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ArGarBarGar · 01-09-2016, 03:16 PM

<div align="center">Top 100 SHL Players of Today!
Season 27

Season 20
Season 21
Season 22
Season 23
Season 24
Season 25
Season 26

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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 S27 season.

I'd like to give a big thanks to the following users that helped me make this article possible.

Experts: ArGarBarGar, Tanner, TheNextGreatOne, JHS, SabresFan, Birks, grimmsterj
Experts and Writers: ArGarBarGar, SabresFan

Together we made a panel of 7 experts who graded over 128 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.

100. (S8) D (Toronto North Stars) - Darian Scherbluk || -42
Grade: 37/70 || Average: 5.29
Past Seasons: S20-5, S21-8, S22-17, S23-20, S24-13, S25-3, S26-58

To start this list, we find Darian Scherbluk at #100. After being a dominant force from S20-S25, Scherbluk has made two massive drops in the rankings, putting him right at the fringe of this list. Scherbluk's numbers dropped considerably, only scoring 4 goals and 16 points on the year, as well as a weak 51 hits and 42 blocked shots. Toronto has predictably reduced his minutes and we should expect that to continue going into next season with the players they have coming up the ranks. With his consistent decline, it is quite possible this is the last we see of the future hall of famer Darian Scherbluk

99. (S20) C (Manhattan Rage) Alexander Kjaerberg || -13
Grade: 37/70 || Average: 5.29
Past Seasons: S23-62, S24-64, S25-62, S26-86

At number 99 is Rage center Alexander Kjaerberg, who also has taken numerous drops in recent years. Kjaerberg's production remained pretty consistent from last year, going from 26 points to 24 points, and scoring 12 goals once again. His hits yet again dropped, all this despite 22+ minutes a game with the Rage. This is another player who has fallen from the forefront, however with Kjaerberg's youth it is curious what caused Kjaerberg to fall from grace after a number of productive years.

98. (S18) D (Edmonton Blizzard) - Magnus Vikstrand || -24
Grade: 37/70 || Average: 5.29
Past Seasons: S20- 88, S21- 63, S22-63, S23-52, S24-40, S25-52, S26-74

At number 98 is Blizzard defenseman Magnus Vikstrand. Vikstrand's ice time took a major hit with the Blizzard this season, and Vikstrand's production continued to suffer as a result. Vikstrand's skills have quickly deteriorated over the years and it is concerning what exactly he will do in the future despite losing his touch. Defensively he remained quite consistent up until this year, but it is clear that part of his game is starting to take a hit as well.

97. (S14) LW/RW (Toronto North Stars) - Emīls Vilmenietis || -18
Grade: 37/70 || Average: 5.29
Past Seasons: S20-39, S21-47, S22-58, S23-47, S24-10, S25-39, S26-79

Number 97 continues the tour of those who have fallen from grace as Emīls Vilmenietis has fallen by the wayside. The winger has seen minutes, production, and reliance on special teams reduced by quite a bit (going from 190 minutes on the PK to 0 minutes), making it clear why his time on the Jets is now over. He hopes to have a resurgence with the Toronto North Stars, but at his age it is unclear how long that will be.

96. (S25) D (West Kendall Platoon) - Maria Maximova || New Entry
Grade: 37/70 || Average: 5.29
Past Seasons: None

At number 96 is rookie Maria Maximova, who helped a West Kendall Platoon team earn the best record in the league. Why? Her play was a major factor. The defenseman scored 11 goals and 23 points from the blueline, and despite the lack of minutes (15 minutes a game) and lack of shot blocks (30), she was given ample time on the powerplay. With Lloren being traded to the Panthers, this opens up more opportunities for the youngster, and while she may not live up to her rookie season, she has already proven she has the talent to be a solid contributor in the league.

95. (S20) RW (Edmonton Blizzard) - Jamie Hawkins || -8
Grade: 37/70 || Average: 5.29
Past Seasons: S25-86, S26-87

At 95 is winger Jamie Hawkins, who has enjoyed a couple of years in the top-100, is falling back to the back of the list, potentially out of the list entirely as soon as next season. The winger was part of a season to forget for the entire Edmonton Blizzard team,, and his 25 points was not up to par with what they were looking for from him. He did earn more PK minutes this season, and may be switching to a more defensive role this season. Edmonton has made moves to help improve, so that may mean for a turnaround season for Hawkins.

94. (S23) D (Texas Renegades) Vladimir Lidstrom || New Entry
Grade: 37/70 || Average: 5.29
Past Seasons: None

At 94 is defenseman Vlad Lidstrom, who has proven his ability with two 30 point seasons in a row. While he missed out on the top-100 last season, this year he was able to grab a spot and is poised to make a big splash with Walter White retiring from the team. Lidstrom blocked a whopping 81 shots in S26, and played over 100 minutes in both the PK and the PP. Lidstrom proved incredible ability in the SMJHL, and could be very close to proving that same ability in the SHL with increased responsibilities.

93. (S19) D (Texas Renegades) - Kaspars Tsizling || -33
Grade: 38/70 || Average: 5.43
Past Seasons: S21- 86, S22- 54, S23- 78, S24-86, S25-88, S26-60

At number 93 is Kaspars Tsizling, dropping back to the lower end of this list. Tsizling turned a few heads when he indicated he would not be playing for the Manhattan Rage in S26, and when the Blizzard took a flyer out on him, they anticipated he would catapult them into playoff contention. However that failed to happen, and Tsizling was yet another Blizzard player who failed to produce. He scored only 3 goals and 20 points, was a -3, and blocked 34 shots on the season, earning no powerplay time in the process. Now with the Texas Renegades, Tsizling is looking to play with the likes of Palat and Lidstrom to get back to form.

92. (S19) C (Seattle Riot) - Nicholas Flamel || +7
Grade: 38/70 || Average: 5.43
Past Seasons: S24-97, S25-99, S26-98

At number 92 is Nicholas Flamel, a defensive center who has started to see his offensive game come to life. Flamel scored 31 points on the season, and while he did not score as many goals as last season, he played more minutes on the PK and was a slightly more physical presence on the ice. He was also much better at reducing chances on his goalie, going from -11 to +9 on the season, a 20 point difference. Whether or not Flamel remains at this offensive production, he will continue to be a reliable defensive center in the SHL.

91. (S25) C (Portland Admirals) - Nikolaus Scholz || New Entry
Grade: 38/70 || Average: 5.43
Past Seasons: None

At 91 is Admirals Center Nikolaus Scholz, entering this list for the first time after following up his rookie campaign with a 35 point season. He scored 14 goals as well good for 3rd on the team. However, with the Admirals having troubles defensively, Scholz was not immune, finishing at -15 on the season. His minutes were also reduced by a couple minutes a game, but was relied on much more in special teams play. Scholz is starting to turn into a long-term Admirals asset alongside teammate Buster Killington.

90. (S20) D (Toronto North Stars) - Barney Stinson || -35
Grade: 39/70 || Average: 5.57
Past Seasons: S23-56, S24-34, S25-28, S26-55

At 90 is defenseman Barney Stinson, taking a considerable drop in these rankings after a disappointing season with the Blizzard to join his teammates with disappointing seasons. This is two seasons in a row where Stinson has had trouble producing at the SHL level, and now with going back to Toronto he has expressed he is looking for the best chance to win the cup. Toronto has made a number of moves and are looking like a potential favorite to win it, but Stinson cannot anticipate winning the big prize as a passenger. Stinson will need to come to play in S27.

89. (S24) D (Portland Admirals) Patrick Brumm || New Entry
Grade: 39/70 || Average: 5.57
Past Seasons: None

At 89 is Admirals defenseman Patrick Brumm. His rookie season saw him with less-than-stellar numbers, with 15 points on the season. However he followed it up in S26 with 13 goals and 30 points to finish 4th among Admirals in points. His defensive play is suspect, however, as he finished -18 on the season, 2nd worst among his teammates. Brumm is still fresh in the league, and has many years to tighten up that play as he gets older and more experience, so it should be interesting to see how he does in the coming years.

