Top 100 SHL Players of Today!
S26
|
ArGarBarGar
Registered S39 Challenge Cup Champion
<div align="center">Top 100 SHL Players of Today!
Season 26 Season 20 Season 21 Season 22 Season 23 Season 24 Season 25</div> Welcome back everyone, to the seasonal top 100 players of today. So for those who do not know, this is the 7th edition of this article, awarding the top 100 players heading into the S26 season. I'd like to give a big thanks to the following users that helped me make this article possible. Experts: ArGarBarGar, Abdeezy, RomanesEuntDomus, Tanner, Lunaro, TheNextGreatOne, prettyburn, Kezkincaid Experts and Writer: ArGarBarGar, prettyburn, KezKincaid Together we made a panel of 8 experts who graded over 125 players, narrowing the list down to 100 and ranking those elite 100 players of the SHL. 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) 102. (S18) D (Seattle Riot) Thomas King || -31 Grade: 36/80 || Average: 4.5 Past Seasons: S20-65, S21-44, S22-38, S23-50, S24-72, S25-71 Thomas King starts off the list at number 102. Thomas King's production has continued to decline in recent years, falling from his highest ranking in S22 of 38, and falling 31 spots to the very edge of the abyss. King went from 10 goals and 26 points to 7 goals and 19 points on a Seattle Riot team that seemed to struggle mightily in the regular season. Did the Riot struggle because Thomas King regressed, or did Thomas King regress because the Riot struggled? It is an interesting question, but the fact remains that even with Seattle struggling King had a poor showing as far as points are concerned. Could this be the last we see of Thomas King? 101. (S17) RW (Winnipeg Jets) - Jamers Both || Returning Entry Grade: 36/80 || Average: 4.5 Past Seasons: S23-101, S24-99 Jamers Both comes back to the list at number 101, once again right on the edge of being taken off the list completely. Season 24 was a weak year for the winger, scoring only 21 points and getting knocked right off the list of top 100 players. However with an 8 goal 26 points campaign on the Jets, Both has come back to show us he still belongs in the conversation as a top-100 player in the league. However this kind of production will not get him to improve in the standing, and as a S17 player he doesn't have many years where he will be improving. From previous seasons Jamers Both appears to have shown us all he can offer. While it's decent production, it's not all-world. 100. (S20) RW (Hamilton Steelhawks) - Jackson Hauke || New Entry Grade: 36/80 || Average: 4.5 Past Seasons: None At number 100 is a new entry in this list, a S20 draftee Jackson Hauke. Hauke has spent the last two seasons with the Hamilton Steelhawks after a falling out with the Minnesota Chiefs. This has caused a resurgence in his play, though not much of one right now. Hauke scored 24 points in S24 and 28 points in S25. His defensive play has also been suspect, leaving him as a role-player with a limited skillset for the Steelhawks. He still has some time to grow, so Hamilton remains confident in him as a player. 99. (S18) D (Hamilton Steelhawks) - Zanis Zarins || Returning Entry Grade: 37/80 || Average: 4.63 Past Seasons: S21-79, S22-67, S23-95, S24-93 Starting the 90s is defenseman Zanis Zarins, who has come back to our list after recovering from a brutal 14 point campaign in S24. The defenseman has found his game again after moving on to the Hamilton Steelhawks. The team has found a good spot for him, playing with the likes of youngster Bubba Nuck, and giving him more playing time than a player like him may necessarily be equipped for. Hamilton struggled this season as a result, and the defending champs were unable to defend their prize. Playing a guy like Zarins 22 minutes a night may be one of the reasons. 98. (S19) C (Seattle Riot) - Nicholas Flamel || +1 Grade: 37/80 || Average: 4.63 Past Seasons: S24-97, S25-99 At number 98 is center Nicholas Flamel, who only moved up a single spot while remaining pretty consistent on the scoresheet. Two 13 goal 28 point campaigns in a row for Flamel, though his defensive skills have taken a bit of a hit. A big contention from critics is his lack of a physical game, as he had fewer than 50 hits both of the last two seasons. Flamel is not the type of guy to dictate a physical game, which may be a reason he is a minus player more than he is a plus player. 97. (S20)C (New England Wolfpack) - Niklas Wikstrom || -27 Grade: 37/80 || Average: 4.63 Past Seasons: S22-91, S24-89, S25-70 At number 97 is Wolfpack center Niklas Wikstrom, who dropped a big 27 spots with a weak 23 point season by his standards. It may be possible that New England jumped the gun when they expected 30+ points on a regular basis from Wikstrom, as even with some serious talent up from, Wikstrom was unable to replicate his S24 season. Wikstrom is another player who does not impose a physical presence, and despite a high amount of powerplay time only got on the scoresheet 3 times in that capacity. 96. (S20) C (Edmonton Blizzard) - Aviad Ratzon || -6 Grade: 38/80 || Average: 4.75 Past Seasons: S24-100, S25-90 At number 96 is Aviad Ratzon, the Blizzard center still mired in the lower 10 rankings. Ratzon was very close last season hitting the top of the 90s, but has since regressed and fallen to 96. Why is that? Falling way down on the Blizzard depth chart. The Blizzard have been improving their roster over the season, and adding guys like Salmon and Stinson during the season pushed Ratzon to the back and without the same opportunities. Ratzon may be the kind of player who performs better with a weaker supporting cast, but Ratzon is not the kind of player to go chasing those opportunities in spite of cup aspirations. 95. (S19) D (Buffalo Stampede) - Ryan Sullivan || Returning Entry Grade: 38/80 || Average: 4.75 Past Seasons: S20-89, S21-60, S22-50, S23-84, S24-53 At number 95 is former top pick Ryan Sullivan, who appears to be fading into obscurity but poking his head out every so often to remind us that he still is in the league. Sullivan came off a brutal 9 point campaign in Minnesota, forcing a trade to the North Stars. The Stars utilized him very well, shielding him from top-tier opposition and letting him feast on the powerplay. He scored 25 points and that is about the best you can expect from him. Now he will be trying his hand with the Buffalo Stampede, and he may find it much more difficult not passing it up to guys like Eriksson and Laflamme. 94. (S19) D (Calgary Dragons) - Martins Daugavins || -19 Grade: 39/80 || Average: 4.88 Past Seasons: S21-101, S22-71, S23-70, S24-82, S25-75 At number 94 is Dragons defenseman Martins Daugavins, who despite improving last season has seen his ranking drop past 90 for the first time since S21. This saw his point totals go from 32 down to 25, something that seemed to be necessary for the defenseman to improve his defensive play. It seems if the last few years are any indication, Daugavins is the type of defenseman who has to either go all-in on offense or all-in on defense, and not the other way around. Because of this, he takes a back-seat to the majority of top defensemen in this league. 93. (S22) D (Manhattan Rage) - Jigsaw McGraw || New Entry Grade: 39/80 || Average: 4.88 Past Seasons: None Number 93 is defenseman Jigsaw McGraw, a new entry on this list. McGraw has finally started proving his worth in the league after an impressive 31 point campaign with the Panthers. He showed a great deal of improvement practicing with guys like Valterri Bottas and Fredrik Wastlund, and partnering up with Tomas Pylon gave him another semi-veteran player to learn from on the ice. He didn't play a lot on the penalty kill, and he made the majority of his points on the power play, but he still has a lot of untapped potential. Manhattan is definitely banking on that potential to be realized in S26. 92. (S15) LW (Hamilton Steelhawks) - Arthur Grosberg || -14 Grade: 39/80 || Average: 4.88 Past Seasons: S20-90, S21-59, S22-69, S23-96, S24-78 At number 92 is Arthur Grosberg, who despite some pretty consistent play the last few years has seen his ranking suffer due to last season. Grosberg's ability has started to wane in his first year of regression, scoring only 27 points with the Hamilton Steelhawks. Hamilton has faith in Grosberg, but one has to wonder how many more years of solid play he can muster as his player starts to break down and bring him closer to retirement. On the last year of his contract, this is a doe or die situation for the veteran. 91. (S20) RW (Los Angeles Panthers) - Gil Lemar || New Entry Grade: 40/80 || Average: 5 Past Seasons: None At number 91 is new entry Gil Lemar, a player who has an interesting past in terms of performance. He broke into the SHL looking like a budding star, but hit a road block early into his SHL career and was not as dedicated to training as some of his counterparts. However the last couple of years has seen a resurgence in his work ethic, proving him with a 27 point season with the Dragons and Panthers. One interesting thing of note: Lemar scored 9 points in 12 games after being traded to Los Angeles, and the Panthers may have scored a big win if he continues that production and even improves. 