49. (S22) D (Winnipeg Jets) - Drew Myers || +51
Grade: 55/80 || Average: 6.88 Past Seasons: S24-81, S25-100
At number 49 is defenseman Drew Myers, who fittingly saw a huge climb from 100th place last season to break into the top 50 players in his first cup-winning season. Myers played a much less physical game on the ice this season, throwing only half as many hits as in S25, but he focused his energy into the rest of his game for a solid increase in points, from 25 to 33, as well as honing his defensive skills. Myers' ice time and role on the team did not change much between seasons, so the changes in his stats are almost entirely due to the work that he has put in. He's still a fairly young player, and should only continue to improve on his cup-winning team.
48. (S19) C (West Kendall Platoon) Zallerras Szlerchek || -10
Grade: 55/80 || Average: 6.88 Past Seasons: S20-86, S21-58, S22-40, S23-71, S24-68, S25-38
At number 48 is center Zalleras Szlerchek, who just signed a 2+ year extension with the platoon. Big Z is a player who should be well known to readers of the top 100, as he's made the list for six straight years now. That said, it's always exciting to see where he'll fall in the lineup, as he has ranged from as low as 86th to as high as 38th in that time span. While Z scored more goals than last season, his offensive production dropped slightly overall. This should not come as a surprise, given that West Kendall added a few key pieces this past offseason and Z didn't have to shoulder as much of the offensive burden for the team. I can only assume he's happy with the new, balanced approach, as he helped to take the team all the way to the finals for the first time in 10 seasons.
47. (S18) C (Edmonton Blizzard) - Miles Berger || +10
Grade: 55/80 || Average: 6.88 Past Seasons: S21-85, S23-99, S24-74, S25-57
At 47 is Miles Berger, who finished the season centering Edmonton's second line. Berger saw a decrease in ice time this season due to the Blizzard's acquisition of superstar Chico Salmon, but despite playing almost two minutes less per game the winger had a great season. He showed improvement in his playmaking abilities, rising from 18 to 24 assists in S25, while also making his physical presence known with 136 hits. He was a solid face-off man last season, but absolutely dominated at the draw this season with league-leading 56.34%, over a percent higher than his toughest competitor. If he continues his strong showing in the face-off circle, he'll be giving the Blizzard a huge advantage again this season.
46. (S20) C (Buffalo Stampede) - Adrian Thomaz || -1
Grade: 55/80 || Average: 6.88 Past Seasons: S22-77, S23-57, S24-49, S25-45
At 46 is center Adrian Thomaz, who should find the position familiar - he has consistently hovered in the middle of the top 100 players list over the past few seasons. On the newly formed Stampede, Thomaz finally got his chance to step into the spotlight and take over the first line center position. He saw slightly increased ice time, and took advantage of it to improve a bit on all aspects of his game with 3 more points, 24 more hits, and even a few more shots blocked than S24. His 51.40% in the face-off circle was respectable, although it did not match up to his incredibly strong showing in S24, but as he and the Stampede continue to settle in and find chemistry it seems likely that that too will improve. Will S26 finally see him climbing out of the 40s on this list?
45. (S20) D (Toronto North Stars) - Chuck Goody || -1
Grade: 56/80 || Average: 7 Past Seasons: S22-56, S23-8, S24-3, S25-44
At number 45 is defenseman Chuck Goody who, after playing all of his career thus far on the Manhattan Rage, was traded this past season to the Texas Renegades. Goody was in the top 10 on this list for seasons 23 and 24, but dropped back to the mid-40s last season and finds himself there again today. Goody was part of a deep defensive corp in Manhattan, and his move to the slightly weaker Renegades meant that his ice time shot up. He actually saw a slight decrease in points this season, but his defensive play was solid as he blocked 73 shots. His physical play stayed very consistent, with 144 hits. Playing almost 30 minutes a night - close to 300 more minutes than he played the previous season - one has to wonder if Goody was overworked. It will be interesting to see what another change of scenery does for his on-ice performance, and whether he can be the missing piece to help Toronto make it back into the playoffs in S26.