88. (S23) D (Portland Admirals) - Pål Vikingstød || -19
Grade: 39/70 || Average: 5.57
Past Seasons: S26-69

At 88 is another Admirals defenseman, Pål Vikingstød. He tore up the rookie class in S25 with a 33 point campaign, despite brutal defensive play. He was poised to continue his performance in the upcoming season, however he failed to deliver and scored only 28 points on the year, behind teammate Patrick Brumm. He is expected to play better next season, and with Brumm as a potential defensive partner they both could see their place on this list increase significantly.

87. (S22) C (Toronto North Stars) - Andrey Barbashev || New Entry
Grade: 39/70 || Average: 5.57
Past Seasons: None

At number 87 is center for the North Stars, Andrey Barbashev, who has entered this list for the first time after a solid 14 goal season. The center has had trouble on the goal-scoring department for the last couple of years, but was finally able to break through with his best goal-scoring season to date, adding a solid two-way game to go along with it. He also had the best faceoff percentage on the team with 54.62% and second-most faceoffs taken with 1159. Babashev is going to be on a pretty stacked Toronto team going into next year, and we should expect a lot out of Barbashev going forward.

86. (S20) D (Edmonton Blizzard) - Chuck Goody || -41
Grade: 40/70 || Average: 5.71
Past Seasons: S22-56, S23-8, S24-3, S25-44, S26-45

Chuck Goody comes in at number 86, dropping like a rock from his last rating. Goody has seen himself on a few different teams, going from Manhattan to Texas to Toronto. With the North Stars he scored only 22 points, finishing 3rd on the North Stars defensemen in points. It is possible that Goody only made the list this season because of his past accomplishments, and another season like this will potentially knock him out of the list. Goody still has a few years in his prime, so it is definitely still possible that he will be able to bounce back.

85. (S21) C (Los Angeles Panthers) - Chris Johnson || -8
Grade: 40/70 || Average: 5.71
Past Seasons: S26-77

At number 85 is Panthers center Chris Johnson, dropping out of the top 80 after a sub-par season. His goal scoring in particular was a problem, dropping from 15 goals to only 7 goals in S26. His faceoff numbers improved, which was a big positive for the Panthers, however he was not used as often on the penalty kill, and was more of a powerplay specialist.

84. (S21) D (Los Angeles Panthers) - Fredrick Wastlund || -47
Grade: 40/70 || Average: 5.71
Past Seasons: S22-88, S23-53, S24-26, S25-66, S26-37

At number 84 is defenseman Fredrick Wastlund, finishing at his lowest ranking since making this list in our S22 edition. Wastlund has been a solid, defensive oriented goal scoring threat, but his overall game has been a problem, scoring only 25 goals and ending as a -12 on the season, despite being given ample powerplay time and not being put out on the penalty kill as much as previous seasons. Wastlund has had a couple of very solid seasons, but his inconsistencies through his career have kept him from sticking to a specific spot on this list. Wastlund is incredibly talented, however, so he should see a big bounce-back next season.

83. (S23) D (Toronto North Stars) - Lukas Johnson || New Entry
Grade: 40/70 || Average: 5.71
Past Seasons: None

Defenseman Lukas Johnson makes the list at number 83, his first time on the list since entering the league. Johnson ended the season with 8 goals and 31 points, only a couple points behind veteran Shawn Velevra. However he was a much more physical force on the ice, with 83 hits and 59 shot blocks, both topping his teammate. Johnson has been a great powerplay producer, but will need to improve at even strength in order to keep rising on this list.

82. (S23) D (New England Wolfpack) - Connor O'Reilly || New Entry
Grade: 41/70 || Average: 5.86
Past Seasons: None

Another new entry at number 82 is Connor O'Reilly, another defenseman. O'Reilly had a respectable, albeit unremarkable season with New England, scoring 4 goals and 26 points on the season. O'Reilly's physical play out there was the difference maker, as he finished second on the entire team in hits, way more than team leader Benjamin Reid. He was also heavily relied on with the PK, and defensively was possibly the most consistent of his teammates. Going forward the duo of Reid and O'Reilly could be the most dominant in the league if O'Reilly continues to progress as planned.

81. (S19) G (Manhattan Rage) - Dymo Ranjan || +7
Grade: 41/70 || Average: 5.86
Past Seasons: S21-57, S22-89, S23-90, S24-70, S25-53, S26-88

At 81 is Rage goaltender Rymo Ranjan, who has jumped from a number of teams in recent years and has had some trouble finding a niche in the league. His save percentage was very similar to S25, but his record was much worse in comparison. He only won 19 of 42 games, this despite facing fewer shots total. Ranjan however is expected to have a much better season with a revitalized Manhattan Rage team, and could possibly get back to his previous form despite not training nearly as much as he used to.

80. (S19) RW (Minnesota Chiefs) - Jonathan Kane || Returning Entry
Grade: 42/70 || Average: 6
Past Seasons: S23-49, S24-61

At number 80 is Chiefs winger Jonathan Kane, who has had an on-again off-again relationship with this list. He was last seen in S24, quite high on the list before dropping off completely. He spent the entirety of the season behind some of the best offensive players of the season, but was still able to score 15 goals and 31 points. Jonathan Kane shouldn't be expected to replicate those numbers again, necessarily, especially since the team's depth has taken a big hit with David Winter retiring.

79. (S22) D (Winnipeg Jets) - Drew Myers || -30
Grade: 42/70 || Average: 6
Past Seasons: S24-81, S25-100, S26-49

At number 79 is Jets defenseman Drew Myers, falling out of the top-50 despite pretty consistent production. Myers increased his goal scoring production but saw his assists decrease, lowering his point totals to 30 points. His hits also saw a drop, and with the Jets' defensive woes saw Myers as a minus player in S26. This lack of production all despite seeing increased powerplay time and reduced penalty killing time. Myers dropped off a bit, but as a young player has the potential to bounce right back.

78. (S22) D (Winnipeg Jets) Rembrandt Q. Einstein || -21
Grade: 43/70 || Average: 6.14
Past Seasons: S23-85, S24-94, S25-89, S26-57

At number 78 is Jets defenseman Rembrandt Q. Einstain, who like his counterpart Myers also saw a drop, this time out of the top-60. Einstein failed to continue his 30 point seasons, dropping down to 26 points. Defensively he was actually pretty good for the Jets, but due to his inability to perform on the powerplay (3 points in 194 minutes compared to Myers's 16) dropped him back. However, despite having an arguably worse season on all counts compared to Myers, he made the list just ahead of him. Next season should determine which of the two is the better half, and if one of them will earn rightful 2nd place behind Big Manious.

77. (S20) RW (Edmonton Blizzard) - Mark Longford || -14
Grade: 43/70 || Average: 6.14
Past Seasons: S24-79, S25-69, S26-63

Number 77 is winger for the Blizzard Mark Longford. Longford. While we anticipated him cracking the top-50 last edition, Longford failed to come close, dropping production and having a poor season by his own standards. 32 points and a -5 were the highlight of his problems, as well as not being a reliable player on the penalty kill. Longford will either need to increase his offensive production or become a much more consistent defensive player if he wants to rise up in the ranks and make the top-50 like we thought he would.

76. (S15) D (Calgary Dragons) - Krišs Labsvārds || -22
Grade: 43/70 || Average: 6.14
Past Seasons: S20-46, S21-51, S22-48, S23-72, S24-67, S25-76, S26-54

At number 76 is Dragons defenseman Krišs Labsvārds. Getting close to a 40 point campaign while scoring 15 goals saw many expecting him to keep going in the S26 regular season and playoffs. However Labsvārds dropped production in both categories, also seeing his shot blocks decrease while seeing his hitting increase. This is all despite playing with a consistent defenseman in Sachimo Zoidberg.

75. (S22) LW (Toronto North Stars) - Luka Zaitsev || -11
Grade: 43/70 || Average: 6.14
Past Seasons: S26-64

Luka Zaitsev makes 75 on the list, dropping 11 points despite 18 goals and a respectable 34 points. S25 was a stellar year for the young forward, as he scored 20 goals and 40 points to get people turning heads at his skills. He scored 18 goals this year, but only scored 34 points, which is respectable, but not enough to rise up in the rankings. His defensive abilities also have been called into question, earning next to no PK time and being one of the least physical Toronto forwards last season.

