the voters, or does he still have the capability to be a top player? Last season makes it seem like Jakobsen may have just lost his touch now that he is on the Chiefs. We will see this coming year.
29. (S13) G (Winnipeg Jets) - Lauris Prikulis || -9
Grade: 61/80 || Average: 7.625
Past Seasons: S20-3, S21-4, S22-7, S23-12, S24-20
At number 29 is goaltender Lauris Prikulis, who has taken a bit of a fall the last couple years after his S22 campaign which saw 31 wins and a .924 save percentage. However the last couple of years have been a much different story. Prikulis has been good, indeed. But he has not quite been the same type of goaltender we are used to, which could be a sign of age, or simply a sign of the parity between goaltenders these days. Prikulis is still one of the best at his position, but not quite the elite player he was previously during his career.
28. (S20) D (Toronto North Stars) - Barney Stinson || +6
Grade: 61/80 || Average: 7.625
Past Seasons: S23-56, S24-34
At 28 is S20 product and up and comer Barney Stinson. Stinson has increased his production the last two years, and has now hit a personal best 8 goals and 40 points, good for second on the Manhattan Rage in points. Shot blocks took a bit of a hit, but Stinson spent a lot more time in the attacking zone this year which contributed to that. He has also been quite the physical monster out there, with 156 hits and 96 PIMs.
27. (S17) LW (Hamilton Steelhawks) - Chara Brojled || +27
Grade: 61/80 || Average: 7.625
Past Seasons: S20- 85, S21- 83, S22-72, S23-88, S24-54
At 27 is Steelhawks forward Chara Brojled. Brojled has done everything in his power to get people to forget S22 and prior, as he has cracked the top-50 and is challenging for a top-20 spot with his 17 goals and 43 points this season on the Riot. While the 43 points isn't all that impressive in itself, he did lead the Riot in points and was one of the few bright spots for the team this season. He also had one of the best P/20 of the league, scoring almost a point per 20 minutes played.
26. (S20) D (West Kendall Platoon) - Bojo Biscuit || +3
Grade: 61/80 || Average: 7.625
Past Seasons: S22-64, S23-36, S23-29
Bojo Biscuit, the self-proclaimed physical demon of the East, hits our list at number 26, improving for the fourth straight year and proving the "you can't be elite as an enforcer" pundits wrong once again. The physical defenseman scored 37 points while racking up 187 hits on the season, as well as being out there for opposing goals way more than his own team's goals. Perhaps he got too carried away in his own zone?
25. (S19) C (Texas Renegades) - Liam Kinsler || +50
Grade: 62/80 || Average: 7.75
Past Seasons: S24-75
At number 25 is Liam Kinsler, who despite being a late arrival compared to his draft class is quickly becoming a big asset for the Texas Renegades. Going from 20 to 32 to 47 points is no small feat, and should anyone really be surprised with some of the players to come out of Texas lately? Kinsler also took on a lot of minutes for the club, and had a very good 52% clip on faceoffs. However, with the turnover for Texas this offseason, Kinsler may have a new role going into S25.
24. (S18) D (Manhattan Rage) - Roy Razin || -7
Grade: 62/80 || Average: 7.75
Past Seasons: S20-82, S21-62, S22-46, S23-4, S24-17
At 24 is Roy Razin. Razin has taken a bit of a fall in the rankings after his 54 point campaign in S22, this despite scoring 12 goals and 39 points for the Rage. Razin has the second best season among Rage defensemen, and continued to be a 34 point player. This ranking may seem a little harsh since he improved on just about every category as last year, but he has a lot of competition and he knows how difficult it is to maintain your status on this list.
23. (S15) LW (Hamilton Steelhawks) Riko Muerto || -18
Grade: 63/80 || Average: 7.875
Past Seasons: S20-41, S21-33, S22-25, S23-42, S24-15
Riko Muerto hits our list at number 23, remaining a consistent forward despite losing his contention for "one of the top wingers in the league." I'm sure Muerto doesn't entirely care, though. He scored 22 goals this year and 44 points, again one of the top producers for his team, and even though this next year shall be his last, Muerto will remain one of the most consistent players on this list.
22. (S14) G (Minnesota Chiefs) - Jordin FourFour || +20
Grade: 63/80 || Average: 7.875
Past Seasons: S20-16, S21-11, S22-4, S23-18, S24-42
Jordin FourFour has had quite the career, and he has come back to the top-30 after almost falling too far to come back last season. At 22 is soon-to-be retiring goaltender had a resurgence of sorts, posting a .911 save percentage and winning 26 games for the Renegades, helping them get to the Western Conference final but falling short to Jackson Weekes and the Panthers. He has since been traded to Minnesota and is looking for one last run at the cup, so this next season could determine his legacy.
21. (S14) LW (Manhattan Rage) - Daniel Merica || -15
Grade: 64/80 || Average: 8
Past Seasons: S20-32, S21-16, S22-13, S23-2, S24-6
At 21 on this list is winger and general confident guy Daniel Merica. Merica has seen his point totals drop quite a bit since S22 where he scored 58 points, and this season for the first time in awhile he has fallen below the 40 point mark. 37 points and only 16 goals on the season, a major drop. Has Tommy Creller usurped Merica as the face of the franchise?
