The Canadian Hockey League announced today the Week 5 edition of the Kia CHL Top-10 Rankings for the 2022-23 season.
Kia CHL Top-10 Rankings – Week 5
1. Quebec Remparts
2. Winnipeg ICE
3. Red Deer Rebels
4. Sherbrooke Phoenix
5. Seattle Thunderbirds
6. Ottawa 67’s
7. Windsor Spitfires
8. Portland Winterhawks
9. Halifax Mooseheads
10. Saskatoon Blades
HM. Kamloops Blazers
HM. Moncton Wildcats
HM. Peterborough Petes
A new leader reigns supreme nationally as the Quebec Remparts continue to impress. Currently riding a 10-game streak in which the club is unbeaten in regulation, the past week counted three more victories in which Quebec scored at least six times in each outing. Standing atop the QMJHL with 66 goals, the offensively dynamic Remparts are led by St. Louis Blues 2021 first rounder Zachary Bolduc who has dominated with 21 points in 10 outings.
Winners of eight straight, the Winnipeg ICE continue to pile up points with the past week underscored by back-to-back victories over rival Brandon. In taking in Winnipeg this season, a name circled by talent evaluators is gifted centre Zach Benson who is currently riding a six-game point streak in which he has collected three goals and six assists, flashing the intriguing offensive skill set that sees him project as an opening-round selection in the upcoming NHL Draft per Central Scouting.
Continuing to make noise out west, the Red Deer Rebels climb to third nationally after pushing their season-opening unbeaten streak to 13 consecutive victories. Adding three more wins in the past week coming against Victoria, Vancouver, and Edmonton, leading the way for the Rebels was veteran centre Kai Uchacz who notched four goals and two assists in the trio of outings including the game winner coming as part of a multi-goal showing against the Royals.
Picking up two more victories on the week, the Sherbrooke Phoenix pushed their win streak to four straight following key decisions over Cape Breton and Blainville-Boisbriand, with the former seeing the Phoenix rally for a trio of goals in the game’s second half to come away with the victory. Among the highlights was a three-goal effort from veteran forward Israel Mianscum to mark his second career hat-trick. On the season, Mianscum has shined with 12 points in 13 games.
Breaking even in a two-game set in Prince George, the Seattle Thunderbirds remain atop the WHL’s Western Conference with a showing of 9-1-0-0. Finding the win column Friday, leading the way to victory for the Thunderbirds was a pair of two-goal efforts from Montreal Canadiens up-and-coming centre Jared Davidson as well as Vegas Golden Knights budding pivot Jordan Gustafson, both of whom heard their names called in this past summer’s NHL Draft. On the season, Davidson’s 17 points sit tied for first in team scoring.
Falling short Friday in their first loss of the season, the Ottawa 67’s rebounded two nights later in coming up with a big win over Sudbury. Standing atop the OHL with 20 points in 11 outings, the 67’s are headlined by talented left-wing Luca Pinelli, a projected mid-round selection in the upcoming NHL Draft who has collected 15 points counting six goals and nine assists in 11 games this season. Pinelli is the brother of Kitchener captain Francesco Pinelli, a Los Angeles Kings draftee.
Adding four of six points on the week, the Windsor Spitfires headline the OHL’s Western Conference with an 8-1-3-0 showing. Among the highlights for the club over the past week was an 11-3 pasting of Niagara that saw eight different skaters light the lamp for the winning side including a trio of multi-goal efforts and eight players who recorded two points or better. Among the producers was 2004-born centre Ryan Abraham who leads the Spitfires with 18 points in 12 games.
Hosting Kelowna in a weekend set, the Portland Winterhawks rebounded with a 5-3 victory Saturday after falling short in the extra frame the night prior. Now through 10 outings on the season, the Winterhawks have impressed in surrendered a lone loss in regulation and sit a single point shy of tops in the WHL’s Western Conference. Pushing the pace for Portland is overage right-wing Robbie Fromm-Delorme who has notched 14 points on the season counting five goals and nine assists.
Continuing to turn heads, the Halifax Mooseheads have pieced together a six-game streak in which they stand undefeated in regulation. The past week saw the Mooseheads record five of six points on the road, including Friday’s overtime thriller in Val-d’Or in which talented rearguard and San Jose Sharks 2022 fifth-round selection Jake Furlong dazzled with a three-point performance underscored by the game-winning goal coming just 50 seconds into the bonus frame that marked his second tally of the night.
Earning national honours in back-to-back weeks, the Saskatoon Blades closed out a five-game road swing with a pair of hard-battled contests underscored by Friday’s 2-1 win in Medicine Hat. En route to the victory, the Blades witnessed a solid showing between the pipes from rookie netminder Austin Elliott who turned aside 28 shots to find the win column for the fifth time this season as he improved to a 1.66 goals-against average alongside a dominant .939 save percentage.
Honourable mention:
Returning to their winning ways, the 2023 Memorial Cup presented by Kia host Kamloops Blazers were perfect on the week, securing a pair of victories over Spokane. The Blazers continue to see a dominant performance from hometown product and Dallas Stars draftee Logan Stankoven who sits fifth in WHL scoring with 19 points in only eight appearances.
Picking up points in eight-straight outings, the Moncton Wildcats are on the cusp of national consideration. Adding two more victories on the week including an impressive doubling-up of Gatineau, among the names to watch in Moncton this season has been budding blue-liner Etienne Morin who has registered 15 points in a dozen outings.
Skating into the spotlight for the first time this season, the Peterborough Petes continue to climb the ranks in the OHL’s Eastern Conference after winning three straight highlighted by Friday’s 5-3 road win in Ottawa that handed the opposition their first defeat of the season.