74. (S18) D (Seattle Riot) Thomas King || +28
Grade: 43/70 || Average: 6.14
Past Seasons: S20-65, S21-44, S22-38, S23-50, S24-72, S25-71, S26-102

At number 74 is veteran Thomas King, who apparently saw his ranking from last season and made a vow to keep himself on this list. The defenseman went from a 19 point season to a 36 point season just like that, helping the Riot back into the playoffs. His plus minus was also stellar, +27 and second among Riot players. With newly acquired Brandon Cant falling behind in skills due to regression, King may still have yet another year to rise up before regression starts to him him.

73. (S20) D (Edmonton Blizzard) Jackson Rogers-Tanaka || -12
Grade: 44/70 || Average: 6.29
Past Seasons: S23-81, S24-83, S25-74, S26-61

Jackson Rogers-Tanaka falls back into the 70s despite yet another 30+ point season on the Blizzard. Funny enough, he may have been the only consistent contributor on the Blizzard after their dumpster-fire of a season. His 67 shot blocks was respectable and tied for first on the team, and he was a reliable special teams player. Unfortunately the Blizzard's struggles as a unit affect his place on these rankings, though many might say that isn't very fair.

72. (S20) RW (Los Angeles Panthers) - Gil Lemar || +19
Grade: 44/70 || Average: 6.29
Past Seasons: S26-91

Gil Lemar ranks 72 going into S27, and while it took a long time, Lemar is starting to establish himself as a high-tier player in the SHL. Why? Dedication and not giving up. Lemar finished S26 with 15 goals and 36 points on the Panthers, and was a solid finesse player. He may need to capitalize on his powerplay opportunities, however, and the lack of PK minutes will not look that enticing to voters next season if he wants to rise up. However, if there is one thing Gil Lemar is good at, it is steadily improving.

71. (S24) D (Minnesota Chiefs) - Winston Windsor || New Entry
Grade: 44/70 || Average: 6.29
Past Seasons: None

At number 71 is Chiefs defenseman Winston Windsor, coming alive in his rookie season and taking a top-pairing spot with flying colors. The rookie was nominated for ROTY with a 5 goal, 34 point campaign, better than Alonzo Garbanzo's rookie season. The team failed to make the playoffs (as noted with his -8), but he earned a glut of PK time and was instrumental in the Chiefs proving their worth as a hockey team. With Andersson coming up to play in net, he will need to keep his production going to ensure the Chiefs earn a playoff spot.

70. (S18) C (Edmonton Blizzard) - Miles Berger || -23
Grade: 45/70 || Average: 6.43
Past Seasons: S21-85, S23-99, S24-74, S25-57, S26-47

At 70 is Blizzard center Miles Berger, seeing his time in the top-50 very short-lived. Berger looked to be turning things around in S25 with a 17 goal 41 point campaign, increased physical play and big minutes. However, S26 was a nightmare for himself and his teammates. Despite being third on the team in scoring, he failed to come close to his point totals of S25 and scored only 11 goals. Physical play was down, and due to the team seeing the penalty box more often he had to play a ton of PK minutes. If Miles Berger wants to get back to fighting form, Edmonton as a whole will need to get back to the level they are expected to be playing at.

69. (S22) G (Toronto North Stars) - Mark Harter || +20
Grade: 45/70 || Average: 6.43
Past Seasons: S24-101, S25-78, S26-89

At number 69 is potential future hall of famer Mark Harter, making his way back up the list after faltering in S25. Harter improved on all counts in the regular season, winning 20 games and improving his save percentage to .897. Harter has solidified himself as the #1 in Toronto, and while the North Stars have not yet seen playoff success with him as their goaltender, he has remained vigilant and is expected to continue making a name for himself until he can be named the top goaltender of the SHL.

68. (S20) RW (Los Angeles Panthers) - Jed Lloren || -47
Grade: 45/70 || Average: 6.43
Past Seasons: S22-83, S23-68, S24-62, S25-19, S26-21

At 68 is new winger for the Panthers Jed Lloren. Jed made a big announcement over the offseason about his intentions to move on from West Kendall and enter free agency, however a trade to the Panthers and quick signing put an end to that discussion. Lloren appears desperate for a change of scenery, as he failed to meet his 40 point mark from S25. He still scored 18 goals, but the assists simply were not there, and was one of the least proficient forwards in terms of ice time. Los Angeles may be the ticket to jumpstarting his production.

67. (S21) RW (Hamilton Steelhawks) - Rider Clitsome || -11
Grade: 46/70 || Average: 6.57
Past Seasons: S23-82, S24-45, S25-64, S26-56

At number 67 is Steelhawks winger Rider Clitsome, falling out of the top-60 with a disappointing performance with the Hawks. Despite playing with guys like Griffin Simons and Jackson Hauke, he was overshadowed by "second-tier" players on the depth lines, falling to 6th on the team in scoring. His point totals only dropped slightly, but he was one of the worst defensive players. Some may point out Jakob Tanner's inconsistencies, but consider the second line was incredibly productive at both ends of the ice despite this fact.

66. (S20) D (Edmonton Blizzard) Fredirich Muller || +9
Grade: 46/70 || Average: 6.57
Past Seasons: S21-102, S22-47, S23-38, S24-66, S25-54, S26-75

At 66 and starting to get back to what we saw in S22-23, Fredirich Muller comes into play. Scoring only 29 points last season saw a different type of player going into training camp, and with the Blizzard he was determined to help make that team a contender. While the Blizzard failed to match up to their expectations, Muller did not. He scored 33 points, leading the team's defense, blocked 67 shots (while not amazing, not bad either), and was third on the team in hits. He played an all-around game that improved his spots on the rankings and could be poised to get back to the top-50.

65. (S21) C (Calgary Dragons) - Jaime Hill || -25
Grade: 46/70 || Average: 6.57
Past Seasons: S25-83, S26-40

It appears we were wrong about number 65 on our list. Jaime Hill ended S25 on a high note, being a classy and productive player at all facets of the game. She was able to increase her goal scoring, but the points simply were not there this year. Only 37 points dropping her out of the 40 point club on the season. However she did remain one of the most productive penalty killers in the league. Unfortunately this appeared to be missed by the voters, and I can imagine Jaime Hill might have a little more bite going into next season with the snub and the drop in the rankings.

64. (S24) LW (Calgary Dragons) - Randy Randleman || New Entry
Grade: 46/70 || Average: 6.57
Past Seasons: None

At number 64 is the highest rookie on the list, the center for the Dragons Randy Randleman. Randleman earned this position due to his incredible performance, scoring 21 goals and 37 points, leading all rookies in scoring, and proving that sometimes over-ripening in the SMJHL does indeed work. Randleman didn't see any PK time, however, nor did he face many faceoffs on the year. As the seasons continue, Randleman will need to produce at both of these facets if he wants to keep on moving up in these rankings. Randleman has proven his mettle to start with, so now all that remains is if he can keep it up.

63. (S21) G (Calgary Dragons) Hunter Wong || +20
Grade: 46/70 || Average: 6.57
Past Seasons: S23-94, S25-82, S26-83

At 63 is goaltender Hunter Wong, proving that just a little bit of improvement can catapult you ahead on this list. The third Dragon in a row had a banner year, going 25-15-4, earning a .900 save percentage, and being one of the better goaltenders in the league. Wong appears to be turning the corner with the Dragons, which is especially heartening for the city of Calgary as they may see their long rebuild pay big dividends in the coming seasons. Hunter Wong will have to keep improving if he wants to ensure that happens.

62. (S20) RW (Hamilton Steelhawks) - Dean Colt || -37
Grade: 47/70 || Average: 6.71
Past Seasons: S25-73, S26-25

At number 62 and making a big drop with New England is winger Dean Colt. We appeared to be seeing another side of Colt last season as he moved way up into the top-30, but a 6 goal, 33 point season dropped him right back into the lower-tier of this list. Colt's PK minutes continued to be a big selling point for his placement on the list, however, and he was once again a physical beast. Colt's poor play and potential locker room hindrances saw him traded to the Steelhawks, who appear to not be at all worried about his negative draw to the locker room. They are the cup champions, so they may be on to something.