90. (S22) RW (Minnesota Chiefs) - Chernika Banananov || +6 Grade: 40/80 || Average: 5 Past Seasons: S25-96 Finishing out the top 90 is Chiefs winger Chernika Banananov, who despite a high amount of potential has not improved nearly to the degree expected. Banananov came into S25 coming off an 18 goal, 33 point campaign, and the Russian sniper was primed to shatter that total. However Banananov finished with 11 goals and 29 points, much less than expected. What's worse, the winger was a whopping -18 on the season, a huge knock on his defensive ability. Banananov was able to creep up the rankings a tad most likely on potential alone, but that will not last if the scorer cannot improve his point totals. 89. (S22) G (Toronto North Stars) - Mark Harter || -11 Grade: 40/80 || Average: 5 Past Seasons: S24-101, S25-78 Starting the 80s is young goaltender Mark Harter, who is still learning the SHL level but is having trouble making that next step. Harter went from a 24 win, .899 sv% season to a 17 win, .886 sv% season which saw the North Stars right back out of the playoffs. It was a very disappointing year for the goaltender, especially with some of the performances his teammates had. Harter remains vigilant and will be working even harder this offseason to prove his critics wrong, but he cannot be given free points just because he is trying. But he will get there soon. 88. (S19) G (Texas Renegades) - Dymo Ranjan || -35 Grade: 40/80 || Average: 5 Past Seasons: S21-57, S22-89, S23-90, S24-70, S25-53 Dymo Ranjan comes in at number 88, and one of the most disappointing drops among the players in this list. Ranjan had a solid 28 win season with the Chiefs back in S24, but decided to make a change with the Texas Renegades in the offseason. They had a lot going for them, up until the regular season started and the team saw regression in the worst way. Ranjan himself won only 22 games and his save percentage fell to 2.84, a major step back. Ranjan has been MIA as of late, and the concern lingers is Ranjan will never be able to help backstop a team to a Challenge Cup. With Ogorodnikov coming up behind him, we may know very quickly. 87. (S20) RW (Edmonton Blizzard) - Jamie Hawkins || -1 Grade: 41/80 || Average: 5.13 Past Seasons: S25-86 At number 87 is Blizzard Winger Jamie Hawkins. Hawkins saw himself finally grab a taste of the top-100 last season, but soon saw that confidence fade in S25 as he took a step back in production with Edmonton. 27 points and a -13 on the year was a major disappointment for both him and the Edmonton management. However, Hawkins continues to work and should be back in game shape this upcoming season to keep himself off the list. He may fare better by ramping up the physicality, as he only had 12 hits last season. 86. (S20) C (Manhattan Rage) Alexander Kjaerberg || -24 Grade: 41/80 || Average: 5.13 Past Seasons: S23-62, S24-64, S25-62 At number 86 on the list is former sparkplug Alexander Kjaerberg. The hard-nosed center has seen his share of teams lately, moving from Los Angeles to Minnesota to Toronto. He spent two years with the North Stars, and year one was a big step up for him during their playoff run. He has since become the Kjaerberg that we remember from years past. Poor production and the desire for more playing time. What's surprising, however, is he went from 200+ hits in S24 to only 142 hits in S25, a major drop compared to what he is typically capable of. Manhattan has taken a flyer on him in the hopes he can rekindle this magic. But will the Rage also lose their patience? 85. (S16) RW (Toronto North Stars) - Tom Sawyer || -34 Grade: 43/80 || Average: 5.38 Past Seasons: S20-49, S21-54, S22-52, S23-48, S24-25, S25-51 At number 85 is winger Tom Sawyer, another player who has taken a monstrous step back on the score sheet. Sawyer scored 41 points in S24, but fell back to earth a little bit with a 25 point season and a -10. He has since been traded to Toronto, and hopefully for the Winger he can get another shot to be the S24 forward with new linemates. He has a lot more potential to do well there right now, with the North Stars making a number of moves to become competitive. With his retirement coming up, this will be his last shot to make a difference and win a Challenge Cup. 84. (S22) RW (West Kendall Platoon) - Ales Smirnov || New Entry Grade: 44/80 || Average: 5.5 Past Seasons: None At number 84 is newcomer Ales Smirnov, who had a major coming-out party with the Platoon. His 12 goals and 38 points was good for 7th among his teammates, and he brought a physical game we had not seen from him since his time in the SMJHL. He did this all while playing a scarce number of minutes compared to a good portion of his teammates, so it should be interesting to see what he can do when he is given more responsibilities. 83. (S21) G (Calgary Dragons) Hunter Wong || -1 Grade: 44/80 || Average: 5.5 Past Seasons: S23-94, S25-82 At number 83 is young Dragons goaltender Hunter Wong, yet another goaltender who is struggling from previous years. Wong got back on the list last season after a disappointing S23 campaign, but is starting to head off that list again after regressing with the Dragons in S25. Wong earned the same number of wins as the year prior, but went from a .909 save percentage to a .895. Quite a difference from the year before, and something Hunter Wong is going to want to fix before it is too late. Calgary still has a lot of hope in their top-5 pick, so S26 could be a big statement season for him. 82. (S21) LW (Los Angeles Panthers) - Sterling Knight || New Entry Grade: 45/80 || Average: 5.63 Past Seasons: None At number 82 is forward Sterling Knight, who has jumped to a couple of teams in recent years but has finally found his place on this list as a Los Angeles Panther. While his past couple seasons have not been quite so impressive, Knight continues to work very hard in order to prove himself as a top player in the S21 draft class. With Manhattan he scored 13 goals and 30 points, making 85 hits, and spending time both on the powerplay and penalty kill. Los Angeles has a very versatile winger coming to play, and is Knight can get the offense going, he could become a dangerous competitor. 81. (S17) D (Texas Renegades) - Walter “Heisenberg” White || Returning Entry Grade: 45/80 || Average: 5.63 Past Seasons: S20- 47, S21- 53, S22- 65, S23- 97, S24-88 At number 81 is new Texas Renegades defenseman Walter White. The man they call Heisenberg had a bit of a hiatus on this list after a couple of weaker seasons by his standards, but was able to jump all the way back into the 80s after scoring 28 points and 8 goals for the Chiefs. He remained an aggressive presence, laying the body over 100 times and only being knocked off the puck 73 times. He also remained defensively sound, with 73 blocked shots and 122 PK minutes. With this being his final season, Texas could be the place to give us the blue magic one last time. 80. (S8) C (Seattle Riot) - Joe McKeil || +11 Grade: 45/80 || Average: 5.63 Past Seasons: S20-2, S21-1, S22-8, S23-13, S24-14, S25-91 At number 80 is old-timer center Joe McKeil, coming back up the list despite his body starting to fail him in his advanced age. McKeil wanted the world to remember he still has what it takes, as he scored 9 goals and 32 points. Not classic McKeil production, but still enough to help out the Riot during a struggling season. Unfortunately it is very possible this was a one-off season due to McKeil's ice time dwindling each season. Will be hard to put up solid numbers when he is playing 15 minutes a night. 79. (S14) LW/RW (Winnipeg Jets) - Emīls Vilmenietis || -40 Grade: 45/80 || Average: 5.63 Past Seasons: S20-39, S21-47, S22-58, S23-47, S24-10, S25-39 At number 79 is forward Vilmenietis, who has taken a spot outside the top-60 for the first time ever. This prolific forward enjoyed a great first season with the Winnipeg Jets in S24, scoring 21 goals and 42 points, laying 136 hits, and playing in every situation. S25 was a bit different, as he saw his even strength time fall a great deal and his offensive numbers falter as a result. He only scored 16 goals and 31 points, which is a fine number for a guy who can play in all situations, but not at the level we have come to expect from him. 78. (S22) G (Seattle Riot) - Valdemorts Karlensons || +6 Grade: 46/80 || Average: 5.75 Past Seasons: S25-84 Number 78 is goaltender Valdemorts Karlensons, another young goaltender who is starting to rise in the rankings, albeit slower than I'm sure he would like. He won more games than his rookie season, going 25-17-2, but in terms of shots stopped, he took a step back, finishing with a .896 save percentage and 2.59 save percentage. The Riot, surprisingly enough, had a solid defensive system around him, and Karlensons is going to have to do his job in order for the Riot to get back into playoff contention. 