There hasn’t been much of a shakeup to the top five in this version of the Chirps from Center Ice AHL Power Rankings. The top five from last time are still in the top five, but there has been some shuffling with the top four.
Milwaukee and Tucson remain the class of the West, Hershey may be the best team in the East, and there are teams elevatoring up and down as we go through January.
After Hershey, jump through to see where your favorite team ended up this time if you didn’t link in direct.
1
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Last Games: MIL 3 @ GR 0, GR 3 @ MIL 2, MIL 3 @ CHI 2 (SO), MIL 2 @ CLE 3 (OT), MIL 4 @ CLE 5, GR 3 @ MIL 2 |
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Still lead the Central by a lot, so a few slip ups here and there don’t hurt. Are the class of the division for certain. |
+1
|
Next Games: vs. RFD 1/10, vs. RFD 1/11, @ RFD 1/14, vs. CHI 1/15, @ CHI 1/18, vs. BEL 1/21 |
| Record: 24-7-4-2 |
2
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Last Games: COL 4 @ TUC 3, COL 4 @ TUC 1, SD 4 @ TUC 7, SJ 1 @ TUC 5, SJ 5 @ TUC 4 (OT) |
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Since we last did these, the Roadrunners went 2-2-1. Is this a trend worth keeping an eye on? That’s for you to decide. |
-1
|
Next Games: @ COL 1/10, @ COL 1/11, @ SD 1/17, @ ONT 1/18, @ SD 1/21 |
| Record: 25-7-1-0 |
3
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Last Games: HFD 1 @ BRI 5, PRO 1 @ HFD 4, BRI 2 @ HFD 3, HFD 3 @ PRO 1, UTI 1 @ HFD 3, HFD 2 @ HER 1 |
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Hartford sill lead in the Atlantic, but for how long? Star goalie Igor Shesterkin is with the Rangers now. The Wolf Pack have him to thank for this lead that they have. |
+1
|
Next Games: vs. CHA 1/10, @ WBS 1/11, @ UTI 1/15, @ UTI 1/17, @ HER 1/18 |
| Record: 22-8-2-5 |
4
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Last Games: BEL 3 @ ROC 4, ROC 0 @ BNG 2, ROC 2 @ UTI 3, ROC 4 @ BEL 3 (OT), ROC 2 @ TOR 5, BNG 4 @ ROC 3 (SO) |
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We find it funny how the Rochester Americans can throttle every team in their division except the last place Binghamton Devils, who got the Amerks twice the last time we did this. |
-1
|
Next Games: vs. BEL 1/10, @ SYR 1/11, vs. CLE 1/17, @ LV 1/18, @ HER 1/19, @ CLE 1/22 |
| Record: 21-9-2-3 |
5
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Last Games: HER 6 @ UTI 5 (OT), WBS 2 @ HER 1, HER 3 @ LV 0, HER 6 @ WBS 2, BRI 1 @ HER 2, BRI 2 @ HER 4, HFD 2 @ HER 1 |
 |
Shakeup in goal in Hartford leaves the door wide open for Hershey to essentially now run away with this division based off of their current run of play. The Bears look like the only team in the Atlantic that wants to win on a consistent basis. |
n/a
|
Next Games: @ WBS 1/10, vs. CLE 1/11, @ CHA 1/14, @ CHA 1/15, vs. HFD 1/18,vs. ROC 1/19, @ SPR 1/22 |
| Record: 21-11-2-3 |
6
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Last Games: STK 8 @ SJ 1, STK 3 @ BAK 4, SJ 0 @ STK 4, ONT 3 @ STK 6, ONT 2 @ STK 1, BAK 2 @ STK 4 |