20. (S20) D (Seattle Riot) Mikko Koskinen || +26
Grade: 64/80 || Average: 8
Past Seasons: S23-86, S24-46
At number 20 is Riot defenseman Mikko Koskinen, a consistent and integral part of the Riot lineup. Koskinen kept up his stellar play with another 40 point season, blocking 83 shots, and posting 97 hits on the ice, as well as finishing 2nd among Riot skaters in scoring. He saw his goal totals drop but with the season Seattle had, it shouldn't be entirely surprising.
19. (S20) RW (West Kendall Platoon) - Jed Lloren || +43
Grade: 64/80 || Average: 8
Past Seasons: S22-83, S23-68, S24-62
At number 19 is Jed Lloren, who took a massive jump in the rankings after his 16 goal, 45 point season on the struggling Platoon. Lloren was the team leader in points and was a consistent threat on the ice both in production and physical play. Lloren is yet another S20 player who is starting to make waves and show why this draft class is as dominant as it is.
18. (S21) D (Minnesota Chiefs) - Alonzo Garbanzo || +58
Grade: 64/80 || Average: 8
Past Seasons: S23-59, S24-76
At number 18 is defenseman Alonzo Garbanzo, another player taking a massive jump in the rankings. Garbanzo has finally broken out as a top-tier talent on defense, recovering after two seasons below his rookie season's 29 point campaign. This year he was able to break the 30 point plateau and hit the 40 point mark as well, finishing with 5 goals and 42 points, top 5 in assists as well. However as a defensive defenseman he will have to keep the points coming, because hits and shot blocks won't cut it year in and year out.
17. (S20) LW (Los Angeles Panthers) - Yuri Boyka || +38
Grade: 64/80 || Average: 8
Past Seasons: S22-97, S23-64, S24-55
At number 17 is Yuri Boyka, who hit the top-50 in a big way this season after a 47 point year, the best of his career so far. He was an important piece for the Panthers winning the President's trophy and was an integral part of the team as they played through the Cup Finals. Despite losing, Boyka is primed to be a dominant force for the Panthers for a number of years.
16. (S20) C (Los Angeles Panthers) - Nicholas Pedersen || +43
Grade: 65/80 || Average: 8.125
Past Seasons: S23-46, S24-59
At number 16 is center for the Panthers, Nicholas Pedersen. The center had the exact same points as Boyka, but with more goals (18), more hits (155), and a wizard on the dot in comparison. Pedersen would be considered the undisputed best center for the Panthers if not for that pesky player Brian Morley who remains on the team. However Pedersen is okay with that assuming it means more team success on the horizon.
15. (S16) RW (Texas Renegades) - Niklas Stryker || -4
Grade: 67/80 || Average: 8.375
Past Seasons: S20-42, S21-38, S22-57, S23-10, S24-11
Despite a drop in production, Niklas Stryker remains one of the top players on this list, coming in at number 15. While the veteran forward would rather be going up instead of down, he is likely very happy remaining a top-20 player as he goes to a new location in Texas. Stryker scored 20+ goals yet again, and was second on the Chiefs in scoring. He couldn't bring the Chiefs to salvation, but could do so in Texas with a new identity.
14. (S20) C (Hamilton Steelhawks) - Griffin Simons || +23
Grade: 67/80 || Average: 8.375
Past Seasons: S22-66, S23-58, S24-37
At number 14 is Griffin Simons, rising to the top-20 on this list. Simons had his best year as a Steelhawk, scoring 24 goals and 55 points, the only Steelhawk to pass 50 points. Despite limited PK minutes Simons continued to improve defensively despite a more finesse game (only 11 hits on the season). His play at the dot was also very solid, with a 51% clip. Not the best in the league, but still another positive for the young center.
13. (S15) G (Manhattan Rage) - C.J. James || +3
Grade: 68/80 || Average: 8.5
Past Seasons: S20-51, S21-46, S22-49, S23-16, S24-16
Lucky number 13 features Rage goaltender C.J. James, who has improved from S22 and improved to a .914 save percentage on the year. He also again had 20+ wins on the season, with a 2.19 GAA. He was second only to Jackson Weekes in both save percentage and goals against average, as well as shutouts, of which he had 5. C.J. James is clearly a goaltender who remains great despite some of the top-tier talent in goal today.
12. (S18) RW (West Kendall Platoon) - Oliver Pettyfer || +39
Grade: 69/80 || Average: 8.625
Past Seasons: S20-87, S21-41, S22-60, S23-65, S24-51
At number 12 is West Kendall Platoon winger Oliver Pettyfer, rising up in a big way thanks to an incredible 51 point season which was good for second on the Renegades last season. While Pettyfer hasn't been a PK guy the last couple years, Pettyfer has seen his offense rise and he is only just shy of hitting the PPG mark which many players fail to reach even through their entire careers. With him coming back to West Kendall, Pettyfer is hoping he will reach that mark.
11. (S21) RW (Manhattan Rage) - Tommy Creller || +27
Grade: 69/80 || Average: 8.625
Past Seasons: S22-99, S23-40, S24-38
At number 11 is prolific winger Tommy Creller. Creller has been arguably the most consistent and talented S21 player as of today, which shows his constant improvement on his abilities and his role on the Manhattan Rage. There were very few doubters when he was picked #1 overall, and those few doubters are even starting to rethink things with his 18 goal, 47 point season, which was best among all Rage players, even veteran Daniel Merica.
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