77. (S21) C (Los Angeles Panthers) - Chris Johnson || New Entry Grade: 46/80 || Average: 5.75 Past Seasons: None At number 77 is a newcomer from S21, Chris Johnson. Johnson has started to prove his worth as a Los Angeles Panther, scoring 15 goals and 34 points last season, his best season totals since being called up to the big leagues. Johnson was also a premier penalty-killer for the Riot, leading the way among forwards in PK ice time. He was also great on the dot, winning 51% of the faceoffs taken. Johnson still has some improvement to go, and from there he could be quite the player going forward. 76. (S21) RW (Edmonton Blizzard) - Theo Kane || -20 Grade: 47/80 || Average: 5.88 Past Seasons: S23-75, S24-77, S25-56 At number 76 is another S21 draftee, Theo Kane. Kane ended the season with a respectable 33 points and 15 goals, but has seen his production fall two years in a row, now. He also saw his minutes drop, as Edmonton tried to balance out the lines to give their players a little more rest (14 players with 20 or more minutes a game).One big factor in his lessened production is his power play numbers. Only 6 points in 158 minutes of power play time. Not great. 75. (S20) D (Edmonton Blizzard) Fredirich Müller || -21 Grade: 47/80 || Average: 5.88 Past Seasons: S21-102, S22-47, S23-38, S24-66, S25-54 At number 75 is a fellow Blizzard, Fredirich Müller. Müller's production dropped this season, going from 35 points to 29, but he was out on the ice for fewer goals against, something that Blizzard teammates noticed over the offseason. He played an increased amount of PK minutes, and was one of the few Blizzard players who actually saw his icetime increase. He did score 11 goals on the season, which is something that should give the Blizzard a positive outlook going into next season, though. 74. (S18) D (Edmonton Blizzard) - Magnus Vikstrand || -22 Grade: 47/80 || Average: 5.88 Past Seasons: S20- 88, S21- 63, S22-63, S23-52, S24-40, S25-52 At number 74 is defenseman Magnus Vikstrand, who is yet another Blizzard player to see a major drop with his teammates. Vikstrand again saw a lot of time on the second pairing this season, which is something he is used to. However he played fewer minutes with the Blizzard and seemed to have difficulty getting into a rhythm as opposed to last season. He was also not used as much on the PK, and spent more time on the PK comparatively. 73. (S18) D (Manhattan Rage) - Roy Razin || -49 Grade: 48/80 || Average: 6 Past Seasons: S20-82, S21-62, S22-46, S23-4, S24-17, S25-24 At number 73 is Roy Razin. Razin is one of a few players who took a major spill in the rankings despite a couple years in the top-30. Seasons 23 and 24 were very good for Razin, as he scored 34 points each of the seasons, blocking over 70 shots and getting a great deal of special teams time. However this season he saw fewer minutes on both the PP and PK and only scored 26 points despite 30 minutes of total ice time. He was paired with Xavier Gauthier, who was a whopping -22 on the year, but Razin was able to insulate himself from the same issue with only a -4. 72. (S16) C (Texas Renegades) - Alexandre Daigle || +22 Grade: 48/80 || Average: 6 Past Seasons: S20-76, S21-81, S22-59, S23-67, S24-44, S25-94 Number 72 is Alexandre Daigle, the center who appears to be looking to retirement after this next season. Daigle had quite the career, making the list every single season it has been available, even grabbing a top-50 finish in S24. He faltered in the S25 list, but improved his numbers and has been bumped back up. The center was used mainly as a Winger for the Renegades, and he played a limited number of minutes on special teams. Even with the limited power play time, he still scored 36 points. 71. (S20) D (Seattle Riot) - Mikko Koskinen || -51 Grade: 49/80 || Average: 6.13 Past Seasons: S23-86, S24-46, S25-20 At number 71 is defenseman Mikko Koskinen, who had a major fall from grace after being unable to replicate his gaudy point totals in S24. Koskinen remained a reliable player on the backend for the Riot, but was unable to be the reliable offensive contributor and only scored 25 points on the season. He was also a -9, which was a point of concern for the Riot going into this season. However with two 40 point seasons previously, it should be hopeful that Koskinen will be able to replicate those seasons again. 70. (S20) LW (New England Wolfpack) - Blake Sherrill || -2 Grade: 49/80 || Average: 6.13 Past Seasons: S23-83, S24-85, S25-68 At number 70 on the list is Wolfpack forward Blake Sherrill. Sherrill had a very similar season to last year with 37 points and 18 goals (as opposed to 38 points and 21 goals last season). A major factor in this was the shift from playing a ton of powerplay minutes to playing a ton of PK minutes, reducing his offensive opportunities. Though his +/- was much worse, finishing with a -12 on the year. Sherrill's physical game started to improve, but he remains a more timid force on the ice. 69. (S23) D (Portland Admirals) - Pål Vikingstød || New Entry Grade: 49/80 || Average: 6.13 Past Seasons: None The Viking found himself moved out to the Portland Admirals in the expansion draft, where he was able to log huge minutes on the ice due to the lack of depth. He performed 'admirably' as he was able to chip in 5 gals and 28 points, he also had 155 thundering hits and 81 shot blocks. His downside is that he plays somewhat undisciplined as his 100 PIMs and -28 ranking verify, but the future is bright for this Norwegian stud. 68. (S20) G (Hamilton Steelhawks) - Jakob Tanner || -26 Grade: 49/80 || Average: 6.13 Past Seasons: S22-94, S23-61, S24-80, S25-42 Just one season removed from being the Challenge Cup-winning goaltender, Tanner fell back to earth somewhat last season. His GAA of 2.60 and SV% of .905 are respectable, but he is yet to make the leap into the conversation of elite goaltending. The Hawks will be counting on him to make that leap this season as they have lost their top 2 point-getters, and will need to Tanner be a star between the pipes. 67. (S11) D (Minnesota Chiefs) - Brandon Cant || -26 Grade: 49/80 || Average: 6.13 Past Seasons: S20-25, S21-17, S22-18, S23-34, S24-41 At number 67 is defenseman Brandon Cant, who had a pretty good year for the Chiefs despite falling in the ratings. Cant actually led the Minnesota Chiefs in scoring, and fared alright defensively (way better than some of his teammates) while playing a hefty chunk of minutes. Cant has been getting older in recent years, and his play has sometimes fallen from previous seasons, but Cant remains a solid contributor on defense, and could be one of the most underrated on this list. 66. (S24) RW (Portland Admirals) - Buster Killington || New Entry Grade: 49/80 || Average: 6.13 Past Seasons: None Another Admiral rookie, 'Buzz' was also able to take advantage of weak depth on Portland to get himself on the ice frequently. He had a great rookie season with 16 goals and another 23 assists. He is an all-around player who also saw time on the powerplay and penalty kill. He hopes to avoid the sophomore slump this upcoming season and help Portland to be competitive. 65. (S20) D (Texas Renegades) - Simon Palat || New Entry Grade: 49/80 || Average: 6.13 Past Seasons: None Palat is an intriguing player, who often seems overlooked, but he made a big impact last season and jumps right up into number 64 position. He scored 34 points last season, had a staggering +17 rating, and played more than 26 minutes a night on average. The Texas Renegades will be relying on him heavily this season and he is poised to have a true breakout season. 64. (S22) LW (Toronto North Stars) - Luka Zaitsev || New Entry Grade: 50/80 || Average: 6.25 Past Seasons: None Luka was another player who really made a big jump last season, hitting the 20 goal mark and adding 20 assists for 40 points. The Stars believe he will be a key piece in their quest to break the Cup Curse, he was given 1st line minutes last season and has only gotten better! 63. (S20) RW (Edmonton Blizzard) - Mark Longford || +6 Grade: 50/80 || Average: 6.25 Past Seasons: S24-79, S25-69 Longford has shown steady improvement since joining the league, last season he was 3rd on the Blizzard with 39 points, including 18 goals. He is very versatile, and can play up and down the lineup, and in special teams situations. He should find himself playing top line minutes this season for Edmonton, and this could be the year he cracks the top 50. 62. (S14) LW (Seattle Riot) - Carter O'Callahan || -13 Grade: 51/80 || Average: 6.38 Past Seasons: S20-1, S21-3, S22-1, S23-3, S24-18, S25-49 Time has caught up to the Big CoC, he was once arguably the top player in the league (and twice topped these rankings) but has slowed down considerably the past few seasons. Last year he managed only 9 goals and barely broke the 30 point barrier. Still one of the best hitters in the game, but his ability to skate and score is questionable. 