Coming off of a surprising pre-season, the Colorado Raptors ended up with a better record than expected. Bringing on 9 rookies from the SMJHL entry draft, you would expect that this team wouldn't have ended pre-season with a 4-2-1 record. It's a record that places them 5th in the league, but unfortunately only 3rd in the Tamper Town division because of two talented teams in Anchorage and Maine. However, the Raptors being in a rebuild, are still happy with these results, especially when looking at three key players, Shadow Fenix, Tanner Pitts, and Liam Rodgers.

Rookie Shadow Fenix (center) leads the team in points with 8-6-14 g-a-p in 7 games. With a lot of his success coming from his two linemates, Jussi Mutou and Xavier Beausoleil, if Fenix continues to have this chemistry on the  ice, it will definitely win games for the Raptors.

Also a rookie, Tanner Pitts, is the starting goaltender this year for Colorado. Having a 0.893 save percentage in the pre-season, you have to ask if Pitts is able to get that number above 0.900, or if those numbers will go down. If Pitts is able to evolve into the netminder that Colorado expects him to, there is no doubt that he will be a key player this season.

Lastly, defenseman Liam Rodgers, drafted to the Calgary Dragons in the most recent SHL entry draft, quarterbacks the first power play line. And you know something is going right there when the team has gotten 9 power play goals in those 7 pre-season games. If he is able to continue to let the power play produce, while also working defensively with his partner Nik Smith, he will be a key player on the blue line.