CALGARY, Alta. – Heading into mid-October, a group of Canadian Junior Hockey League clubs are off to solid starts in the 2022-23 campaign.
Here’s a look at the ‘Power Numbers’ of the top teams, currently leading the way, in their respective CJHL league:
MHL: Summerside Western Capitals
Head Coach: Billy McGuigan
Website: gocapsgo.ca
Twitter: @SsideCapitals
Following some postponements of Maritime Hockey League contests, due the affects of Hurricane Fiona, Billy McGuigan’s Summerside squad are right back where they left off last season, where they won the MHL championship.
Heading into a road contest Friday, versus the Campbellton Tigers, the Western Capitals boast a 5-0-0-0 to top the 12-team MHL, in terms of winning percentage.
Trentyn Crane paces the Western Caps in scoring with 11 points, in the five outings, with 11 points, six tallies.
His 2.20 point-per-game pace ties him for second in MHL numbers in that department.
Rookie netminder Ryan Knight is 3-0 in his brief tenure while Brandon Abbott won both his starts, and sports the best save percentage in the league at .941.
Summerside is also clicking at a sizzling 48% success rate on the power play so far in 2022-23.
With files from James Faulkner, Director of Communications (MHL)
LHJAAAQ: Princeville Titan
Head Coach: Guillaume St-Denis
Website: titanprinceville.com
Twitter: @TitanLHJAAAQ
Rolling right along at 10-0-0-0, No. 2 CJHL-ranked Princeville leads the way in the 13-team Quebec AAA Junior Hockey League.
Boasting a LHJAAQ-high 65 goals so far, the Titan see the duo of Louis-Charles Plourde and Philippe Lecours sharing the league lead in offensive production with 26 points apiece.
Each player has tallied 13 times and have doled out as many assists.
Teammate Maxime Boisvert sits third in LHJAAAQ scoring with 23 points, featuring a league-best 15 helpers.
Four different goaltenders have seen action for Princeville to date, with Jacob Carrier leading the way at 4-0.
Then there is Frederic Duteau-Labonte at 3-0, Tyson Beaudoin having gone 2-0 and Mathieu Mongrain winning in his only appearance.
The Titan have also gone 18 for 53 while on the man advantage, for a success rate of nearly 34%. On the P.K., they are at 84.31%, a close second in the league behind Collège Français Longueuil’s 85%.
With files from Francis Dupont, Director of Communications (LHJAAAQ)
CCHL: Ottawa Jr. A Senators
Head Coach: Kyle Makaric
Website: ottawajuniorsenators.com
Twitter: @OttawaJrSens
Holding down first overall in the Central Canada Hockey League by the slimmest of margins, the Ottawa Jr. A Senators have reeled off six straight victories, including multiple triumphs in the just completed CCHL Fall Showcase.
Their .857 winning percentage ties them with the Rockland Nationals for the best mark in the CCHL, but have one more win to their credit, with Rockland having yet to lose in regulation. Joining them with 12 points apiece are the Renfrew Wolves.
Defensive play has been solid for Ottawa sees the defending Bogart Cup title holders having only allowed 13 goals-against through seven games.
Much of this can be attributed to the play of netminder Connor Shibley, who leads the CCHL in both average and save percentage at 0.99 and .967 respectively.
He is also 4-0 to begin the season, with teammate Rorke Applebee having gone 2-1 and having a .925 save mark.
Up front, a well-balanced attack have seen 13 skaters supply goals so far this season.
Leading the Senators offensively is Massimo Gentile, who has nine points, including a team-high five goals.
He is followed by the foursome of Anton Sorenson, Emile Villiard, Vincent Velocci and Wil Murphy with six points apiece.
A solid 96.7% rate sees Ottawa pace the CCHL on the penalty kill and they are fifth on the man advantage at 18.2%.
With files from Sean Marcellus, Director of Operations (CCHL)
OJHL: Milton Menace
Head Coach: Dan Del Monte
Website: miltonmenace.com
Twitter: @MenaceOJHL
Dan Del Monte’s squad have impressed right from the start of the campaign, having yet to lose in regulation time through 11 games, on 10 wins and one overtime setback.
This includes seven triumphs in a row and boasting the best winning percentage in the Ontario Junior Hockey League at .955.
Milton’s top offensive player is Aidan Hughes, who is contributing at a two-point-per-game clip with 22 in 11 contests. His 10 tallies and dozen assists place him seventh in OJHL scoring.
Lucas Buzziol sits second on the squad in scoring with 15 points, followed by defenceman Owen Forestor’s 13, which knots him for fifth among league blueliners.
The Menace tandem of Christian Trianni (5-0-0) and Will Goumas (5-0-1) have been solid as well.
Having handled 92.19% of the times they’ve been shorthanded, sees Milton sitting second overall in the OJHL in that department. They are 10th overall on the power play at 20.34%.
With files from Jim Mason, Director of Communications (OJHL)
NOJHL: Blind River Beavers
Head Coach: Kyle Brick
Website: blindriverbeavers.com
Twitter: @BeaversNOJHL
Despite having a league-high eight-game winning streak dashed by the reigning NOJHL champion Soo Thunderbirds Tuesday night, Blind River still sits atop the 12-team overall standings with a record of 10-2-0-0.
Kyle Brick has built a team that has scored the second-most goals in the NOJHL with 50 and are allowing under two tallies against, with just 23 given up.