61. (S20) D (Edmonton Blizzard) Jackson Rogers-Tanaka || +13 Grade: 51/80 || Average: 6.38 Past Seasons: S23-81, S24-83, S25-74 J-R-T! J-R-T! The Blizzard Captain is not especially known for doing anything really well, but he does everything pretty well. He is a consistent 30 point player, last season almost half of his total points were on the powerplay, and he is a stalwart on the PK as well. He was a +5 rating last season, which is substantially better than the -10 he posted in S24, and the Blizzard are hoping that he will continue to see improvement there. 60. (S19) D (Edmonton Blizzard) - Kaspars Tsizling || +28 Grade: 51/80 || Average: 6.38 Past Seasons: S21- 86, S22- 54, S23- 78, S24-86, S25-88 Well-known as a bruising and brutal opponent, Tsizling was a one-man wrecking crew for the Manhattan Rage last year, with 133 PIM, 180 hits, and 7 fights. When he's not in the penalty box, he is no slouch on the ice, as his 33 points can attest. He will be playing with the Blizzard after signing there in Free Agency, and should mesh in nicely with the already-strong group of D-men they possess. 59. (S22) D (Hamilton Steelhawks) - Bubba Nuck || Returning Entry Grade: 51/80 || Average: 6.38 Past Seasons: S24-98 Nuck made great strides last season, increasing his points from 22 to 34, also improving his hits by 50 and his shots by 30. He will be a player of great importance for the 'Hawks as they try to contend in the East, as he will likely see first-line minutes as well as special teams assignments. Watch for him to rise to the occasion. 58. (S8) D (Toronto North Stars) - Darian Scherbluk || -55 Grade: 52/80 || Average: 6.5 Past Seasons: S20-5, S21-8, S22-17, S23-20, S24-13, S25-3 A shocking drop in rankings for Darian, he was considered the 3rd best player in the league last season, but falls out of the top 20 for the first time all the way to #58. Perhaps it was not surprising though, as he went from being a point-per-game player in S24 to notching only 26 points in s25, with an insanely poor 3.5% shooting percentage. Toronto hopes this was just a bizarre aberration, as he still has the potential to be one of the top d-men in the league, but he'll have to do a lot better. 57. (S22) D (Winnipeg Jets) Rembrandt Q. Einstein || +32 Grade: 52/80 || Average: 6.5 Past Seasons: S23-85, S24-94, S25-89 Somewhat surprisingly, Einstein makes a huge jump in the rankings despite actually seeing a drop in his production, from 33 points to 32, and a drop in his +/- from +15 to +5. I guess being a champ makes people look at you differently! He's not an elite hitter or shot-blocker either, his stats overall are very pedestrian, but he's a big part of a strong team, seeing first line minutes last season and likely this season as well. Overall though, a bit of a mystery why he's ranked so high. 56. (S21) RW (Hamilton Steelhawks) - Rider Clitsome || +8 Grade: 52/80 || Average: 6.5 Past Seasons: S23-82, S24-45, S25-64 Clitsome is a skilled player who likes to shoot the puck. A lot. He had almost 200 shots last season, and scored 17 goals. He also chipped in with 22 assists for the Steelhawks, all while playing on the second line. This season he will see top line minutes where his production should see a big jump. 55. (S20) D (Edmonton Blizzard) - Barney Stinson || -27 Grade: 52/80 || Average: 6.5 Past Seasons: S23-56, S24-34, S25-28 Barney Stinson was a bit of a wanderer last season, going from Manhattan to New England to Edmonton. He managed to get 31 points, including 8 goals, during the regular season. The Blizzard will be hoping he is part of a dominant defensive corps this season, and continue to contribute both offensively and defensively. 54. (S15) D (Calgary Dragons) - Krišs Labsvārds || +22 Grade: 52/80 || Average: 6.5 Past Seasons: S20-46, S21-51, S22-48, S23-72, S24-67, S25-76 Labsvārds had a much-improved S25, going from 31 points and a -5, to 39 points and a +15. 15 goals from a defenseman is gaudy numbers, but if he can keep that up, he'll continue to be a key piece of Calgary's growth into a contending team. 53. (S20) LW (Los Angeles Panthers) - Yuri Boyka || -36 Grade: 54/80 || Average: 6.75 Past Seasons: S22-97, S23-64, S24-55, S25-17 Boyka had an incredible S24, with 47 points and a great playoff run, but he was one of many Panthers who stumbled last season. He had only 37 points and was a -7 on the season, although he did break the 20-goal mark, a sign of a true sniper. Boyka has abundant offensive talent and looks to rebound this season. 52. (S7) RW (Minnesota Chiefs) - David Winter || -15 Grade: 54/80 || Average: 6.75 Past Seasons: S20-24, S21-6, S22-10, S23-23, S24-9, S25-37 The all-time leading SHL scorer is still kicking along. He's not the dominant force he once was, but he still collected 17 goals and 20 assists last season. He moves to Minnesota where he will be a key part of a depleted team. The Chiefs will be relying on his experience and veteran savvy to keep themselves in the mix. 51. (S21) RW (Manhattan Rage) - Tommy Creller || -40 Grade: 55/80 || Average: 6.88 Past Seasons: S22-99, S23-40, S24-38, S25-11 Creller had seen steady improvement, and last year almost cracked the top 10 in these rankings, but he was another star player who fell short of expectations last year. He had only 33 points, a 14 point drop-off. Manhattan relies on strong goaltending, but if Creller wants to be considered an elite player, he's got to put more pucks in the net. 50. (S20) LW (Toronto North Stars) Chester Cunningham || +31 Grade: 55/80 || Average: 6.88 Past Seasons: S23-69, S24-50, S25-81 Cunningham is a versatile two-way player; he hits, he fights, he blocks shots, he makes plays, he can score. Last season he netted 39 points while playing second-line minutes for most of the year. Toronto would like to see his +/- be positive next season, but overall this is a tough, honest, reliable player who can make a big impact on a game. 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. 44. (S16) C (Texas Renegades) - Maxim Horvat || -37 Grade: 56/80 || Average: 7 Past Seasons: S20-94, S21-77, S22-51, S23-41, S24-60, S25-7 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. 39. (S20) LW (Minnesota Chiefs) - Pedro Sarantez || -6 Grade: 56/80 || Average: 7 Past Seasons: S22-75, S23-54, S24-30, S25-33 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. 36. (S14) LW (Manhattan Rage) - Daniel Merica || -15 Grade: 58/80 || Average: 7.25 Past Seasons: S20-32, S21-16, S22-13, S23-2, S24-6, S25-21 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. 35. (S17) LW (Manhattan Rage) - Magnus Jakobsen || -5 Grade: 58/80 || Average: 7.25 Past Seasons: S20-48, S21-50, S22 – 22, S23-9, S24-2, S25-30 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. 34. (S20) LW (Los Angeles Panthers) - Jhonas Skarsgaard || +8 Grade: 58/80 || Average: 7.25 Past Seasons: S20-76, S21-84, S22-53, S23-32, S24-47, S25-41 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. 32. (S20) C (Hamilton Steelhawks) - Griffin Simons || -18 Grade: 59/80 || Average: 7.38 Past Seasons: S22-66, S23-58, S24-37, S25-14 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. 31. (S9) C (Buffalo Stampede) Armin Brovalchuk || +36 Grade: 59/80 || Average: 7.38 Past Seasons: S20-23, S21-13, S22-14, S23-29, S24-19, S25-67 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. 29. (S12) D/LW (Toronto North Stars) - Shawn Velevra || -20 Grade: 60/80 || Average: 7.5 Past Seasons: S20-36, S21-28, S22-19, S23-33, S24-22, S25-9 Coming in at number 29 is another defenseman who was unable to replicate a solid season. Shawn Velevra, a future hall of famer, was coming off a 45 point year where he was in talks to receive the Scott Stevens and was even named top-10 on our list last year. However this season was another story, and Shawn Velevra fell back with a 35 point season and -3 +/- on the Renegades. He also fell back defensively with only 64 shot blocks and fewer minutes on the PK. 28. (S21) C (Seattle Riot) - Sean Leonidas || +73 Grade: 60/80 || Average: 7.5 Past Seasons: S25-102 At number 28 is center Sean Leonidas, who made one of the biggest jumps among all players on this list. Leonidas was almost off the list last season with a 22 point campaign, lowly defensive stats, and only a decent performance at the dot. However he earned more responsibility in S25 and took advantage of every opportunity given to him. 16 goals, 42 points, 50% on the draw with more faceoffs, more hits and way more ice time. Leonidas has finally broken out as a potential franchise centerman, and time will tell if he can make due on the hype. 27. (S20) LW (Winnipeg Jets) - Elyk || +33 Grade: 60/80 || Average: 7.5 Past Seasons: S25-60 At number 27 is Elyk, who