61. (S20) C (Winnipeg Jets) - Niklas Wikstrom || +36
Grade: 47/70 || Average: 6.71
Past Seasons: S22-91, S24-89, S25-70, S26-97

Another former Wolfpack product is Niklas Wikstrom at number 61 on this list. Wikstrom admittedly had a pretty spectacularly horrible season in S25, which he called the "most worst awfulest terriblest season I've had." Wikstrom has since forsaken working on his grammar and instead looked for S26 to be a bounce-back year. And a bounce-back year it was. Wikstrom scored 18 goals and 38 points, finishing 4th on the team in scoring, and could be coming to Winnipeg just in time for the Jets to see his prime unleashed.

60. (S20) G (Hamilton Steelhawks) - Jakob Tanner || +8
Grade: 47/70 || Average: 6.71
Past Seasons: S22-94, S23-61, S24-80, S25-42, S26-68

Jakob Tanner finishes this set of ten at number 60, and considering what we have heard from the goaltender this may be a shock for him to be up this high. Tanner did have a disappointing year as far as individual performance was concerned, only earning a .898 save percentage and 7 points back from what he was the year before. However he did earn 22 wins and help the Steelhawks back into the playoffs. What did he do from there? Only win a Challenge Cup and dominate his peers with a .920 save percentage and 3 losses in the entire playoff tournament. Some may be surprised that he isn't higher on this list but that is because an unruly voter gave him a criminally low score, keeping him from taking a top-50 spot in this list.

59. (S11) D (Seattle Riot) - Brandon Cant || +8
Grade: 47/70 || Average: 6.71
Past Seasons: S20-25, S21-17, S22-18, S23-34, S24-41, S25-85, S26-67

At number 59 in our countdown, some would say Brandon Cant. But the voters in our poll say that Brandon still can. After over 15 seasons in the SHL, Cant is still holding his own, rising 8 spots in the countdown this year. Cant retains his position here on the strength of his ability to quarterback the power play and his willingness to get in front of shots. Cant put up 37 points last season to land just outside the top ten in scoring for defensemen. His 86 blocks were good for second in the league last season. It appears that Cant has one more tour of the SHL left. Expect him to drop in these rakings in the next edition, but don’t expect to see his name disappear completely.

58. (S22) RW (West Kendall Platoon) - Ales Smirnov || +26
Grade: 48/70 || Average: 6.86
Past Seasons: S26-84

The player selected at number 58 might be a bit controversial for jumping 26 spots in the pole over the last year. Ales Smirnov scored only 8 goals in S26, but did produce 35 points while playing in all situations. The 107 hits and 56 blocked shots recorded by Smirnov show that he is also a very good defensive player. Smirnov is so young that he can only be expected to continue to climb this poll over the next few seasons.

57. (S21) RW (Edmonton Blizzard) - Theo Kane || +19
Grade: 48/70 || Average: 6.86
Past Seasons: S23-75, S24-77, S25-56, S26-76

Theo Kane vaulted into the number 57 spot with a 40 point season in S26. Kane has been good for roughly 35 to 40 points for the past four seasons. This past season, his plus / minus rating improved to a +17. Kane will likely remain in the middle of the pack until the top line players on the Blizzard begin to age in a couple of seasons.

56. (S20) LW (Toronto North Stars) Chester Cunningham || -6
Grade: 49/70 || Average: 7
Past Seasons: S23-69, S24-50, S25-81. S26-50

Chester Cunningham has been one of the most consistent players over the last five seasons in the SHL, scoring 35 to 40 points more often than not. Cunningham has also been a willing hitter over that span, recording over 100 hits four out of the last five seasons. Despite adding a couple of shorthanded goals last season, Cunningham dropped 6 spots in the poll this year. Expect him to hold roughly the same spot next year.

55. (S12) D/LW (Toronto North Stars) - Shawn Velevra || -26
Grade: 49/70 || Average: 7
Past Seasons: S20-36, S21-28, S22-19, S23-33, S24-22, S25-9, S26-29

Shawn Velvera comes in at number 55 on this season’s list more on respect for past achievements than for last season’s results. He put up a respectable 34 points, is still an asset on the power play and saw some time killing penalties. He also recorded the third highest number of block shots on his team. Even falling 26 spots in the poll, he seems a bit overrated here. Yet to make this poll at all after starting all the way back in S12 deserves a great deal of respect and admiration.

54. (S14) LW (Seattle Riot) - Carter O'Callahan || +8
Grade: 49/70 || Average: 7
Past Seasons: S20-1, S21-3, S22-1, S23-3, S24-18, S25-49, S26-62

Were it not for the depth in Seattle, this 252 pound beast might still be on a top line producing 50 points a season. O’Callahan produced 38 points and 153 hits while playing on the second line and the second power play unit. Accepting a lesser role for the good of the team also speaks to the man’s character. He climbed 8 spots to reach number 54 this season. Even then, it could be argued that he wasn’t rated high enough.

53. (S20) LW (Los Angeles Panthers) - Jhonas Skarsgaard || -19
Grade: 50/70 || Average: 7.14
Past Seasons: S20-76, S21-84, S22-53, S23-32, S24-47, S25-41, S26-34

Falling 19 spots to number 53 in our poll is Jhonas Skarsgaard of the Los Angeles Panthers. He’s an interesting versatile player who came into the juniors as a center, is listed as a left wing in our poll, and played defense as recently as last season. Skarsgaard, like many of the players at this level in the poll, put up solid, but not spectacular numbers in multiple categories last season. He produced 36 points, 125 hits and 64 blocked shots. Expect a bounce back season in S27 for the first overall pick in the S18 SHL draft.

52. (S20) LW (New England Wolfpack) - Blake Sherrill || +18
Grade: 50/70 || Average: 7.14
Past Seasons: S23-83, S24-85, S25-68, S26-70

At number 52 is Blake Sherrill. The power forward out of New England was the second leading scorer and plus / minus leader with 42 points and a +10 respectively. Sherrill only recorded 40 hits last season, which is very light for a power forward. Some quick research on Sherrill’s training records show that while he seemed to have disappeared for the entire S26 season, he has actually been working very hard to improve his checking this off-season. Next season, expect the hit totals to begin to climb as well as Sherrill’s position in the top 100.

51. (S22) RW (Seattle Riot) - Pavel Bursyuk || New Entry
Grade: 50/70 || Average: 7.14
Past Seasons: None

Pavel Bursyuk was an offensive force for the Riot in S26, putting up 47 points with only 7 of those points coming on the power play. Bursyuk’s 23 goals were good for a tie for third in the league. Bursyuk was also a plus 23 on a very strong team and he stayed out of the penalty box with only 4 minutes for the whole season, despite getting just over 20 minutes of ice time per game. This new entry in the top 100 could move even higher with a repeat in S27.

50. (S18) D (Manhattan Rage) - Roy Razin || +23
Grade: 51/70 || Average: 7.29
Past Seasons: S20-82, S21-62, S22-46, S23-4, S24-17, S25-24, S26-73

Roy Razin bounced 23 spots to number 50 in our poll with one of the best seasons of his career in S26. He put up 40 points for just the second time in his career in S26. Razin should maintain his position in the poll for the foreseeable future. Once Razin begins to decline, the Rage should be building and improving around him.

49. (S20) C (Calgary Dragons) - Nicholas Pedersen || - 27
Grade: 51/70 || Average: 7.29
Past Seasons: S23-46, S24-59, S25-16, S26-22

Starting in the 40s and getting into the top-50 is Dragons center Nicholas Pedersen. Pedersen showed some slight decline last season, and in S26 he continued to have some issues. Scoring 15 goals and 37 assists saw him finish behind rookie Randleman and 3 other Dragons players in scoring. His hitting, time on ice, and PK minutes were all reduced, despite Pedersen starting in his prime. Pedersen has a couple of meh years behind him at this point, a lot of that seeming to come from his lack of cohesion with the Dragons roster.

48. (S10) LW (West Kendall Platoon) - Ivo Willems || -7
Grade: 51/70 || Average: 7.29
Past Seasons: S20-11, S21-12, S22-12, S23-24, S24-23, S25-36, S26-41

Hitting the 48th spot on our list is Ivo Willems, a West Kendall Platoon forward who despite consistency and slightly increased point totals fell back in the list. One setback for the forward was his hitting game, which has pretty much gone by the wayside at this point in his career. Willems was heavily relied upon by West Kendall in their run, helping them earn the top spot in the Eastern Conference, but wasn't quite enough to get to the finals and win the crown with the talent they had. Willems may deserve a better rating based on his play in the regular season, but with the Platoon faltering in the playoffs it seems Willems may have gotten the short end of the stick, here.

