What can I say - it was a boring afternoon at work today! To fill that boredom, I put together the first addition of the TFHL Power Rankings. If you don't agree with me, feel free to leave a comment :)
1 – Bobcats – It’s hard to argue against the reigning TFHL champs as the number one team at the quarter mark of the season. Currently in the midst of an 8 game winning streak, the Bobcat’s are the team to beat in the East – and the West…
2 – Blackhawks - Despite what the standings show, the Blackhawks are currently the TFHL 2nd best team, and are the class of the West. Their GF total contrasted with their GA numbers is bested only by the Bobcats.
3 – Spirit – Speaking of GF/GA totals, the Spirit aren’t far behind. Currently the league’s best defensive team, they’ve backed it up with some impressive offensive numbers to justify their #3 ranking.
4 – Renegades – Well, standings have to count for something, and that’s what brings the Renegades in at number 4. It appears there’s been luck on the Renegade’s side thus far this season, and although they are impressive defensively, their offensive numbers are comparable to the bottom dwelling Aces and Blades. It will be for the Renegades to prove that they belong at the top
5 – Pain – The Pain have been the victims of some bad luck thus far, but their 107 goals for are enough proof that this team is better than the middle-of-the-pack team shown in the standings. This team has some potent offence that will keep them rolling once the hockey gods begin to smile on them once again.
6 – Raiders – The Raiders have been holding steady, and are in the midst of a 7-2-1 run in the last 10 games. The concern with this squad however is their near equal GF and GA. Unlike the Pain, the luck could turn the other way for the Raiders if they can’t improve this ratio.
7 – Ice – The Ice are arguably the best defensive team in the TFHL which has paid off for them in the standings, however scoring has been a concern. Is the best offence a good defense? We’ll have to wait and see…
8 – Saints – Taking the opposite approach to the Ice, the Saints subscribe to the theory that the ‘best defense is a great offence’. Their 109 goals is tops in the league, but the Saints are being hurt in the standings by also allowing an embarrassing 100 pucks to hit the back of their own net. Also worth a mention is the long-term injury suffered by superstar centre, Chris Higgins. We’ll have to see how this affects the Saints as the season progresses.
9. – Rednex – The perennial underdogs, the Rednex are off to a relatively good start this season. They benefit from one of the leagues best goaltenders in Brent Johnson, but will it be enough? They may have to acquire some scoring help before the trade deadline if they intend to compete in the playoffs.
10 – Clubbers – The Clubbers are a tough team to evaluate – they’re neither good nor bad – they’re just consistent. They’re the vanilla ice cream of the TFHL – not going to surprise you, but you know what to expect every time. Who knows – they could be this year’s sleeper team to contend for the cup.
11 – Flames – Like the Clubbers, the Flames aren’t that exciting, but they’ve figured out how to win. They are one of the stingiest teams in the league for giving up goals, so if they can keep that up, the Flames could be dangerous down the stretch.
12 – Achaeans – Another middle-of-the pack team that has something to prove. They won it all 2 seasons ago which has to count for something. Free agent addition Milan Hnilicka has been a pleasant surprise in net, but if he begins to falter, the Achaeans could be in big trouble.
13 – Apocalypse – Another unspectacular but steady hockey club in the TFHL. Taking advantage of some solid goaltending, they are kind of in the same boat as the Achaeans – one groin injury away from disaster.
14 – Mauraders – It’s a good thing the Mauraders know how to keep the puck out of their own net, because they sure don’t seem to have a clue how to put it in their opponents. Only the lowly Canucks and Misconducts have scored less goals thus far, but if they can continue their solid defensive play, the Mauraders should be able to stick around.
15 – Wheat Kings – The Wheat Kings are a much better team than the standings suggest. Fully expect the Kings to go on a run sooner than later, and with a very active GM at the helm, I’m sure we’ll see some in-season moves to fill the gaps.
16 – Hurricanes – The Canes are another one of those teams that is better than the standings suggest. A recent spat of injuries has hurt the team – especially to defenseman Brian Campbell whose out for 3 months – we’ll have to see how well their offence can make up for the weakened blue line.
17 – Patriots – The Patriots are on shaky ground, lucky to be holding onto 8th place in the East. Their 105 goals against is among the worst in the league, and their goal production isn’t exactly stellar either. The Pats need some help in net – if they don’t make some moves, there is no way they will be around for the post season. If they do add a clear number one net minder, this team has a lot of offensive talent that could post a scary amount of points if somebody would wake them up.
18 – Misconducts – The Misconducts have been one of the unluckiest teams this season when it comes to injuries. Currently on the sidelines are Segei Anshakov, Paul Kariya, Dan Snyder, Rossario Ruggeri and Shawn Belle. Fortunately they do have some depth, but it’s hard to ignore the absence of those key players. We’ve got them at 18 on the list only because of the injuries – if this team can get healthy, there’s no reason to think that they can’t go on a mid to late season run.
19 – Colt 45 – This team is one that looks solid on paper, but for whatever reason aren’t getting it done in the wins column. Their defense is respectable, but if they can’t find a way to score some goals, it could be a very long season for this squad. Maybe it’s all that malt liquor shipped over from the sponsors…
20 – Blades – The Blades defense is their downfall, although their scoring isn’t so hot at this point either. There are going to be a bunch of teams fighting for that last playoff spot this season, and without making some improvements, the Blades could have one of the biggest uphill battles in the league.
21 - Sioux – The Sioux have been underperforming thus far, and it’s showing. With guys like Eric Staal and Jaromir Jagr in the line-up, one has to wonder why they aren’t posting any points? They will need to find a way of jump-starting their offence if they hope to see the post season in the tough Western conference.
22 – Aces – The Aces are a mystery. They’ve been hovering around the top of the standings for the last few season, and on paper, improved over the off-season with some key trades and free agent signings. This team was built for offense at the expense of defense, and unfortunately this strategy has resulted in neither. Having one of the best goalies in the league means nothing if your defense has more holes in it than a slice of swiss cheese. Look for the Aces to shake things up with some big trades in the near future.
23 – Owls – Another team that looks good on paper, but unfortunately for them, there are a lot of teams in this league that look good on paper as well. If they can’t close the gap between goals scored and goals allowed, this is another team that will be dusting off the golf clubs early this year.
24 – Canucks – What can you say about the Canucks? They’re just plain bad, and that was before they suffered a barrage of key injuries. At least there’s a number one draft pick in their future…
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