reaches the top-30 for the first time in his career. Elyk recorded another 40+ point season, this time scoring 18 goals and 45 points. He was solid defensively and scored a decent amount on the powerplay as well. Elyk has seemed to find a solid niche with the Jets, and with the coaching that team has, Elyk should see himself with many more top-30 finishes on this list. One thing that does need improving is the physical aspect of his game, as through 50 games he only made one hit. 26. (S9) D (Toronto North Stars) - Willie "The Destroyer" Weber || +33 Grade: 60/80 || Average: 7.5 Past Seasons: S20-10, S21-7, S22-11, S23-11, S24-8, S25-59 At number 26 is Willie Weber, coming back after an odd year in S24 where he ranked outside the top-20 for the first time ever. He remains outside of the top-20, but has come back into the conversation with another solid season. Weber scored 10 goals and 39 points, continuing a physical game and yet again reducing his penalty minutes. Weber's shot blocking was not terribly high, but the North Stars in general were not a big shot-blocking team. 25. (S20) RW (New England Wolfpack) - Dean Colt || +48 Grade: 60/80 || Average: 7.5 Past Seasons: S25-73 At number 25 is Dean Colt, winger for the Wolfpack and another S20 up and comer. Dean Colt finished second on the team in scoring with 47 points, a big improvement over last season where he only scored 37 points. He saw his minutes increase at even strength and his minutes decrease on the powerplay, which really does show what kind of season he had this year. He continues to lay the body and is a top-tier player for New England right now. 24. (S20) D (Calgary Dragons) - Sachimo Zoidberg || +31 Grade: 62/80 || Average: 7.75 Past Seasons: S22-86, S23-76, S24-69, S25-55 Sachimo Zoidberg comes in at number 24, improving year after year and finishing with 41 points. Zoidberg was a dominant defenseman in Calgary, taking on a lot of responsibility due to the Dragons pushing Jalopski to wing. Zoidberg didn't miss a beat, blocking 68 shots and spending a lot of time at special teams. Zoidberg is part of a cast of Dragons players who are finally hitting their stride, and with that supporting cast Zoidberg should be hard to beat next year. 23. (S14) C (Los Angeles Panthers) - Brian Morley || -20 Grade: 63/80 || Average: 7.88 Past Seasons: S20-14, S21-19, S22-16, S23-1, S24-4, S25-1 At 23 is former #1 player Brian Morley. The centerman had a lot going for him going into S25, but faltered in a big way in S25 with a lackluster 33 points and 14 goals. Morley has now fallen outside of the top-10 for the first time since S22, and as he gets older may no longer be in contention to be a top-10 player. However Los Angeles has made some moves in the offseason and hopes to get back to contending status, something that Morley could really take advantage of. 22. (S20) C (Calgary Dragons) - Nicholas Pedersen || -6 Grade: 63/80 || Average: 7.88 Past Seasons: S23-46, S24-59, S25-16 At number 22 is Nicholas Pedersen, who took a bit of a step back but had pretty consistent production in S25. The center was almost at a point per game in Los Angeles most of the year, and at the deadline was traded to Calgary, where he fell back a little bit in production. He still scored 17 goals and was a +19, getting ample time on special teams and being a regular threat on the ice. He should be expected to have another good year with Calgary as he has an entire offseason to learn the new system. 21. (S20) RW (West Kendall Platoon) - Jed Lloren || -2 Grade: 63/80 || Average: 7.88 Past Seasons: S22-83, S23-68, S24-62, S25-19 Jed Lloren hits our list at number 21, falling just outside the top-20 on the year. Lloren was another consistent player with West Kendall, going from 45 points in S24 to 42 points in S25, all the while remaining a big minute muncher and being a physical force. Lloren has been one of the top two-way players the last couple seasons, and should remain high on this list next season with the Platoon who are looking to take another Challenge Cup run. 20. (S20) D (West Kendall Platoon) - Bojo Biscuit || +6 Grade: 63/80 || Average: 7.88 Past Seasons: S22-64, S23-36, S23-29, S25-26 At number 20 is Bojo Biscuit, a defenseman who has been known for a more physical game than an offensive one. However this defenseman has started to turn it on offensively, improving his point totals to 39 points in S25. He took a big 122 penalty minutes, just about par for the course, and made 114 hits. He also blocked 68 shots as well, making him one of the most rough and tumble defensemen out there. He remains a feared defenseman, but not is also feared due to his offensive contributions.
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
ArGarBarGar
Registered S39 Challenge Cup Champion
19. (S20) RW (Buffalo Stampede) - Bryson Thomaz || +61
Grade: 63/80 || Average: 7.88 Past Seasons: S22-98, S23-92, S25-80 At number 19 is Stampede Winger Bryson Thomaz, who has made a major jump in the rankings after a big 46 point season with the new Buffalo Stampede. Thomaz has joined this time at the perfect time, giving himself a heavy workload to utilize his increasing skills, going from 12 goals and 33 points in S24 to 25 goals and 46 points in S25. Thomaz led the team in scoring for the Stampede's first season, and the Thomaz duo should be quite the force to be reckoned with for this Buffalo team. Time will tell, however, if they will be able to keep it up while the team continues looking for talent to fill out the roster. 18. (S22) RW (Toronto North Stars) - Pierre-Luc Laflamme || +77 Grade: 64/80 || Average: 8 Past Seasons: S24-92, S25-95 At number 18 is North Stars winger Pierre-Luc Laflamme, who can boast about having the greatest jump among players on this list. Going from the 90s to the 10s is a pretty incredible feat for such a young player, and the season he had in S25 was very unexpected after multiple years under the 30 point mark. Laflamme just missed out on being a PPG player, but scored a career high 22 goals and 49 points, good for second on the North Stars roster. He also saw his hits increase this year, making him a much more physical and intimidating player than previous years. 17. (S8) C (Portland Admirals) - Yousuf Scherbluk || +76 Grade: 64/80 || Average: 8 Past Seasons: S20-8, S21-14, S22-23, S23-25, S24-33, S25-93 At number 17 is Admirals center Yousuf Scherbluk, boasting the second-biggest jump in the rankings. Scherbluk had a controversial season in S24, being suspended for half the year and finishing with 16 points, a much lower PPG pace than previous seasons. Scherbluk had an entire offseason to recoup and get back to game shape, and he killed it with the Admirals as their leading scorer. He scored 21 goals and 49 points, well above Buster Killington who was second. His +/- was quite poor, but that can be chalked up to the fact he played for an expansion team. Scherbluk is an old-timer, but he continues to play like he could last forever, and is another season closer to the 20-year mark. 16. (S21) C (Winnipeg Jets) - Patrik Satan || +27 Grade: 65/80 || Average: 8.13 Past Seasons: S23-89, S24-90, S25-43 Coming in at number 16 is Jets center Patrik Satan, coming off a big season as well as a Challenge Cup Championship. Satan scored over 40 points for the second straight season, hitting 22 goals and 48 points in S25 and finishing second on the team. He wasn't quite the possession monster as some of his teammates, but was incredibly efficient considering he played in all situations. Satan was not a big hitter on the season, but did not have to as much with the way he played. His faceoff ability was incredible, winning 53% of the 1500 faceoffs he took. 15. (S18) RW (West Kendall Platoon) - Oliver Pettyfer || -3 Grade: 66/80 || Average: 8.25 Past Seasons: S20-87, S21-41, S22-60, S23-65, S24-51, S25-12 At 15 is winger Oliver Pettyfer, dropping a couple of spots after not being able to match his 51 point season with the Renegades. A new system and group of teammates in West Kendall could be to blame, but that does not explain Pettyfer starting off as strongly as he did and still finishing as the top point-getter for the Platoon. Pattyfer was sound defensively and was an efficient power play contributor, but did not play at all on the PK, and was not a big minute-muncher. 