47. (S20) D (Calgary Dragons) - Sachimo Zoidberg || -23
Grade: 51/70 || Average: 7.29
Past Seasons: S22-86, S23-76, S24-69, S25-55, S26-24

At 47 is Dragons defenseman Sachimo Zoidberg, falling down after what looked to be good times ahead for the S20 player. Zoidberg scored 5 points fewer than last season, made fewer hits, and blocked fewer shots. His PK minutes went up and PP minutes went down, which may explain his lack of production, but other than PK time defensively he did not have quite the same season. With all the younger players coming up, a small setback turned into a big drop on the list.

46. (S21) LW (Los Angeles Panthers) - Sterling Knight || +36
Grade: 51/70 || Average: 7.29
Past Seasons: S26-82

At 46 is Sterling Knight, hitting the top-50 in his second season on our list. Knight had a banner year with Los Angeles, scoring 17 goals and 41 points. It seems like the fewer minutes he played were not a negative factor, and may be the reason he did so well offensively. However in the next few seasons does that mean Knight will need to "get his weight up" in order to handle the physical grind of a 50 game season? Knight certainly looks like he is turning a corner at least, and Los Angeles may need it with Brian Morley eventually coming back down to earth. Well, eventually.

45. (S22) D (New England Wolfpack) - Bubba Nuck || +14
Grade: 51/70 || Average: 7.29
Past Seasons: S24-98, S25-59

At 45 is New New England Wolfpack defenseman Bubba Nuck. He spent the beginning of his career in Hamilton, doing quite well for himself in recent years, and now finds himself in the city of New England where he hopes to replicate his 10 goal, 37 point season. Shot blocking was impeccable, and he was quite physical on the ice. Nuck has a bit more thing to fine-tune to his game if he wants a Stevens nomination and wants to creep up even higher on this list, but he remains active and continues to climb higher and higher.

44. (S24) RW (Portland Admirals) - Buster Killington || +22
Grade: 51/70 || Average: 7.29
Past Seasons: S26-66

At 44 is Admiral Buster Killington. Some say they would rather be a small fish in a big pond, but Killington appears to be just happy with the rebuilding process in Portland. Killington scored 19 goals and 41 points on the season, leading even veteran Scherbluk in points. He was also the same hitting machine we saw in juniors, and very soon we may be seeing the best power forward in the league with the way he has been playing. With Yousuf Scherbluk retiring, Killington is going to be an even more integral part of the roster.

43. (S20) RW (Buffalo Stampede) - Bryson Thomaz || -24
Grade: 51/70 || Average: 7.29
Past Seasons: S22-98, S23-92, S25-80, S26-19

At number 43 is the forward of another expansion team, this one in Buffalo. Bryson Thomaz had a weaker year in points than he is accustomed to, with only 40 points and falling way behind team leader Niklas Stryker. However he did score 20 goals and was a solid two-way player for the Stampede, of course if you don't count the +/-. Bryson, however, will be leaving our list in this spot, as he announced his retirement over the offseason. While he could not crack the top-10 during his career, we expect his protege to come up the ranks with even more gusto.

42. (S22) D (Winnipeg Jets) - Big Manious || New Entry
Grade: 51/70 || Average: 7.29
Past Seasons: None

Entering our list for the first time is Jets defenseman Big Manious. Who is Big Manious, you ask? Well not many people really know, as the defenseman really jumped out of nowhere to make the top-50 in his first season on the list. S25 was incredibly poor, as he was one of the least productive SHL players with only 14 points on the year. He appeared to change in a big way with a 16 goal, 45 point season. He blocked fewer shots, but that is mainly because he was actually in the offensive zone for a reasonable amount of time. Manious was just edged out of a Stevens nominee, so there is a good chance he will continue his great production. A flash in the pan at this point would be very disappointing after all the work he did to get to this point.

41. (S22) C (Hamilton Steelhawks) - Vuro Vlaters/Kian Hamilton || New Entry
Grade: 52/70 || Average: 7.43
Past Seasons: None

Another big jumper on this list is Vuro Vlaters, or as he would like us to call him, Kian Hamilton. Hamilton had a great year for, erm, Hamilton as he scored 24 goals and was a point per game, helping lead them to a playoff berth and become Challenge Cup champions. This is after scoring a measly 22 points the year before. One would think Hamilton would keep the Vlaters moniker, but he appears to be wanting to take his recent season and use it to form a new identity. Don't worry, Vlaters. I mean Hamilton. Hamilton, well the Steelhawks are going to be happy if you can keep it up, especially with newcomer Dean Colt coming into the fold.

40. (S9) C (Toronto North Stars) - Armin Brovalchuk || -9
Grade: 52/70 || Average: 7.43
Past Seasons: S20-23, S21-13, S22-14, S23-29, S24-19, S25-67, S26-31

Finishing this set of top 10 is Armin Brovalchuk, who is going to be finishing his career with the Toronto North Stars. Brovalchuk took a bit of a slide from last season, as he could not keep up his previous goal-scoring pace and was not nearly as physical as before. His old age took away his two-way play to a degree, but with the Stampede he wasn't surrounded by a lot of depth to keep him from taking a lot of difficult matchups. With the talent Toronto was able to snatch up, we wonder if Brovalchuk will become the missing piece before he says goodbye to the SHL for good.

39. (S20) C (Buffalo Stampede) - Adrian Thomaz || +7
Grade: 52/70 || Average: 7.43
Past Seasons: S22-77, S23-57, S24-49, S25-45, S26-46

Adrian Thomaz is the first entry in the 30s in our countdown. His point totals have ranged from 38 to 42 over every year of his SHL career. Last season he added 132 hits and 21 blocks while logging almost 24 minutes per game. Thomaz has probably not peaked yet. He will lose Bryson Thomaz next season to early retirement, but he is gaining S25 phenom Rob Wind on the top line in S27. If S27 draft pick, Arik Mikita develops as expected, Niklas Stryker should be able to move back from defense to his natural forward position in the future. A line of Stryker / Thomaz / Wind should be very productive for years to come.

38. (S15) LW (Hamilton Steelhawks) - Arthur Grosberg || +54
Grade: 52/70 || Average: 7.43
Past Seasons: S20-90, S21-59, S22-69, S23-96, S24-78, S25-61, S26-92

Arthur Grosberg had a great year to jump 54 spots to land in the number 38 spot in our countdown. He had 22 goals, 25 assists and 47 points in S26 while playing over 26 minutes per game. It is doubtful that Grosberg can continue to log that level of minutes as he ages. However, his ability to finish has not declined at all. He should continue to be counted on for 15 to 20 goals next season.

37. (S20) D (Texas Renegades) - Simon Palat || +28
Grade: 53/70 || Average: 7.57
Past Seasons: S26-65

Simon Palat jumped 28 spots to number 37 in the countdown on the strength of a 44 point year for the Renegades in S26. He also had the best plus / minus rating of any defenseman on the Renegades who played a significant role last season. Palat is just entering the prime of his career and should be a mainstay in the countdown over the next five seasons.

36. (S20) C (Hamilton Steelhawks) - Franklin Trey || New Entry
Grade: 53/70 || Average: 7.57
Past Seasons: None

Franklin Trey came out of nowhere to land at number 36 in the countdown as a new entry. Trey had 49 points in S26 while playing over 28 minutes per game. Trey has not been heard from in the off-season and may have burned brightly like a nova for a brief time, only to disappear from view. Only time will tell.

35. (S20) D (West Kendall Platoon) - Bojo Biscuit || -15
Grade: 54/70 || Average: 7.71
Past Seasons: S22-64, S23-36, S23-29, S25-26 S26-20

Mr. Bojo Risin’? Well not this season anyway, as Bojo Biscuit falls 15 spots to number 35 in the countdown. Biscuit didn’t have great offensive numbers in S26, putting up 35 points. This was probably the cause of the decline in his ranking. However, Biscuit recorded 178 hits and 63 blocked shots on the on the year and is also early in the prime of his career. Expect to see him move back higher on this list next season.