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Don’t see any reason why this run doesn’t end for Stockton. The offense really comes through for them when they need it to. |
n/a
|
Next Games: @ SJ 1/11, @ SJ 1/12, vs. SD 1/15, @ ONT 1/17, vs. COL 1/18, vs. COL 1/20 |
| Record: 21-7-2-3 |
7
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Last Games: HER 2 @ UTI 1 (OT), UTI 4 @ LV 2, ROC 2 @ UTI 3, SPR 3 @ UTI 2, UTI 1 @ HFD 3, UTI 3 @ BEL 2 |
 |
Amazing run that Utica has been on. A team which has picked itself off of the mat sit a point out of the division lead. But for a trip west to Syracuse, are home until just before the All-Star break. |
+5
|
Next Games: vs. LV 1/10, vs. BEL 1/11, vs. HFD 1/15, vs. HFD 1/17, vs. CLE 1/18, @ SYR 1/20, vs. BNG 1/22 |
| Record: 21-12-2-2 |
8
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Last Games: IA 6 @ RFD 2, CHI 4 @ IA 3, TEX 4 @ IA 5, RFD 1 @ IA 5, IA 5 @ CHI 1, IA 3 @ SD 2 |
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Wild have had some hiccups, but they have been the class of the Central, as long as your name isn’t Milwaukee. |
+5
|
Next Games: @ SD 1/10, @ BAK 1/11, @ BAK 1/14, vs. SJ 1/17, vs. SJ 1/18, vs. TEX 1/20, @ GR 1/22 |
| Record: 21-12-2-2 |
9
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Last Games: CHA 5 @ CLE 1, CHA 3 @ CLE 1, CHA 4 @ PRO 0, CHA 4 @ PRO 1, CHA 6 @ WBS 3 |
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Six in a row for your defending champs. They are getting hot, and you all remember what happens when this team goes on a run. |
+6
|
Next Games: @ HFD 1/10, @ BRI 1/11, vs. HER 1/14, vs. HER 1/15, vs. TOR 1/18, vs. TOR 1/19 |
| Record: 19-13-3-0 |
10
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Last Games: COL 4 @ TUC 3, COL 4 @ TUC 1, COL 1 @ MB 0, COL 3 @ MB 4 (OT) |
 |
Eagles are unbeaten in regulation in 11 straight contests and prior to the OT loss Saturday in Winnipeg, had won eight straight. Stockton and Tucson had thrusted forward, the Eagles are slowly catching up. |
+4
|
Next Games: vs. TUC 1/10, vs. TUC 1/11, @ SJ 1/15, @ BAK 1/17, @ STK 1/18, @ STK 1/20 |
| Record: 18-10-3-1 |
11
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Last Games: CHI 4 @ IA 3, MIL 3 @ CHI 2 (SO), CHI 2 @ GR 0, TEX 2 @ CHI 1 (OT), IA 5 @ CHI 1, CHI 3 @ RFD 2 |
 |
Wolves flip a 6-2-1-1 run into a top four seeding in the Central. Tough in division games coming up here. |
+7
|
Next Games: @ SA 1/10, @ SA 1/11, @ MIL 1/15, vs. MIL 1/18, vs. RFD 1/19 |
| Record: 17-17-3-1 |
12
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Last Games: TOR 3 @ LAV 2, TOR 1 @ LAV 6, LAV 4 @ BEL 3 (SO), LV 0 @ LAV 4, SYR 2 @ LAV 3 |
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Seems everyone is streaking in the North and Laval is one of them, four straight wins and looking at the schedule, probably going to continue. |
+4
|
Next Games: @ SYR 1/10, @ LV 1/11, @ BRI 1/12, @ MB 1/18, @ MB 1/19, vs. SYR 1/22 |
| Record: 19-14-3-1 |
13
|
