TFHL Power Rankings - End of Season Report

TFHL Power Rankings - End of Season Report

Welcome to the TFHL Power Rankings - End of season report. The rankings haven't been updated since the end of last season (due to the laziness of the report's author), but what better time to re-examine the TFHL's movers-and-shakers than right now, interspersed with some playoff musings. So, here we go...

* Previous ranking from last season shown in brackets

1 (6) – Pain – Consistently one of the leagues best teams, the Pain claim the top spot in this most recent survey. Despite finishing 2nd in the West, they boast the league's most potent offense which is complimented by one of the league's best defenses. They are completely healthy going into the post season, and could very well be the team to beat for the cup.

2 (3) – Flames – The Flames have always been one of the best defensive teams in the league, and this season has been no exception. Goalie Barry Brust has finally seemed to find his stride after being a disappointment with the Aces last season - mind you he didn't have much help in front of him back then. If he can stay healthy and perform up to his talent level in the playoffs, the Flames will be right there with the Pain battling it out for the Western Conference title.

3 (9) – Ice – The Ice are built for defense, and have arguably been the best defensive team in the TFHL for several seasons running. Scoring however has always been a bit of a concern for this squad, although when you're able to hold your opponents to roughly 2.5 goals per game, you don't need to generate that much offense to keep yourself in the win column.

4 (4) – Bobcats – Talk about consistency - the Bobcats remain in 4th spot - the same position they held a season ago. Although the Eastern Conference seems on paper to be weaker than the West, capturing the Eastern title has to count for something. The Bobcats do seem to be the team to beat in the East, but let's not forget that the same was true last season when they were handed a round one defeat by the lowly Aces - the same team they will have to meet again in round one this season. Can history repeat itself? Probably not, but the author of this ranking certainly hopes it will! :)

5 (2) – Spirit – Going on a 7-1-2 run to end the season, the Spirit are no doubt one of the league's hottest team heading into the post-season. If they can keep up this momentum and avoid injury, this could be..... I won't jinx it by making the prediction. ;)

6 (14) – Young Guns – Speaking of hot teams, how about an 8-0-2 record to round out the season? The streak earns them the 6th spot in the rankings, but scoring looks to be a concern for the Guns. Much like the Ice however, the Guns are the East's best defensive team, and if they can continue to keep the puck out of their own net, a hand full of well timed goals may be all they need.

7 (7) – Saints – The Saints have some offensive threats that make most teams in the league shiver. Higgins, Lombardi, Arnott, Kovalchuk - shall I continue the list? If the league's 'canonized crew' can hone up on their defensive skills, the East could be theirs for the taking. The Saints hold steady at #7.

8 (5) – Blackhawks - Finishing the season strong (6-2-2) earns the Blackhawks the 8th slot. Hanging around in the middle of the pack of the Western Conference is an accomplishment, and they could very well make some noise in the playoffs given their ability to put the puck in the net.

9 (12) - Sioux – Another team earning their top-10 ranking with recent success are the Sioux. Ending the season with a 6-3-1 record shows some degree of perseverance. Whether or not playoff success is in the cards however remains to be seen.

10 (17) – Mauraders – They finished the season with a wimper, but nonetheless capture the final spot in the coveted top 10 of the league's elite. A relatively well-balanced squad with some potential, and some definite improvement over last season, the Mauraders seem to be a team on the rise.

11 (15) – Hurricanes – The Canes have what could be considered the most balanced offensive/defensive team in the leauge. While most teams seem to be one or the other, the Hurricanes boast an anemic GAA while maintaining a respectable level of GF. The Cane's have never been a team to be taken lightly, and that respect is certainly still in tact.

12 (?? sorry, forgotten the former team name, and thus previous ranking) - Fog Devils - This is the most 50/50 team in the league - talk about balance! 35 wins to 36 loss; 235 GF, 235 GA; finished the season 5-5-0. If symmetry means anything, The Fog Devils are in good shape if geometry is your thing!

13 (?? sorry, forgotten the former team name) - Ignite - finishing below .500 is never a good indicator, but this squad has some pretty good scoring potential. The weakness is on defense however, which could use some work in order to launch this team into the elite level of the leauge.

14 (20) – Blades – The Blades are definitely an improved bunch over last season, and possibly one of the TFHL's rising stars. There's a lot of youth wearing the Blades jersey right now, and have nothing but upside potential going forward. It might be an uphill climb for this year's playoffs, but with a decent draft position this off season and perhaps some key free agent signings, the Blades could be a big threat for many seasons to come.

15 (8) – Achaeans - Quality defensive play has been lacking for the Achaeans this season, leading to their somewhat disappointing finish. They have clinched a playoff spot in the West however, so if the goalies can step up as they have in the past, anything could happen.

16 (16) – Wheat Kings – You have to feel somewhat sorry for the Wheat Kings and their fall from grace - The Cup champions of just one season ago are left hanging up their skates early this season, finishing out of a playoff spot in the West. Obviously a disappointing season, but if there is a bright spot to be found, they maintain their #16 ranking of one year ago.

17 (13) – Raiders – Also on the outside looking in at the playoffs are the Raiders. Expect some moves by the Raider's veteran GM in the off-season to get the Raider's back on track.

18 (24) – Reservoir Dogs – Despite finishing out of a playoff spot again this season, the Dogs have managed to shake their 'worst team' label from last season. This franchise seems to be making a comeback under the leadership of a new GM, and fans of this team have to be happy with the performance. If this team can find some scoring in the off season, next year could see them making a run for a playoff spot.

19 (18) – Aces – For the second season in a row, the Aces have managed to stumble back assward into the playoffs on the final day of the season. Spending the entire season in the basement due to a terrible defensive effort, this is indeed surprising. In spite of the atrocious GA tally this season however, the Aces can be offensively potent. If Vokoun can step up in net as he did in last year's playoffs, an upset in the rematch against the Bobcats - although unlikely - isn't out of the question.

20 (21) – Pontiacs – The Pontiacs missed the playoffs by a whisker, but that doesn't say much when we're discussing the East. There is some optimism though - although they are in the process of rebuilding under new GM leadership, they are indeed rebuilding, and may make some noise next season.

21 (11) – Rednex – The Rednex slipped quite a bit this year following some high profile trades including their long time captain, Todd Bertuzzi. They have gotten younger however, and can only get better. A surprise performance from rookie netminder Alexandre Vincent should be cause for great hope in Redneck land.

22 (23) – Owls – Although the Owls are still languishing in the bottom of the standings, they have improved over last season. Last year they were by far the worst defensive team in the league. Although still not spectacular, they have shown much improvement in their ability to keep the goal judge from pressing that red light button at their end of the ice. And the really good news? The Owls will be picking 1-2 in the entry draft.

23 (1) – Renegades – Wow! What a difference a season makes, going from 1st to 23rd in the rankings. It's difficult to pinpoint any one reason for the free fall, but it's safe to say that much work will be needed in the off season. What does this show? In the TFHL, success isn't always predictable.

24 (22) – Misconducts – The Misconducts are the ones honoured this season with the dubious distinction of being the league's worst defensive team with 281 goals against. To add insult to injury, the Misconducts have also traded away their 1st round pick, which also officially lands them in the last spot of this ranking.