14. (S18) C (Calgary Dragons) - Esa Anrikkanen || +20 Grade: 67/80 || Average: 8.38 Past Seasons: S20-45, S21-48, S22-35, S23-6, S24-7, S25-34 At 14 is Dragons center Esa Anrikkanen, bouncing back to the top-20 after a down year previously. Anrikkanen scored 18 goals and 45 points, was a big +27, and was physically tough. He dropped off in the faceoff department, however, and was not nearly as effective at starting with the puck as he was last season. Regardless, he continued to eat up a ton of minutes, whether it be at even strength, power play or penalty kill. 13. (S12) LW (Seattle Riot) - Adam Kylrad || +37 Grade: 67/80 || Average: 8.38 Past Seasons: S20-12, S21-34, S22-21, S23-17, S24-36, S25-50 At 13 is winger for the Riot Adam Kylrad, who has managed to jump right back to the higher parts of this list, almost matching his career best #12 position that he earned back in S20. Kylrad hit the 50 point mark last year, scoring 22 goals and registering 97 hits for Seattle who had a very struggling year. Kylrad was not used as much in special teams, allowing him to concentrate more on sticking to his gameplan at even strength, which seems to have worked incredibly well. 12. (S20) RW (New England Wolfpack) - Nathan Russell || +60 Grade: 68/80 || Average: 8.5 Past Seasons: S24-91, S25-72 At number 12 is a big jumper for the Wolfpack, Nathan Russell. Russell for the last few season has crept up to the PPG mark, only to finish slightly below it this season with 49 points. Russell led the team in points, and is becoming one of the most important forwards for the Wolfpack as their big group of S20 players are getting into their prime. With Earnest Ciarelli coming into his form in net, Russell should see some big numbers come playoff time, assuming Ciarelli plays like he was expected to, not the way he played in Montreal. 11. (S20) RW (Toronto North Stars) - Kristian Eriksson || +29 Grade: 68/80 || Average: 8.5 Past Seasons: S22-96, S23-77, S24-57, S25-40 At number 11 is North Stars Winger Kristian Eriksson, coming off a big 50 point year after a couple years hovering around the 40 point mark. Like other teammates, Eriksson had a big coming out party, with the best season of his career so far, despite the North Stars missing out on the playoffs. He also has continued to make a ton of hits on the opposition, making him the most fearsome North Stars player currently on the roster. His main fault is that he has not been the greatest power play specialist, scoring only 14 points with over 200 minutes of time at the man advantage. <div align="center"></div> 10. (S17) LW (Texas Renegades) - Chara Brojled || +17 Grade: 69/80 || Average: 8.63 Past Seasons: S20- 85, S21- 83, S22-72, S23-88, S24-54, S25-27 To start off the top ten is Renegades winger Chara Brojled. Brojled hits the top ten for the first time in his career, capping off an impressive 23 goal, 51 point season with the Hamilton Steelhawks. He was an important contributor to the Steelhawks in S25, playing a lot on the penalty kill which was something he was not utilized for with the Riot the previous two seasons. Brojled is now going to try and replicate that 50+ point season with the Texas Renegades, a team that is looking to dominate the West with some of the moves they made over the offseason. If Chara Brojled can continue his passing dominance, he could easily repeat the performance. <div align="center"></div> 9. (S8) C (Winnipeg Jets) - Taylor McDavid || -5 Grade: 72/80 || Average: 9 Past Seasons: S20-13, S21-10, S22-2, S23-15, S24-65, S25-4 At number 9 is long-standing elite member Taylor McDavid. McDavid has fallen a bit on this list, but remains one of the top-10 players in the SHL. McDavid finished the season with 19 goals and 47 points, not quite his 60 point dominance campaign, but still incredibly good and a model of his consistency as a player. He registered 192 hits, one of the best in the league, and continued to play in all situations for Winnipeg as they went on to win the Challenge Cup. This is his fourth time in the top-10, making him one of the top superstars in the SHL. <div align="center"></div> 8. (S16) RW (Buffalo Stampede) - Niklas Stryker || +7 Grade: 72/80 || Average: 9 Past Seasons: S20-42, S21-38, S22-57, S23-10, S24-11, S25-15 Coming in at number 8 is Stampede Winger Niklas Stryker, making the top-10 for the second time since its inception. Stryker has been a top-20 player for quite a few years, now, and continued to prove why as he reached the 50 point mark once again with Texas. He also was able to play well defensively despite only making one hit during the season, as well as only playing 84 minutes on the PK. Stryker now sends his talents to Buffalo through free agency, and is looking to keep up his top offensive form with a new team. <div align="center"></div> 7. (S19) C (Texas Renegades) - Liam Kinsler || +19 Grade: 72/80 || Average: 9 Past Seasons: S24-75, S25-25 At number 7 is Renegades center Liam Kinsler, with his first appearance in the top-10. Kinsler had quite a season for the Texas Renegades, and alongside Niklas Stryker made the Renegades a team to be feared offensively. Kinsler scored a team leading 24 goals and 53 points, was +23, played 23 minutes a game, and was capable at the dot for Texas, despite their defensive troubles. With the team losing some and gaining some, the Renegades will be looking for Kinsler to lead by example next season. <div align="center"></div> 6. (S20) D (Los Angeles Panthers) - Valterri Bottas || +4 Grade: 73/80 || Average: 9.13 Past Seasons: S22-76, S23-44, S24-48, S25-10 At number 6, the top defenseman on this list, is Panthers defenseman Valterri Bottas. Bottas had his coming out party in S24 when he scored 47 points and almost took home the Stevens Trophy for top defenseman. He used it as motivation in S25 to dominate his defensive peers and run away with the Stevens trophy with a 48 point campaign and leading his own team in scoring. Bottas has made the top-10 for the second season in a row, and this young defender is showing no signs of stopping. <div align="center"></div> <div align="center"></div> 5. (S14) LW (Calgary Dragons) Steven Jalopski || +31 Grade: 73/80 || Average: 9.13 Past Seasons: S20-30, S21-22, S22-27, S23-30, S24-31, S25-32 At number 5 is defenseman turned winger Steven Jalopski. Jalopski has made it to the top-10 for the first time in his career, and a well deserved spot. The winger spent S25 leading the Calgary Dragons to another playoff year, scoring 25 goals and 52 points, earning 101 PIMs, and laying down the body as necessary with 131 hits. He also improved a great deal defensively from last year, decreasing turnovers as well as goals in his own end. <div align="center"></div> 4. (S13) G (Winnipeg Jets) - Lauris Prikulis || +25 Grade: 74/80 || Average: 9.25 Past Seasons: S20-3, S21-4, S22-7, S23-12, S24-20, S25-29 At number 4 is Jets goaltender Lauris Prikulis, who makes it into the top-10 for the fourth time, but the first time in 5 years after he made it three times in a row. Prikulis went 27-12-5 in the regular season, with a .918 save percentage, a stat-line he has not seen for a few years. He was one of the biggest reasons for the Jets having as good of a season as they had, winning the John McBride trophy for best goaltender, and the playoffs were no different. He went 12-6, finishing with a .924 save percentage, and winning the Challenge Cup Trophy. <div align="center"></div> 3. (S19) G (Manhattan Rage) - Jackson Weekes || -1 Grade: 77/80 || Average: 9.63 Past Seasons: S20- 91, S21-75, S22-62, S23-31, S24-35, S25-2 At number 3 is goaltender Jackson Weekes, edging out Prikulis for top goaltender in the SHL on this list. Weekes spent the last two seasons with Los Angeles with incredible numbers, and has shown his consistency through it. Weekes only won 22 games with Los Angeles, but still managed a .917 save percentage and 2.27 goals against average. He has since been traded to the Manhattan Rage, and is hoping to remain consistent with some new faces and a new system. <div align="center"></div> 2. (S18) LW (Winnipeg Jets) - Vidrik Onoprienko || +6 Grade: 79/80 || Average: 9.88 Past Seasons: S20-67, S21-49, S22-26, S23-7, S24-1, S25-8 At number 2 is Jets Winger Vidrik Onoprienko, coming off a big season in both the regular season and playoffs. Onoprienko remains a top-tier talent with his fourth top-10 finish in a row, coming in as the top winger in the SHL. Onoprienko was able to break through with his second 50+ point season in the last three years, surpassing his S23 totals in fewer games to boot. In the playoffs he was even better, leading the league in playoff points with 20 in 18 games and being named the playoff MVP. <div align="center"></div> 1. (S17) C (Edmonton Blizzard) - Chico Salmon || +4 Grade: 80/80 || Average: 10 Past Seasons: S20- 43, S21-20, S22-24, S23-37, S24-71, S25-5 Coming in at tops in this list is Blizzard center Chico Salmon, who has made the top-10 for the second time in a row, and the #1 spot for the first time. Salmon's skills have been on display the past two seasons, with Salmon leading the league in points two years in a row and a 60 point season last year. He was particularly dominant with the Portland Admirals, with 29 points in 22 games, and remained a strong force with Edmonton despite seeing his PK minutes increase and ES minutes decrease. Salmon could continue with another dominant season while on the Blizzard, and with the moves they made over the offseason it is possible Salmon could be a repeat #1 player on this list.