At number 44, Maxim Horvat has dropped down the list from his impressive 7th overall ranking last season but still is an incredibly solid player for the Renegades. While still a first line player in Texas, and with only a small decrease in ice time from season to season, it seems that Horvat suffered from the departure of winger Oliver Pettyfer. The two had amazing chemistry last season, with Horvat finishing the season third in the league in scoring at 57 points. He still put up a solid performance this season with 35 points, but without Pettyfer at his side and with a lower shooting percentage, he couldn't quite live up to last season's glory.
43. (S18) G (West Kendall Platoon) - Colin Schmidt || +22
Grade: 56/80 || Average: 7 Past Seasons: S20-92, S21-64, S22-55, S23-60, S24-63, S25-65
The first goaltender in the top 50 this season, Colin Schmidt finds himself at number 43 in his highest ranked season to-date - no surprise that it's the one in which he backstopped his team all the way to the Challenge Cup finals. After S24, when the Platoon found themselves near the bottom of the league, Schmidt and the rest of the team came into S25 ready to fight. While his individual numbers weren't at the top of the leader-boards, he put up a solid season overall, and his 2 shutouts and a league-leading 27 wins were enough for the Platoon to finish out the regular season at the top of the East and carry them into the playoffs on a high note. If Schmidt can at least maintain this level of play, if not improve on it, West Kendall should make a push to repeat their strong performance in the coming season.
42. (S15) C (West Kendall Platoon) Roberts Birkavs || -11
Grade: 56/80 || Average: 7 Past Seasons: S20-62, S21-35, S22-30, S23-14, S24-12, S25-31
At number 42, Robert Birkavs has dropped slightly from recent seasons but is still a top player in the league and one of the key additions that helped bring the West Kendall Platoon to the playoffs in S25. Despite moving from the second line in Calgary to the first on the Platoon, Birkavs actually saw a slight drop in ice time this season. He still put up a solid offensive effort with 38 points and 115 hits, but couldn't quite replicate his 44 points from the previous season - given that the Platoon had a very well-balanced offense overall, however, that shouldn't be counted against him. His overall play, and face-off prowess, should help to bring his team back to the playoffs again this coming season.
41. (S10) LW (West Kendall Platoon) - Ivo Willems || -5
Grade: 56/80 || Average: 7 Past Seasons: S20-11, S21-12, S22-12, S23-24, S24-23, S25-36
At number 41 is winger Ivo Willems who, despite being six seasons older than any of his teammates on the Platoon, still finished third on the team in goals. It's impressive that, despite the addition of a couple of strong new forwards to the team this season and therefore less ice time for Willems, the Season 10 draftee actually managed to improve his individual stats in just about every category - 1 more point, and a sizable increase in both hits and shots blocked, as well as a very strong 16 +/-. Willems also shone on the penalty kill this season, where he scored a league leading 3 short-handed goals.
40. (S21) C (Calgary Dragons) - Jaime Hill || +43
Grade: 56/80 || Average: 7 Past Seasons: S25-83
Calgary's Jaime Hill had a terrific season, and finds herself jumping up the list to number 40. Although a natural center, Hill plays right wing on the Dragons' top line where she managed to double her goals scored this season, increasing her point total from 33 to 42. An incredibly clean player on the ice, Hill received only 5 penalty minutes this season, and didn't throw a single hit. She also lead the league with a +/- of 28. She ended the season on a five game point-scoring streak, and should go into S26 looking to pick up right where she left off.
Alonzo Garbanzo Final Tallies (Among Defensemen):
2nd in Goals (208), All-Time Assists Leader (765)*, All-Time Points Leader (973), 3rd in Hits (2587), All-Time Blocked Shots Leader (1882)* *All-Time Leader Among All Skaters Player Profile | Update Thread
At number 39 is winger Pedro Sarantez, who is coming off his third 40 point season in a row with the Minnesota Chiefs. The winger was recently announced as head captain for the Chiefs, and with that tied for the team lead in points with 41. His physical game remains a concern, as he is not one to lay the body very often, but continues to be a big playmaker for the team. He will need to utilize those skills even more with the mass exodus of players going into S26.
38. (S13) G (Edmonton Blizzard) - Jakub Aittokallio || +10
Grade: 57/80 || Average: 7.13 Past Seasons: S20-7, S21-15, S22-9, S23-19, S24-39, S25-48
At number 38 is Blizzard Goaltender Jakub Aittokallio, who has had a long season and remains a consistent contributor. Aittokallio won 27 games with the Blizzard last year and bounced back from a forgettable S24 campaign with a .907 save percentage and 2.40 GAA. He should see his numbers increase going into next season, as it looks like Edmonton has tooled up for a playoff run.