Four players have double-digit point totals to date, with veteran forward Caleb Minns leading the way with 15, including 13 assists. Jesse Dupuis (7g-7a), Evan Fraccaro (5g-8a) and Michael Gallagher (4g-6a) also have 10-plus points.
Right behind them with nine is Joshua Thompson, who is riding an eight-game point streak. Defenceman Ethan Pegg also has nine points with his three goals to date all being game-winners.
Goaltenders Gavin Disano (6-1 – 2.00 – .933) and Charlie Burns (4-1 – 1.80 – .931) have done their part between the pipes.
The Beavers are second in the NOJHL on the PP at 27.9% and fourth on the PK at 87.2%.
With files from Scott Marshall, Statistician (NOJHL)
SIJHL: Kam River Fighting Walleye
Head Coach: Matt Valley
Website: fightingwalleye.com
Twitter: @KamRiverWalleye
Even though suffering their initial defeats of the season on a weekend road trip that saw them go 1-1-1, Kam River still sits in top spot in the SIJHL at 5-1-0-1.
A balanced offensive group sees 14 different players with goals and eight with four-plus points.
Ethan Lang leads that contingent at a point-per-game run with seven in as many outings with four goals and three assists.
The duo of Holden Woodcroft and rookie Euan Morrison have a half dozen points each with Cooper Fink, Carson Gorst and Eli Nelson having chipped in with five apiece.
Second-year goaltender Eric Vanska has gone 4-0-0-1 to date with rookie Jack Orchard having a 1-1-0-0 mark.
The Walleye have yet to find their special teams grove as of yet, sitting fourth in the league on the PK at 84.2% and seventh via the man advantage at 7.7%.
With files from SIJHLhockey.com
MJHL: Steinbach Pistons
Head Coach: Paul Dyck
Website: steinbachpistons.ca
Twitter: @MJHLPistons
Steinbach is in a virtual dead-heat with the 2023 Centennial Cup-host Portage Terriers, for first place in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League standings at 9-1-0-0, with the Pistons having one more victory in regulation to their credit.
Each team also has a shootout triumph as well.
The Steinbach trio of Davis Fry, Travis Hensrud and Ty Paisley are the top three MJHL point producers through 10 games.
Fry leads the way with 19 points, on nine markers and 10 helpers.
The Hensrud and Paisley tandem are right behind him with 18 points, having each scored seven times while setting up 11 others.
Three of Paisley’s tallies have been game-winners, which ties him for the league lead.
Goaltender Dominik Wasik has a 4-1-0-0 record along with a 2.01 GAA and .928 SV% with teammate Cole Plowman being unbeaten at 5-0-0-0 and having an average of 2.56, along with an .899 save mark.
The Pistons power play presently paces the MJHL, converting at a success rate of 29.5%. They are fourth overall while shorthanded though at 84.8%.
With files from Kyle Prystupa, Manager, Programming & Communications (MJHL)
SJHL: Battlefords North Stars
Head Coach: Brayden Klimosko
Website: northstars.ca
Twitter: @SJHL_NorthStars
As the top-rated team in the CJHL, the Battlefords North Stars have skated to 10 victories in as many games to begin play for 2022-23 in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League.
Brayden Klimosko’s side have been solid in all areas, pacing the SJHL in goals scored with 51 while allowing the fewest, with only 17 against.
Getting offensive production from the likes of Jake Southgate, Steven Kesserling and Kian Bell has seen the forward trio supply a combined 40 points so far this season.
Southgate’s 14 points leads the team while Kesserling and Bell are nearby with 13 each.
Meanwhile four of Keiton Klein’s team-leading nine tallies have been game-winners, which tops the SJHL.
Stellar netminding from Josh Kotai sees him sport a solid 8-0 record while leading all league stoppers in both goals-against average and save percentage at 1.23 and .962 respectively.
The North Stars sit second in the SJHL in power play proficiency at 30.2% and are sixth while shorthanded at 80.4%.
With files from Jeromy Corrigan, Media Manager (SJHL)
AJHL: Brooks Bandits
Head Coach: Ryan Papaioannou
Website: brooksbandits.ca
Twitter: @BrooksBandits
Back in a familiar perch, the defending national champions have won six straight and moved into first place in the Alberta Junior Hockey League standings with 19 points.
At 9-1-1-0, Brooks is one-point ahead of the 9-1-0-0 Spruce Grove Saints, who do currently boast the best winning percentage in the AJHL at .900.
With a roster of 16 players already having secured NCAA Division I commitments, the Bandits are just one off the league-lead in goals with 52 and share having given up the fewest with 26 against.
With three of the AJHL’s Top 5 point producers, Brooks is receiving solid contributions up front.
Leading the team is Aiden Fink, as the University of Wisconsin commit, whose 17 points also tie him for first overall in the league.
Teammate Dario Beljo holds down a share of third overall in the AJHL with 16 points and rookie Hudson Malinoski in close by with 15.
Ethan Barwick’s eight wins pace the league, as does his 2.11 goals-against average.
He sits fourth-best in save percentage at .918.
Special teams see the Bandits shining as they are No. 1 in AJHL power play proficiency at 28.8% and are No. 2 on the penalty kill at 89.1%.
With files from Charla Flett, Executive Director (AJHL)
Photo credit: Chad Goddard Photography