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
deknegt
Registered Senior Member
easymoneysniper
Registered Posting Freak
ArGarBarGar
Registered S39 Challenge Cup Champion
102. (S18) C (Seattle Riot) Thomas King || -31
Grade: 36/80 || Average: 4.5 Past Seasons: S20-65, S21-44, S22-38, S23-50, S24-72, S25-71 Thomas King starts off the list at number 102. Thomas King's production has continued to decline in recent years, falling from his highest ranking in S22 of 38, and falling 31 spots to the very edge of the abyss. King went from 10 goals and 26 points to 7 goals and 19 points on a Seattle Riot team that seemed to struggle mightily in the regular season. Did the Riot struggle because Thomas King regressed, or did Thomas King regress because the Riot struggled? It is an interesting question, but the fact remains that even with Seattle struggling King had a poor showing as far as points are concerned. Could this be the last we see of Thomas King? 101. (S17) RW (Winnipeg Jets) - Jamers Both || Returning Entry Grade: 36/80 || Average: 4.5 Past Seasons: S23-101, S24-99 Jamers Both comes back to the list at number 101, once again right on the edge of being taken off the list completely. Season 24 was a weak year for the winger, scoring only 21 points and getting knocked right off the list of top 100 players. However with an 8 goal 26 points campaign on the Jets, Both has come back to show us he still belongs in the conversation as a top-100 player in the league. However this kind of production will not get him to improve in the standing, and as a S17 player he doesn't have many years where he will be improving. From previous seasons Jamers Both appears to have shown us all he can offer. While it's decent production, it's not all-world. 100. (S20) RW (Hamilton Steelhawks) - Jackson Hauke || New Entry Grade: 36/80 || Average: 4.5 Past Seasons: None At number 100 is a new entry in this list, a S20 draftee Jackson Hauke. Hauke has spent the last two seasons with the Hamilton Steelhawks after a falling out with the Minnesota Chiefs. This has caused a resurgence in his play, though not much of one right now. Hauke scored 24 points in S24 and 28 points in S25. His defensive play has also been suspect, leaving him as a role-player with a limited skillset for the Steelhawks. He still has some time to grow, so Hamilton remains confident in him as a player. 99. (S18) D (Hamilton Steelhawks) - Zanis Zarins || Returning Entry Grade: 37/80 || Average: 4.63 Past Seasons: S21-79, S22-67, S23-95, S24-93 Starting the 90s is defenseman Zanis Zarins, who has come back to our list after recovering from a brutal 14 point campaign in S24. The defenseman has found his game again after moving on to the Hamilton Steelhawks. The team has found a good spot for him, playing with the likes of youngster Bubba Nuck, and giving him more playing time than a player like him may necessarily be equipped for. Hamilton struggled this season as a result, and the defending champs were unable to defend their prize. Playing a guy like Zarins 22 minutes a night may be one of the reasons. 98. (S19) C (Seattle Riot) - Nicholas Flamel || +1 Grade: 37/80 || Average: 4.63 Past Seasons: S24-97, S25-99 At number 98 is center Nicholas Flamel, who only moved up a single spot while remaining pretty consistent on the scoresheet. Two 13 goal 28 point campaigns in a row for Flamel, though his defensive skills have taken a bit of a hit. A big contention from critics is his lack of a physical game, as he had fewer than 50 hits both of the last two seasons. Flamel is not the type of guy to dictate a physical game, which may be a reason he is a minus player more than he is a plus player. 97. (S20)C (New England Wolfpack) - Niklas Wikstrom || -27 Grade: 37/80 || Average: 4.63 Past Seasons: S22-91, S24-89, S25-70 At number 97 is Wolfpack center Niklas Wikstrom, who dropped a big 27 spots with a weak 23 point season by his standards. It may be possible that New England jumped the gun when they expected 30+ points on a regular basis from Wikstrom, as even with some serious talent up from, Wikstrom was unable to replicate his S24 season. Wikstrom is another player who does not impose a physical presence, and despite a high amount of powerplay time only got on the scoresheet 3 times in that capacity. 96. (S20) C (Edmonton Blizzard) - Aviad Ratzon || -6 Grade: 38/80 || Average: 4.75 Past Seasons: S24-100, S25-90 At number 96 is Aviad Ratzon, the Blizzard center still mired in the lower 10 rankings. Ratzon was very close last season hitting the top of the 90s, but has since regressed and fallen to 96. Why is that? Falling way down on the Blizzard depth chart. The Blizzard have been improving their roster over the season, and adding guys like Salmon and Stinson during the season pushed Ratzon to the back and without the same opportunities. Ratzon may be the kind of player who performs better with a weaker supporting cast, but Ratzon is not the kind of player to go chasing those opportunities in spite of cup aspirations. 95. (S19) D (Buffalo Stampede) - Ryan Sullivan || Returning Entry Grade: 38/80 || Average: 4.75 Past Seasons: S20-89, S21-60, S22-50, S23-84, S24-53 At number 95 is former top pick Ryan Sullivan, who appears to be fading into obscurity but poking his head out every so often to remind us that he still is in the league. Sullivan came off a brutal 9 point campaign in Minnesota, forcing a trade to the North Stars. The Stars utilized him very well, shielding him from top-tier opposition and letting him feast on the powerplay. He scored 25 points and that is about the best you can expect from him. Now he will be trying his hand with the Buffalo Stampede, and he may find it much more difficult not passing it up to guys like Eriksson and Laflamme. 94. (S19) D (Calgary Dragons) - Martins Daugavins || -19 Grade: 39/80 || Average: 4.88 Past Seasons: S21-101, S22-71, S23-70, S24-82, S25-75 At number 94 is Dragons defenseman Martins Daugavins, who despite improving last season has seen his ranking drop past 90 for the first time since S21. This saw his point totals go from 32 down to 25, something that seemed to be necessary for the defenseman to improve his defensive play. It seems if the last few years are any indication, Daugavins is the type of defenseman who has to either go all-in on offense or all-in on defense, and not the other way around. Because of this, he takes a back-seat to the majority of top defensemen in this league. 93. (S22) D (Manhattan Rage) - Jigsaw McGraw || New Entry Grade: 39/80 || Average: 4.88 Past Seasons: None Number 93 is defenseman Jigsaw McGraw, a new entry on this list. McGraw has finally started proving his worth in the league after an impressive 31 point campaign with the Panthers. He showed a great deal of improvement practicing with guys like Valterri Bottas and Fredrik Wastlund, and partnering up with Tomas Pylon gave him another semi-veteran player to learn from on the ice. He didn't play a lot on the penalty kill, and he made the majority of his points on the power play, but he still has a lot of untapped potential. Manhattan is definitely banking on that potential to be realized in S26. 92. (S15) LW (Hamilton Steelhawks) - Arthur Grosberg || -14 Grade: 39/80 || Average: 4.88 Past Seasons: S20-90, S21-59, S22-69, S23-96, S24-78 At number 92 is Arthur Grosberg, who despite some pretty consistent play the last few years has seen his ranking suffer due to last season. Grosberg's ability has started to wane in his first year of regression, scoring only 27 points with the Hamilton Steelhawks. Hamilton has faith in Grosberg, but one has to wonder how many more years of solid play he can muster as his player starts to break down and bring him closer to retirement. On the last year of his contract, this is a doe or die situation for the veteran. 91. (S20) RW (Los Angeles Panthers) - Gil Lemar || New Entry Grade: 40/80 || Average: 5 Past Seasons: None At number 91 is new entry Gil Lemar, a player who has an interesting past in terms of performance. He broke into the SHL looking like a budding star, but hit a road block early into his SHL career and was not as dedicated to training as some of his counterparts. However the last couple of years has seen a resurgence in his work ethic, proving him with a 27 point season with the Dragons and Panthers. One interesting thing of note: Lemar scored 9 points in 12 games after being traded to Los Angeles, and the Panthers may have scored a big win if he continues that production and even improves. 90. (S22) RW (Minnesota Chiefs) - Chernika Banananov || +6 Grade: 40/80 || Average: 5 Past Seasons: S25-96 Finishing out the top 90 is Chiefs winger Chernika Banananov, who despite a high amount of potential has not improved nearly to the degree expected. Banananov came into S25 coming off an 18 goal, 33 point campaign, and the Russian sniper was primed to shatter that total. However Banananov finished with 11 goals and 29 points, much less than expected. What's worse, the winger was a whopping -18 on the season, a huge knock on his defensive ability. Banananov was able to creep up the rankings a tad most likely on potential alone, but that will not last if the scorer cannot improve his point totals.