34. (S17) LW (Texas Renegades) - Chara Brojled || -24
Grade: 54/70 || Average: 7.71
Past Seasons: S20- 85, S21- 83, S22-72, S23-88, S24-54, S25-27, S26-10

Chara Brojled showed the first signs of age in falling 24 spots to number 34 on the countdown. He still put up 20 goals, 20 assists and 40 points in S26. Brojled is playing on a team with a very deep group of forwards. I see no reason why he won’t put up similar numbers for several seasons to come. Count on his name appearing anywhere from 25 to 50 next season as well.

33. (S20) D (Seattle Riot) - Mikko Koskinen || +38
Grade: 54/70 || Average: 7.71
Past Seasons: S23-86, S24-46, S25-20, S26-71

Mikko Koskinen had his production dip in S25, but bounced back with a vengeance in S26 with career highs in goals, assists, points and added a plus / minus rating of +26. Now having established 40 point seasons in three out of the last four seasons, Koskinen should be expected to maintain his position in the countdown next season.

32. (S19) G (Texas Renegades) - Jackson Weekes || -29
Grade: 55/70 || Average: 7.86
Past Seasons: S20- 91, S21-75, S22-62, S23-31, S24-35, S25-2 S26-3

Falling 29 spots in the countdown is Jackson Weekes at number 32. As recently as S24, Weekes had to build a new trophy case just to hold all the hardware that was handed out to him that year. In S26, Weekes was hurt by the performance of the Renegades as a whole, only winning 16 games out of 44 games played. Consistency is hard to come by in the SHL. The hockey gods giveth and they taketh away.

31. (S20) RW (New England Wolfpack) - Nathan Russell || -19
Grade: 55/70 || Average: 7.86
Past Seasons: S24-91, S25-72, S26-12

Nathan Russell was the leading playmaker on the Wolfpack last season with 28 assists, but fell 19 spots to number 31 in the countdown this season. Despite entering the SHL as a true rookie in S20, Russell is one of the oldest players on the team. This just shows that if the team stays together and keeps working, Russell will be the point of the spear on an improving team. Don’t expect Russell to fall any further.

30. (S20) RW (Toronto North Stars) - Kristian Eriksson || -19
Grade: 55/70 || Average: 7.86
Past Seasons: S22-96, S23-77, S24-57, S25-40

Kristan Eriksson landed in the 30th spot in the countdown after reaching number 11 the previous year. Eriksson is one of the players in the SHL with very volatile production. His point totals the last four years were 39, 41, 50 and 37. Eriksson doesn’t shy away from contact however, posting 144 hits in S26. Eriksson’s production could be hurt slightly by the depth of his team. The North Stars are deep enough that they do not need to overload their top forwards with ice time. Last season Eriksson logged 23.37 minutes per game. We have seen others in this section of the countdown receiving 26 to 28 minutes per night.

29. (S20) LW (Winnipeg Jets) - Elyk || -2
Grade: 55/70 || Average: 7.86
Past Seasons: S25-60, S26-27

At 29 is Jets winger Elyk, with another top-30 finish while closer to being outside of it than last season. By his own standards, he did not have quite the same season as S25, scoring fewer points, having a worse plus minus, again very little physicality, and fewer minutes on the penalty kill. He has appeared to stagnate at this position in the list, and without much improvement there is only so high he can climb. Thankfully the Jets have been very patient with his development and Elyk should continue to be a consistent contributor to the roster.

28. (S20) C (Hamilton Steelhawks) - Griffin Simons || +4
Grade: 56/70 || Average: 8
Past Seasons: S22-66, S23-58, S24-37, S25-14, S26-32

Simons enters the list at number 28, getting back to his high-scoring ways which we saw in S24. He was almost a point per game player, and was instrumental in the team's Challenge Cup win. One concern going forward is his hitting has been reduced somewhat, his plus-minus was second-worst on the team, and he was not utilized as a two-way player as previous years. It will be very interesting to see if Simons is made into a two-way threat that can dominate at both ends of the ice or just a primarily offensive weapon who puts together multiple PPG seasons.

27. (S18) LW (Calgary Dragons) - Esa Anrikkanen || -13
Grade: 56/70 || Average: 8
Past Seasons: S20-45, S21-48, S22-35, S23-6, S24-7, S25-34, S26-14

Esa Anrikkanen is number 27, having a consistent year with 42 points. His 21 goals was also a very positive contribution to the Dragons this season. All in all, it seemed like Anrikkanen had a much better season overall than previous years, but his overall grade was reduced and dropped a whole 13 points on the list. Did the voters not think his 265 minutes on the penalty kill were enough to offset the reduced hits and points? Perhaps not. Anrikkanen still has a couple more years left in the tank before he starts to regress, giving him time to get back into the top-10.

26. (S17) LW (Manhattan Rage) - Magnus Jakobsen || +9
Grade: 56/70 || Average: 8
Past Seasons: S20-48, S21-50, S22 – 22, S23-9, S24-2, S25-30, S26-35

At number 26 is Magnus Jakobsen of the Manhattan Rage. Jakobsen has an interesting story in recent seasons, as he went to Manhattan specifically to earn high points and contribute offensively, which was not something he saw in Minnesota. He did exactly that, scoring 21 goals and 47 points on the year, a 10 point jump. Interestingly enough, he tied younger player Tommy Creller in points for the team lead. Hits were down, but PK time was way up, and his utilization as a two-way player may have been a positive contributing factor to his increased point totals.

25. (S20) LW (Los Angeles Panthers) - Yuri Boyka || +28
Grade: 56/70 || Average: 8
Past Seasons: S22-97, S23-64, S24-55, S25-17, S26-53

With a big jump at 25 is Yuri Boyka of the Panthers. Boyka had a surprising down year in S25, which was something he made a big effort over the offseason to prevent from happen again. He was successful in that endeavor and scored 46 points to lead the Panthers in scoring. He was also a much better defensive player than the previous season, as well as more of a physical player as well. He is becoming one of the top franchise guys on the Panthers, and that is on a roster that includes Brian Morley, Sterling Knight, Valterri Bottas, and Fredrik Wastlund.

24. (S21) C (Winnipeg Jets) - Patrik Satan || -8
Grade: 57/70 || Average: 8.14
Past Seasons: S23-89, S24-90, S25-43, S26-16

At number 24 is Jets center Patrik Satan, who had yet another 40+ point season in the books. His numbers were reduced and it seems he has become less physical the last couple seasons, but he was arguably the best faceoff man in the league, winning 56% of his draws. Satan's biggest issue was goal scoring this season, which may explain why he was dropped out of the top-20. Either way, Satan is starting to show a lot of worth in the SHL with a second top-30 finish in a row.

23. (S17) C (Edmonton Blizzard) - Chico Salmon || -22
Grade: 57/70 || Average: 8.14
Past Seasons: S20- 43, S21-20, S22-24, S23-37, S24-71, S25-5, S26-1

At 23 and losing the title for top player in the SHL today, Chico Salmon enters our list. He took a major drop in production, going from 60 points to only 40 points. However he did still lead the Blizzard in scoring, a testament to the struggles Edmonton had to face during the season for the entire roster. He did better with the intangible parts of the game, but when you hold the #1 spot, it does not take a lot to get knocked off the mountain, even if you still have a good season all things considered. This puts him outside of the top-10 after two straight years in the elite echelon of this list.

22. (S14) C (Los Angeles Panthers) - Brian Morley || +1
Grade: 57/70 || Average: 8.14
Past Seasons: S20-14, S21-19, S22-16, S23-1, S24-4, S25-1, S26-23

Speaking of another former #1 (two-time #1 actually), Brian Morley enters our list at 22. Brian Morley had an unfortunate season in S25 scoring only 33 points, but has appeared to bounce back with the Panthers, scoring 18 goals and 45 points. He was strong at the dot, and remained valuable in special teams. However his physical game has taken a hit in his advanced years. Morley is getting older, so it is a wonder that he continues to put up solid seasons year in and year out.