37. (S21) D (Los Angeles Panthers) - Fredrick Wastlund || +29
Grade: 57/80 || Average: 7.13 Past Seasons: S22-88, S23-53, S24-26, S25-66
At number 37 is Defenseman Fredrick Wastlund, a defenseman looking to get back to his S23 form and make the top-30 once again. While falling short this year, he was able to get back into the 30 point range and finish the season with 32 points. He was the Panthers defensive leader and despite Bottas lighting up the lamp he stood out as a premier contributor for the team. He blocked 79 shots, shy of only Bottas for the team, and going into next season is expected to keep that up.
At 36 is superstar Daniel Merica, who has seen his superstar status falter a bit in recent years. S25 saw him lead the Manhattan Rage in points, but failed to reach the 40 point mark and was a -10. He failed to reach the 100 hit mark in the second year in a row, which is an unfortunate thing to see as Merica was considered one of the most complete wingers in the game. His minutes were decreased, and we can only expect more of the same unless the Rage are looking to give Merica one final big year before his retirement.
At 35 is winger Magnus Jakobsen, a player who has also faltered in recent years. Jakobsen signed a lucrative contract with the Minnesota Chiefs a few years back, and since then has not been the type of player we have expected out of him. Jakobsen's own statements imply it has been Minnesota's system that is to blame, and his 37 points were much lower than the Chiefs anticipated. He utilized his player option and was then traded to the Rage, where he quickly re-signed and hopes to revitalize his career.
Number 34 is Panthers winger Jonas Skarsgaard, a player who is coming off a bounce-back season and is back in the 40 point category. His play this season was very similar to what we saw in S23, with him scoring 20 goals, earning over 40 points, registering over 100 hits, and clocking over 80 penalty minutes. Skarsgaard is a physical player with a mean streak, and if he can remain consistent he could be one of the meanest forwards around the SHL.
33. (S20) D (New England Wolfpack) - Benjamin Reid || +2
Grade: 58/80 || Average: 7.25 Past Seasons: S22-90, S23-66, S24-73, S25-35
Benjamin Reid comes in at number 33 on our list, slightly improving from last year despite his point totals taking a bit of a hit. He remained a premier defenseman on the wolfpack, scoring 38 points and playing as the clear #1 defenseman in New England. Reid's defensive game has since improved since last year, and remains a valuable shot blocker and special teams producer.
At number 32 is Griffin Simons, who was unable to replicate his dominant 55 point season in S24 and fell almost 20 points with a 37 point campaign in S25. Just about every scoring category was reduced last season, except for hits, which has been steadily increasing. Simons has said himself he is looking to become a better two-way player, and since then has been given more time on the PK and been a more responsible player in general.
At number 31 is Armin Brovalchuk, coming back from what looked to be the dead with a 45 point campaign, the likes of which we haven't seen from him in a couple of years, now. Brovalchuk spent most of his time with the Portland Admirals during the season, where he scored 19 goals and 41 points in 38 games, and was a huge contributor for the team. He was eventually moved and now is looking towards another expansion team to find success: The Buffalo Stampede. Brovalchuk is getting older, but he may still have some moves up his sleeve for the team.
30. (S21) D (Minnesota Chiefs) - Alonzo Garbanzo || -12
Grade: 60/80 || Average: 7.5 Past Seasons: S23-59, S24-76, S25-18
At 30 is defenseman Alonzo Garbanzo, who fell back to earth after a lowly season by his own standards. S24 saw him score 42 points, a career high, but he could only muster a 34 point season afterwards, being outscored by teammates Cant and Feeny. His -21 was also a team worst, and one of the worst +/- in the league. Something that is very strange from a defenseman who has prided himself on defensive play. He will need to work on that even moreso with a gutted Minnesota Chiefs team.
Alonzo Garbanzo Final Tallies (Among Defensemen):
2nd in Goals (208), All-Time Assists Leader (765)*, All-Time Points Leader (973), 3rd in Hits (2587), All-Time Blocked Shots Leader (1882)* *All-Time Leader Among All Skaters Player Profile | Update Thread
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