Raiders Extend Reign Atop Kia CHL Top 10 Rankings to 14 Weeks
Published on January 24, 2019 under Western Hockey League (WHL) News Release
Toronto, Ont. - The Canadian Hockey League today announced the week eighteen edition of the Kia CHL Top-10 Rankings for the 2018-19 season. The weekly rankings of the CHL's Top-10 teams are selected by a panel of National Hockey League scouts.
Make it 14-straight weeks at the top of the Kia CHL Top 10 Rankings for the Prince Albert Raiders, who went 3-0-0-1 over the past week, becoming the first team in the CHL to reach 40 wins this season. Their 40th win came against the Victoria Royals as part of their biennial road trip through the B.C. Division. The trio of Noah Gregor (San Jose Sharks), Parker Kelly (Ottawa Senators), and Cole Fonstad (Montreal Canadiens) have led the Raiders through the first three weeks of the 2019 calendar year with 10 points each while 2019 NHL Draft prospect Brett Leason is right behind with nine points. The Raiders will finish the B.C. Division portion of their road trip at the Langley Events Centre against the Vancouver Giants on Thursday, January 24 (7:30 p.m. PT), with the game available coast-to-coast on Sportsnet.
Earning a spot in the Kia CHL Top 10 Rankings this week were the Everett Silvertips, who held onto the seventh following a trio of tough losses. Despite the setbacks, the Silvertips still enjoy a seven-point lead atop the U.S. Division and Western Conference standings heading into late January. The release of the midterm rankings by NHL Central Scouting for the 2019 NHL Draft featured a pair of Silvertips in defenceman Gianni Fairbrother, ranked 85th among North American skaters, and Dustin Wolf, ranked 17th among North American goaltenders. The Silvertips have had at least one player selected in the NHL Draft in five of the past seven years and stand a good chance at making it six out of eight this coming June. In action next, the Silvertips make their second-to-last trip of the year to Kennewick, Wash. to take on the Tri-City Americans on Friday, January 25 (7:05 p.m. PT).
Receiving a honourable mention this week were the Vancouver Giants, who extended their winning streak to six games with a trio of victories over the past seven days. Following a 5-4 overtime win against the Americans Wednesday, the Giants also topped the Spokane Chiefs by a 6-4 final, and the Moose Jaw Warriors by a 2-1 score in overtime. 2019 NHL Draft prospect Bowen Byram, ranked fourth among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting, continued to impress at the 2019 Sherwin-Williams CHL/NHL Top Prospects in Red Deer, Alta. Wednesday. Byram also has the CHL lead in goals among defencemen with 16 through 43 games. He'll be back in action with the Giants when they play host to the Raiders on Sportsnet Thursday, January 24 (7:30 p.m. PT) at the Langley Events Centre.
Kia CHL Top 10 Rankings - Week 18:
Rank: Team: Last Week Rank: Number of Weeks Ranked:
1 Prince Albert Raiders (40-5-0-2) 1 16
2 Rouyn-Noranda Huskies (39-7-0-1) 2 15
3 Drummondville Voltigeurs (35-9-1-0) 4 13
4 London Knights (30-7-5-1) 3 14
5 Ottawa 67's (32-9-3-1) 6 15
6 Baie-Comeau Drakkar (33-9-2-1) 7 16
7 Everett Silvertips (33-12-1-1) 5 9
8 Halifax Mooseheads (32-10-2-1) 8 18
9 Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (30-10-4-1) 9 5
10 Niagara IceDogs (27-10-7-0) 10 8
Honourable Mention:
Saginaw Spirit (28-12-2-2) - 3
Vancouver Giants (29-12-2-0) - 13
Rimouski Oceanic (29-14-3-0) - 3
Western Hockey League Stories from January 24, 2019
- Raiders Extend Reign Atop Kia CHL Top 10 Rankings to 14 Weeks - WHL
- Kia CHL Top 10 Rankings Unveiled - WHL
- Kelowna Rockets Ready for Trio of Games - Kelowna Rockets
- Hitmen Expand Corral Series Luncheon to Include Second Hot Stove Panel - Calgary Hitmen
- Portland Scores Four Straight to Upend the Americans 4-2 at Home - Portland Winterhawks
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