Last Games: BEL 3 @ TOR 2, BEL 3 @ RCH 4, SYR 2 @ BEL 8, LAV 4 @ BEL 3 (SO), ROC 4 @ BEL 3 (OT), LV 3 @ BEL 5, UTI 3 @ BEL 2 |
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Belleville has been playing OK for now. Seriously, no one gets more out of his team than Troy Mann. Amazing that two AHL teams let this guy go as their coach already. |
-5
|
Next Games: @ ROC 1/10, @ UTI 1/11, @ MB 1/13, @ MB 1/15, @ GR 1/18, @ RFD 1/20, @ MIL 1/21 |
| Record: 20-13-2-1 |
14
|
Last Games: PRO 4 @ SPR 3, SPR 4 @ BRI 3 (OT), SPR 5 @ WBS 4 (SO), SPR 3 @ UTI 2, SPR 6 @ WBS 3 |
 |
Thunderbirds use a four game win streak to push past the Penguins for the four seed in the Atlantic, they beat Wilkes-Barre twice last week. |
+7
|
Next Games: vs. BRI 1/10, vs. PRO 1/11, @ PRO 1/12, @ SYR 1/17, @ PRO 1/19, vs. HER 1/22 |
| Record: 20-16-2-0 |
15
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Last Games: IA 6 @ RFD 2, RFD 2 @ MB 3, RFD 3 @ MB 4, RFD 1 @ IA 5, CHI 3 @ RFD 2, MB 1 @ RFD 4 |
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Rockford snap a six game losing streak in Winnipeg on Wednesday and are now all of a sudden a playoff team. Funny how the game works sometimes. |
-6
|
Next Games: @ MIL 1/10, @ MIL 1/11, vs. MIL 1/14, @ GR 1/15, @ GR 1/17, @ CHI 1/19, vs. BEL 1/20, vs. TEX 1/22 |
| Record: 18-16-0-1 |
16
|
Last Games: CHA 5 @ CLE 1, CHA 3 @ CLE 1, CLE 4 @ TOR 1, MIL 2 @ CLE 3 (OT), MIL 4 @ CLE 5 |
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Monsters have won three straight, including sweeping Milwaukee at home, and things are all of a sudden getting tight in the North in mid-January. |
+10
|
Next Games: @ BNG 1/10, @ HER 1/11, @ LV 1/12, @ BNG 1/15, @ RCH 1/17, @ UTI 1/18, vs. ROC 1/22 |
| Record: 17-15-1-2 |
17
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Last Games: TEX 3 @ SA 2 (SO), SA 5 @ TEX 4 (OT), GR 5 @ SA 3, GR 4 @ SA 5 |
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Besides Milwaukee and sometimes Iowa, the Central has been sub par, so that means teams like San Antonio remain in the mix. |
+2
|
Next Games: vs. CHI 1/10, vs. CHI 1/11, vs. TOR 1/12, vs. TOR 1/16, vs. WBS 1/18, vs. WBS 1/21 |
| Record: 13-14-5-4 |
18
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Last Games: SD 6 @ ONT 1, ONT 3 @ SD 2 (OT), ONT 4 @ BAK 3 (OT), ONT 3 @ STK 6, ONT 2 @ STK 1, ONT 0 @ SJ 9 |
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Seems when the Reign lose, they lose big. Still OK for now, but Ontario give up the most goals in their division. |
+5
|
Next Games: vs. BAK 1/10, @ SD 1/11, vs. STK 1/17, vs. TUC 1/18, vs. BAK 1/20 |
| Record: 16-16-3-1 |
19
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Last Games: BEL 3 @ TOR 2, TOR 3 @ LAV 2, TOR 1 @ LAV 6, CLE 4 @ TOR 1, TOR 2 @ SYR 8, ROC 2 @ TOR 5, LV 4 @ TOR 2 |
 |
Marlies are 3-7 in their last ten, which is unlike them, and are in danger of falling out of the top four with Belleville and Laval pursuing. |
-12
|
Next Games: @ TEX 1/10, @ TEX 1/11, @ SA 1/12, @ SA 1/16, @ CHA 1/18, @ CHA 1/19 |
| Record: 20-12-2-1 |
20
|