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
Buster
SHL Awards Committee S15, S16, S22 Challenge Cup Champion
Dmoushey_31
Registered S32 & S40 Challenge Cup Champion
I always love the Top 100 articles!
PS Argar bring back Around The Horn! I miss it
Gifter of Bikes
Registered S10, S18 Challenge Cup Champion
ArGarBarGar
Registered S39 Challenge Cup Champion
89. (S22) G (Toronto North Stars) - Mark Harter || -11
Grade: 40/80 || Average: 5 Past Seasons: S24-101, S25-78 Starting the 80s is young goaltender Mark Harter, who is still learning the SHL level but is having trouble making that next step. Harter went from a 24 win, .899 sv% season to a 17 win, .886 sv% season which saw the North Stars right back out of the playoffs. It was a very disappointing year for the goaltender, especially with some of the performances his teammates had. Harter remains vigilant and will be working even harder this offseason to prove his critics wrong, but he cannot be given free points just because he is trying. But he will get there soon. 88. (S19) G (Texas Renegades) - Dymo Ranjan || -35 Grade: 40/80 || Average: 5 Past Seasons: S21-57, S22-89, S23-90, S24-70, S25-53 Dymo Ranjan comes in at number 88, and one of the most disappointing drops among the players in this list. Ranjan had a solid 28 win season with the Chiefs back in S24, but decided to make a change with the Texas Renegades in the offseason. They had a lot going for them, up until the regular season started and the team saw regression in the worst way. Ranjan himself won only 22 games and his save percentage fell to 2.84, a major step back. Ranjan has been MIA as of late, and the concern lingers is Ranjan will never be able to help backstop a team to a Challenge Cup. With Ogorodnikov coming up behind him, we may know very quickly. 87. (S20) RW (Edmonton Blizzard) - Jamie Hawkins || -1 Grade: 41/80 || Average: 5.13 Past Seasons: S25-86 At number 87 is Blizzard Winger Jamie Hawkins. Hawkins saw himself finally grab a taste of the top-100 last season, but soon saw that confidence fade in S25 as he took a step back in production. 27 points and a -13 on the year was a major disappointment for him. However, Hawkins continues to work and should be back in game shape this upcoming season to keep himself off the list. He may fare better by ramping up the physicality, as he only had 12 hits last season. 86. (S20) C (Manhattan Rage) Alexander Kjaerberg || -24 Grade: 41/80 || Average: 5.13 Past Seasons: S23-62, S24-64, S25-62 At number 86 on the list is former sparkplug Alexander Kjaerberg. The hard-nosed center has seen his share of teams lately, moving from Los Angeles to Minnesota to Toronto. He spent two years with the North Stars, and year one was a big step up for him during their playoff run. He has since become the Kjaerberg that we remember from years past. Poor production and the desire for more playing time. What's surprising, however, is he went from 200+ hits in S24 to only 142 hits in S25, a major drop compared to what he is typically capable of. Manhattan has taken a flyer on him in the hopes he can rekindle this magic. But will the Rage also lose their patience? 85. (S16) RW (Toronto North Stars) - Tom Sawyer || -34 Grade: 43/80 || Average: 5.38 Past Seasons: S20-49, S21-54, S22-52, S23-48, S24-25, S25-51 At number 85 is winger Tom Sawyer, another player who has taken a monstrous step back on the score sheet. Sawyer scored 41 points in S24, but fell back to earth a little bit with a 25 point season and a -10. He has since been traded to Toronto, and hopefully for the Winger he can get another shot to be the S24 forward with new linemates. He has a lot more potential to do well there right now, with the North Stars making a number of moves to become competitive. With his retirement coming up, this will be his last shot to make a difference and win a Challenge Cup. 84. (S22) RW (West Kendall Platoon) - Ales Smirnov || New Entry Grade: 44/80 || Average: 5.5 Past Seasons: None At number 84 is newcomer Ales Smirnov, who had a major coming-out party with the Platoon. His 12 goals and 38 points was good for 7th among his teammates, and he brought a physical game we had not seen from him since his time in the SMJHL. He did this all while playing a scarce number of minutes compared to a good portion of his teammates, so it should be interesting to see what he can do when he is given more responsibilities. 83. (S21) G (Calgary Dragons) Hunter Wong || -1 Grade: 44/80 || Average: 5.5 Past Seasons: S23-94, S25-82 At number 83 is young Dragons goaltender Hunter Wong, yet another goaltender who is struggling from previous years. Wong got back on the list last season after a disappointing S23 campaign, but is starting to head off that list again after regressing with the Dragons in S25. Wong earned the same number of wins as the year prior, but went from a .909 save percentage to a .895. Quite a difference from the year before, and something Hunter Wong is going to want to fix before it is too late. Calgary still has a lot of hope in their top-5 pick, so S26 could be a big statement season for him. 82. (S21) LW (Los Angeles Panthers) - Sterling Knight || New Entry Grade: 45/80 || Average: 5.63 Past Seasons: None At number 82 is forward Sterling Knight, who has jumped to a couple of teams in recent years but has finally found his place on this list as a Los Angeles Panther. While his past couple seasons have not been quite so impressive, Knight continues to work very hard in order to prove himself as a top player in the S21 draft class. With Manhattan he scored 13 goals and 30 points, making 85 hits, and spending time both on the powerplay and penalty kill. Los Angeles has a very versatile winger coming to play, and is Knight can get the offense going, he could become a dangerous competitor. 81. (S17) D (Texas Renegades) - Walter “Heisenberg” White || Returning Entry Grade: 45/80 || Average: 5.63 Past Seasons: S20- 47, S21- 53, S22- 65, S23- 97, S24-88 At number 81 is new Texas Renegades defenseman Walter White. The man they call Heisenberg had a bit of a hiatus on this list after a couple of weaker seasons by his standards, but was able to jump all the way back into the 80s after scoring 28 points and 8 goals for the Chiefs. He remained an aggressive presence, laying the body over 100 times and only being knocked off the puck 73 times. He also remained defensively sound, with 73 blocked shots and 122 PK minutes. With this being his final season, Texas could be the place to give us the blue magic one last time. 80. (S8) C (Seattle Riot) - Joe McKeil || +11 Grade: 45/80 || Average: 5.63 Past Seasons: S20-2, S21-1, S22-8, S23-13, S24-14, S25-91 At number 80 is old-timer center Joe McKeil, coming back up the list despite his body starting to fail him in his advanced age. McKeil wanted the world to remember he still has what it takes, as he scored 9 goals and 32 points. Not classic McKeil production, but still enough to help out the Riot during a struggling season. Unfortunately it is very possible this was a one-off season due to McKeil's ice time dwindling each season. Will be hard to put up solid numbers when he is playing 15 minutes a night.
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
GCool
Registered RIP Lefty Quote:Originally posted by Dmoushey_31@Oct 20 2015, 08:44 AM Those were always great reads.
Leo Senpai
Registered S1 Challenge Cup Champion Quote:Originally posted by Gifter of Bikes@Oct 20 2015, 10:01 AM
ArGarBarGar
Registered S39 Challenge Cup Champion Quote:Originally posted by Leonidas@Oct 20 2015, 11:57 AMYou realize I had already changed it by the time you even saw his post, right?
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
Nike
SHL GM S22, S28, S40, S42 Challenge Cup Champion & Merica Lover |
« Next Oldest | Next Newest »
|
Users browsing this thread: |
1 Guest(s) |