21. (S18) RW (West Kendall Platoon) - Oliver Pettyfer || -6
Grade: 57/70 || Average: 8.14
Past Seasons: S20-87, S21-41, S22-60, S23-65, S24-51, S25-12, S26-15

At 21 is Platoon winger Oliver Pettyfer, falling 6 spots after failing to replicate his goal scoring season in S25 and once again having a weaker offensive year than the year prior. Pettyfer scored only 18 goals on the year, during a season in which he did not have to spend much time on the PK and was given ample powerplay time. Pettyfer appears to be going in the wrong direction after just finishing outside the top-10 in S25, which is unfortunate considering what he was able to do with Texas.

20. (S21) RW (Manhattan Rage) - Tommy Creller || +31
Grade: 57/70 || Average: 8.14
Past Seasons: S22-99, S23-40, S24-38, S25-11, S26-51

Tommy Creller apears to be back, folks. After a very surprising 33 point season and horrible year defensively, Creller has gotten back on track. He scored 17 goals and 47 points, tying newcomer Jakobsen in the team lead. He was the only plus player among all core players, and was solid on faceoffs as well. Creller is looking like the example Rage players might want to follow, especially considering he was one of few bright spots on a team that finished last in the Eastern Conference.

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
[Image: IeEV7Iv.png]

ArGarBarGar · 01-09-2016, 03:35 PM

(Sorry Bojo, stealing your post)

19. (S22) RW (Minnesota Chiefs) - Chernika Banananov || +71
Grade: 57/70 || Average: 8.14
Past Seasons: S25-96, S26-90

Coming in at 19 is young Russian Chernika Banananov, who came out of nowhere to lead the league in scoring. Banananov scored 58 points, the best of his career and coupled it with 19 goals. Banananov only makes the list at 20 for a few reasons. One of those reasons is many have argued that his success was only because of Sarantez, who scored a whopping 28 goals. Another is the fact he played no PK time. A final reason is Banananov has only spent one season with elite offensive numbers, and needs to do more if he wants to be considered one of the elite of the elite.

18. (S13) G (Edmonton Blizzard) - Jakub Aittokallio || +20
Grade: 58/70 || Average: 8.29
Past Seasons: S20-7, S21-15, S22-9, S23-19, S24-39, S25-48, S26-38

At 18 is Blizzard goaltender Jakub Aittokallio, back in the top-20 after a few years toiling. Aittokallio with another season above the .905 mark, he won 20 games this year while sporting a 2.60 goals against average. The wins may not be all that impressive, but the fact he maintained a solid GAA with such a poor record shows he held his own in front of a team that did not provide him all that much goal support. If Aittokallio can hold off on regression for just another year longer, he may be able to help the Blizzard rebound.

17. (S22) RW (Toronto North Stars) - Pierre-Luc LaflammeÂ || +1
Grade: 59/70 || Average: 8.43
Past Seasons: S24-92, S25-95, S26-18

Pierre-Luc Laflamme rises up a spot in our rankings after another very productive season. Laflamme is becoming one of the cornerstones of the S22 draft class, the very best among his peers. He did slow down a bit offensively, scoring only 17 goals and 44 points compared to 22 goals and 49 points last season. This didn't seem to bother many voters, especially considering the amount of offensive support he had to work with. He actually led his team in scoring, with the nearest player 7 whole points behind him. He was also a possession monster, a +17 compared to the majority of his teammates who were either minuses or way behind him.

16. (S21) C (Seattle Riot) - Sean Leonidas || +12
Grade: 59/70 || Average: 8.43
Past Seasons: S25-102, S26-28

Another young gun makes the list in the top-20, and that is Riot center Sean Leonidas. He made a gigantic jump last season, going from fringe center to one of the very best, and his numbers corroborate that as well. Leonidas scored 19 goals and 45 points, good for third on a deep Riot team, as well as a team-leading +29 on the season. Even with good goaltending, he was incredibly reliable at both ends of the ice, especially concerning the two teammates who beat him in scoring played no PK time. Leonidas also was the team's best faceoff man, and they will need it going forward.

15. (S8) C (Winnipeg Jets) - Taylor McDavid || -6
Grade: 60/70 || Average: 8.57
Past Seasons: S20-13, S21-10, S22-2, S23-15, S24-65, S25-4, S26-9

Taylor McDavid enters our list at number 15, outside the top 10 for only the 4th time in this article's history and the first time in three seasons. McDavid continues to hang around despite being one of the oldest players currently lacing them up, and he has not shown many signs of aging. A 44 point season good for third among the Winnipeg Jets, as well as a lot of time on special teams shows he is just as capable as he has ever been. This may be the last time that we see McDavid in the top-20, and he may never get back into the top-10, but I will not be surprised to keep seeing his name on this list.

14. (S14) LW (Calgary Dragons) Steven Jalopski || -9
Grade: 60/70 || Average: 8.57
Past Seasons: S20-30, S21-22, S22-27, S23-30, S24-31, S25-32, S26-5

At 14 is Dragons defenseman/winger Steven Jalopski, who may be remembered more for his volatile personality off the ice than his contributions on the ice. He was at least able to make it into the top-5 of our list last season, and remain a top-20 player for the last time he would be eligible to be on the list. He scored 17 goals and once again led the Dragons in scoring, as well as being a physical bruiser on the ice to match his personality off the ice. He was one of the team's best PK specialists as well, so going forward it will be interesting to see the lasting impression his permanent suspension will have on the team.

13. (S21) D (Minnesota Chiefs) - Alonzo Garbanzo || +17
Grade: 60/70 || Average: 8.57
Past Seasons: S23-59, S24-76, S25-18, S26-30

Coming in at number 13 is Alonzo Garbanzo, who has been a bit of an enigma in recent years. We saw the young up and comer go into the SHL draft with the idea that he was going to be one of the best defensive defensemen in the league, and when he started his career he looked to be that kind of player. However the last couple of years have been much different. A combined -35 on the year, more than any other player for the Chiefs in that time. This season saw him lead all defensemen in scoring and lead the league in assists, but he was edged out by Benjamin Reid in nominations for the Scott Stevens award. He has improved offensively, but the question is whether or not he will be able to get back to his defensive ability that he is known for.

12. (S15) C (West Kendall Platoon) Roberts Birkavs || +30
Grade: 60/70 || Average: 8.57
Past Seasons: S20-62, S21-35, S22-30, S23-14, S24-12, S25-31, S26-42

At number 12 is another potentially controversial player, Platoon center Roberts Birkavs. Birkavs comes back into the top-20 after a disappointing S25 campaign where he scored only 38 points, and some said he was unable to focus on his game while personal issues with other league ambassadors got in the way. S26 was a bounce-back season for him, as he scored 48 points and was a stalwart defensive player. He was also incredibly effective in providing offense on the penalty kill, with 5 points on the PK, the team lead.

11. (S13) G (Winnipeg Jets) - Lauris Prikulis || -7
Grade: 60/70 || Average: 8.57
Past Seasons: S20-3, S21-4, S22-7, S23-12, S24-20, S25-29, S26-4

To finish the list before the top-10 is Jets goaltender Lauris Prikulis, who dropped back out of the top-10, unable to replicate his great performance from one season ago. His .908 was still good, and he did win 26 games on the year, but not up to par with what we have been used to seeing. His 2.58 GAA was also not quite as good as we have seen from other goaltenders this season, making him once again #2 in the goaltending pecking order. Prikulis is getting older, too. He may not be able to grab that #1 spot that he had back in the day, and #2 may be a long-shot as well.

<div align="center"> [Image: Top-100%20Szlerchek_zps0y3gosxg.png]

[Image: Top-100%20Szlerchek_zps0y3gosxg.png]

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10. (S19) C (West Kendall Platoon) Zallerras Szlerchek || +38
Grade: 60/70 || Average: 8.57
Past Seasons: S20-86, S21-58, S22-40, S23-71, S24-68, S25-38, S26-48

Starting off the top-10 is Zallerras Szlerchek. Szlerchek had an incredible season with the Platoon, scoring 20 goals, scoring 51 points, and leading the Platoon in scoring. His physical play and goonery was only rivaled by teammate Bojo Biscuit, and scored an incredible 20 points on the powerplay. Szlerchek had the best season of his career after many seasons not being able to crack even the top-20, so seeing him jump from 48 right into the top 10 is quite the feat for the forward. Szlerchek's legacy could soon become one for the history books if his prime continues on, and with West Kendall's roster going into next season one shouldn't be surprised to see him back in the top-10 once again.