Last Games: BNG 2 @ SYR 1 (SO), SYR 2 @ BEL 8, SYR 3 @ BNG 5, TOR 2 @ SYR 8, SYR 2 @ LAV 3 |
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Everyone is on a run in the North, and then there is Syracuse. The Crunch seem disinterested, disengaged, and disheartened. It’s a trend, and not a good one. |
-10
|
Next Games: vs. LAV 1/10, vs. ROC 1/11, @ BNG 1/12, @ LV 1/15, v s. SPR 1/17@ BNG 1/18, vs. UTI 1/20, @ LAV 1/22 |
| Record: 17-15-2-1 |
21
|
Last Games: BNG 2 @ SYR 1 (SO), ROC 0 @ BNG 2, SYR 3 @ BNG 5, BRI 1 @ BNG 3, BNG 4 @ ROC 3 (SO) |
 |
Hey now, the Binghamton Devils are 7-3 in their last ten and certainly not playing like a last place team in their division. Problem is, the North is too top heavy of teams and the Devils have their work cut out for them if they want to make a playoff run. |
+10
|
Next Games: vs. CLE 1/10, vs. SYR 1/12, vs. CLE 1/15, @ LV 1/17, vs. SYR 1/18, @ UTI 1/22 |
| Record: 14-17-4-0 |
22
|
Last Games: PRO 4 @ SPR 3, PRO 1 @ HFD 4, HFD 3 @ PRO 1, CHA 4 @ PRO 0, CHA 4 @ PRO 1 |
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Things are nosediving in Providence. Four game losing streak where they have only scored three goals and got shutout once. |
-11
|
Next Games: @ SPR 1/11, vs. SPR 1/12, vs. BRI 1/17, @ BRI 1/18, vs. SPR 1/19, vs. LV 1/22 |
| Record: 20-15-1-2 |
23
|
Last Games: RFD 2 @ MB 3, RFD 3 @ MB 4, COL 1 @ MB 0, COL 3 @ MB 4 (OT), MB 1 @ RFD 4 |
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Looks like a dog fight in the Central and the Moose are in the thick of it. A couple of home games after a weekend trip to Grand Rapids. |
-3
|
Next Games: @ GR 1/10, @ GR 1/11, vs. BEL 1/13, vs. BEL 1/15, vs. LAV 1/18, vs. LAV 1/19 |
| Record: 18-20-0-0 |
24
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Last Games: TEX 3 @ SA 2 (SO), SA 5 @ TEX 4 (OT), TEX 4 @ IA 5, TEX 2 @ CHI 1 (OT), GR 0 @ TEX 4 |
 |
The door for the Central is wide open and the Stars are hosting some struggling teams coming up in the short term coming from far away. |
-2
|
Next Games: vs. TOR 1/10, vs. TOR 1/11, vs. WBS 1/15, vs. WBS 1/17, @ IA 1/20, @ RFD 1/22 |
| Record: 15-17-2-2 |
25
|
Last Games: STK 3 @ BAK 4, BAK 7 @ SJ 5, ONT 4 @ BAK 3 (OT), BAK 3 @ SD 2, BAK 2 @ SD 1 (SO), BAK 2 @ STK 4 |
 |
Condors are .500 and play Ontario twice before the run up to the all-star break to hopefully put them in the top four as we hit February. |
+4
|
Next Games: @ ONT 1/10, vs. IA 1/11, vs. IA 1/14, vs. COL 1/17, vs. SD 1/18, @ ONT 1/20, vs. SJ 1/22 |
| Record: 14-14-4-1 |
26
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Last Games: LV 2 @ WBS 4, WBS 2 @ HER 1, SPR 5 @ WBS 4 (SO), HER 6 @ WBS 2, SPR 6 @ WBS 3, CHA 6 @ WBS 3 |
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Flaws on defense are exposing this team, badly. They have given up 5, 6, 6 and 6 goals in their last four games, all losses. Schedule doesn’t relent; the top two teams in this weekend before a season long road trip out West. |
-9
|
Next Games: vs. HER 1/10, vs. HFD 1/11, @ TEX 1/15, @ TEX 1/17, @ SA 1/18, @ SA 1/21 |
| Record: 17-15-3-2 |
27
|
Last Games: STJ 8 @ SJ 1, BAK 7 @ SJ 5, SJ 0 @ STK 4, SJ 1 @ TUC 5, SJ 5 @ TUC 4 (OT), ONT 0 @ SJ 9 |
 |
We will see if any momentum carries over into the weekend with Stockton after that 9-0 throttling the Barracuda gave the Reign Wednesday. |
+3
|
Next Games: vs. STK 1/11, vs. STK 1/12, vs. COL 1/15, @ IA 1/17, @ IA 1/18, @ BAK 1/22 |
| Record: 12-18-0-2 |
28
|
Last Games: HFD 1 @ BRI 5, SPR 4 @ BRI 3 (OT), BRI 2 @ HFD 3, BRI 1 @ BNG 3, BRI 1 @ HER 2, BRI 2 @ HER 4 |
 |
They showed a sign there around Christmas that they may have turned things around in Bridgeport, but a five game losing skid out of the break has the Sound Tigers right where we found them around Thanksgiving. |
-4
|
Next Games: @ SPR 1/10, vs. CHA 1/11, vs. LAV 1/12, @ PRO 1/17, vs. PRO 1/18 |
| Record: 13-20-4-1 |
29
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Last Games: SD 6 @ ONT 1, ONT 3 @ SD 2 (OT), SD 4 @ TUC 7, BAK 3 @ SD 2, BAK 2 @ SD 1 (SO), IA 3 @ SD 2 |
 |
Gulls have lost five straight. Looks like they need to be better than Ontario and Bakersfield. |
+4
|
Next Games: vs. IA 1/10, vs. ONT 1/11, @ STK 1/15, vs. TUC 1/17, @ BAK 1/18, vs. TUC 1/21 |
| Record: 12-15-2-2 |
30
|
Last Games: LV 2 @ WBS 4, UTI 4 @ LV 2, HER 3 @ LV 0, LV 0 @ LAV 4, LV 3 @ BEL 5, LV 4 @ TOR 2 |
 |
Phantoms have been bad. Plain and simple. We’ve seen teams make runs, but 10+ points out of a playoff spot in mid-January in this division may prove to be too tall of a task. |
-2
|
Next Games: @ UTI 1/10, vs. LAV 1/11, vs. CLE 1/12, vs. SYR 1/15, vs. BNG 1/17, vs. ROC 1/18, @ PRO 1/22 |
| Record: 13-18-1-4 |
31
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Last Games: MIL 3 @ GR 0, GR 3 @ MIL 2, CHI 2 @ GR 0, GR 5 @ SA 3, GR 0 @ TEX 4, GR 4 @ SA 5, GR 3 @ MIL 2 |
 |
Is anyone really surprised that the Griffins are in last place in the Central? |
-4
|
Next Games: vs. MB 1/10, vs. MB 1/11, vs. RFD 1/15, vs. RFD 1/17, vs. BEL 1/18, vs. IA 1/22 |
| Record: 15-19-2-2 |
–
Have a great weekend everyone!
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Chirps from Center Ice 
Nice work! Small typo on your Gulls ranking change (they’re down 4 rather than up 4). 🙂
What’s your take on the strongest division in the League? Top to bottom I’d say the North Division. Arguably they’re the best division the AHL has ever seen, at least when looking at 7+ team divisions. It’s going to be a close battle in a lot of the divisions but I wouldn’t have a clue as to who makes it from the North. Rochester feels pretty solid, but they’re only 3 Pts ahead of 5th place Laval, who have been hot as of late. Syracuse and Cleveland are on the outside right now but both are better than they have played (and CLE has been decimated by recalls to Columbus). Anyone could finish first and any 4 teams could make the playoffs. A couple good teams are likely going to end up on the outside and wishing they were in any other division.
It’s the North, I agree. It’s a wide open division.
great news about the return of 4 players. btw I am in the Philippines now not far from the Taal Volcano