<div align="center"> [Image: Top-100%20Reid_zpsvnaxsrle.png]

</div>9. (S20) D (New England Wolfpack) - Benjamin Reid || +24
Grade: 61/70 || Average: 8.71
Past Seasons: S22-90, S23-66, S24-73, S25-35, S26-33

At 9 on our list is Benjamin Reid, the defenseman coming out of nowhere to make a big mark on the league. Reid had a successful career up to this point, and in S25 had a very good 38 point campaign. However S26 was an incredible year, as he destroyed his previous career high in goals with 19 and finished with 44 points. He was very good defensively, playing a solid 204 minutes, and had 80 shot blocks for the Wolfpack. Better yet was he earned the award for top defenseman, beating out some incredibly stiff competition this season. Reid is becoming one of the best goal-scoring defensemen in the league, and will be a treat to watch going forward.

<div align="center"> [Image: Top-100%20Horvat_zpsuhac8ygh.png]

[Image: Top-100%20Horvat_zpsuhac8ygh.png]

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8. (S16) C (Texas Renegades) - Maxim Horvat || +36
Grade: 62/70 || Average: 8.86
Past Seasons: S20-94, S21-77, S22-51, S23-41, S24-60, S25-7, S26-44

At number 8 is Renegades center Maxim Horvat, making the jump right back into the top-10 after a less-than-stellar campaign in S25 where he only scored 35 points. He was an instrumental piece in getting the Renegades back into Challenge Cup contention in S26, scoring 20 goals, 51 points, and finishing at a very good +11 on a team that had a good number of minus players, including the team's leading scorer Liam Kinsler. He could have potentially been rated a bit higher, but he was not a physical specimen on the ice, and consistency has been a bit of an issue. Either way, two top-10 finishes in 3 seasons is quite the feat for the Renegades center, especially as some would expect him to start slowing down at his age.

<div align="center"> [Image: Top-100%20Bottas_zpsy687skut.png]

[Image: Top-100%20Bottas_zpsy687skut.png]

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7. (S20) D (Los Angeles Panthers) - Valterri Bottas || -1
Grade: 62/70 || Average: 8.86
Past Seasons: S22-76, S23-44, S24-48, S25-10, S26-6

There are only a few certanties in life: death, taxes, and Valterri Bottas as the top defenseman of the SHL's list. Bottas has once again entered the top 10, and for the second straight season has been considered the number one defenseman of the league. Why? Well, look back at S25. 48 points, leading his team, with fantastic minutes on special teams and reliable play at every single end of the ice (and a Scott Stevens to boot). Now forward to the most recent season, and Bottas has yet another incredible run, almost winning a second-straight Stevens trophy in a row with his performance. 45 points, high special teams play again, a positive plus minus. The guy just performs on a regular basis. He currently sets the standard that all defensemen aspire to be, and we can only expect more of the same going forward.

<div align="center"> [Image: Top-100%20Sarantez_zps0obigsuj.png]

[Image: Top-100%20Sarantez_zps0obigsuj.png]

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6. (S20) LW (Minnesota Chiefs) - Pedro Sarantez || +33
Grade: 62/70 || Average: 8.86
Past Seasons: S22-75, S23-54, S24-30, S25-33, S26-39

At number 6 is Chiefs winger and captain Pedro Sarantez, who had his best season yet with a 22 goal, 54 point campaign. Sarantez was the third player in the Banananov-Sarantez-Winter trio, and arguably was the straw that stirred the drink on that line. If not for Banananov's monster season, it would have been the second year in a row in which Sarantez led the Chiefs in scoring. He was a very important player on the PK, and overall was the best two-way player the Chiefs had. Can Sarantez make it a second top-10 finish in a row without a key piece in the BPW line next season? We will see.

<div align="center"> [Image: Top-100%20Onoprienko_zpsqaknkfkb.png]

[Image: Top-100%20Onoprienko_zpsqaknkfkb.png]

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5. (S18) LW (Winnipeg Jets) - Vidrik Onoprienko || -3
Grade: 63/70 || Average: 9
Past Seasons: S20-67, S21-49, S22-26, S23-7, S24-1, S25-8, S26-2

In the top 10 for the fourth straight season is Jets winger Vidrik Onoprienko. Despite falling off a couple points, he remains one of the premier forwards in the league, scoring at will on a regular basis. S26 was a down year for the forward, as he finished 5th on the Jets in scoring and only scored 42 points. Defensively he was also a little off compared to previous years, even though he was relied upon for a number of minutes on the PK. Onoprienko is very close to the regression stage, so the next couple of years will be interesting to see how long his top-10 streak lasts. Will he be the all-time top-10 placement leader when all is said and done?

<div align="center"> [Image: Top-100%20Schmidt_zpstcxp0xbq.png]

[Image: Top-100%20Schmidt_zpstcxp0xbq.png]

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4. (S18) G (West Kendall Platoon) - Colin Schmidt || +39
Grade: 64/70 || Average: 9.14
Past Seasons: S20-92, S21-64, S22-55, S23-60, S24-63, S25-65, S26-43

At number 4 is top goaltender in the league and league MVP Colin Schmidt. Schmidt lit up the sky in S26, winning just about every award he could have earned, with 30 wins a .923 save percentage (best on the team), and a 1.87 goals against average. He was instrumental in the team earning the top spot in the league over the regular season, but unfortunately was unable to replicate that team success in the playoffs. Schmidt still has a couple more years at his very best, and if West Kendall keeps up their play Schmidt could be right back at it in S27.

<div align="center"> [Image: Top-100%20Kylrad_zpstojtabuv.png]

[Image: Top-100%20Kylrad_zpstojtabuv.png]

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3. (S12) LW (Seattle Riot) - Adam Kylrad || +10
Grade: 65/70 || Average: 9.29
Past Seasons: S20-12, S21-34, S22-21, S23-17, S24-36, S25-50, S26-13

At third on our list is left winger, Adam Kylrad. Making the top-10 for the first time in his career, Kylrad has had a long road to get to where he is today. After a spell of being one of the top players in the world, he faded into the lower echelon of SHL players in S24 and S25, but came right back in S26 by hitting the #13 spot, a familiar position for him. S26 saw a very productive player, as Kylrad scored 20 goals and 50 points, leading the Riot and finishing with a high +25 on the year. The Riot have him to thank in large part for their success during the season, and despite his age Kylrad can finally call himself a member of the top-10 club.

<div align="center"> [Image: Top-100%20Stryker_zpspbokokrl.png]

[Image: Top-100%20Stryker_zpspbokokrl.png]

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2. (S16) RW (Buffalo Stampede) - Niklas Stryker || +6
Grade: 68/70 || Average: 9.71
Past Seasons: S20-42, S21-38, S22-57, S23-10, S24-11, S25-15, S26-8

Taking the second spot on this list is Stampede winger Niklas Stryker, who has remained a top-tier talent despite moving around to a couple of teams in recent years. The Stampede were able to grab him through free agency after Stryker appeared not to have any suitors, and they are reaping the rewards already. Stryker once again hit the 50 point mark, scoring 23 goals and registering 120 hits. The Stampede were not kind to his +/-, however, but he was by far their most productive player. With Brovalchuk leaving, Bryson Thomaz soon to retire, and the Stampede full of questions in their early years, Stryker will be relied upon even more to bring the offense and get them to their first playoff berth.

<div align="center"> [Image: Top-100%20Kinsler_zpspda0lrf2.png]

[Image: Top-100%20Kinsler_zpspda0lrf2.png]

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1. (S19) C (Texas Renegades) - Liam Kinsler || +6
Grade: 69/70 || Average: 9.86
Past Seasons: S24-75, S25-25, S26-7

At number 1, with possibly the greatest rise to prominence, Liam Kinsler sits atop the mountain after another productive season despite the Renegades losing a very good player in Stryker. 55 points on the year, 143 hits, and a wealth of time on special teams, the Renegades leaned on him more than any other player during the season. The team had some struggles in the early going, and despite their free agent acquisitions and trades, it was looking like they would not make the playoffs after a huge season of buying for a cup run. However it is players like Kinsler who were able to help pick up the team and bring them back into the playoff forefront once again. While their playoff dreams did not go the distance, the team made moves in order for Kinsler and company to make another run next season. With the #1 player in the league at your side, how can you lose?

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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