Consistency? In the Power Rankings? What’s this? The same number one team last week (Ontario) is the same number one team this week??
Yes.
Maybe not for long though, not if Providence or the Reign’s divisional counterpart Calgary have anything to say about it.
It’s the last Power Rankings of the year so let’s get into it!
1. Ontario Reign
Last Week: 1st (no change)
Record: 17-8-0-1
Took three out of four points out of the week. I still like this team. Schedule is favorable this week.
2. Providence Bruins
Last Week: 9th (up 7)
Record: 17-11-3
Hottest team in the Atlantic and probably the Conference and maybe the league are your Providence Bruins. Beating up on bad Atlantic Division teams in Bridgeport and Hartford keep them out of the top spot, though.
3. Calgary Wranglers
Last Week: 2nd (down 1)
Record: 20-9-1
Wranglers had the week off.
4. Rochester Americans
Last Week: 4th (no change)
Record: 19-9-3
Amerks ascend to the top of the North Division with an 8-2 run in their last ten games.
5. Toronto Marlies
Last Week: 6th (up 1)
Record: 17-5-2-3
Swept Belleville and that’s enough to send their coach to Coachella Valley for All-Stars next month.
6. Charlotte Checkers
Last Week: 7th (up 1)
Record: 17-8-1-2
Split the week, but get a bump for shutting out Hershey 1-0 on Sunday.
7. Grand Rapids Griffins
Last Week: 11th (up 4)
Record: 18-9-3
Are sending their coach to Coachella Valley to lead the Central Division All-Stars after a big win against Cleveland.
8. Tucson Roadrunners
Last Week: 3rd (down 5)
Record: 16-11-1
Roadrunners still are a dangerous team in the Pacific. Next seven on the road for Tucson.
9. Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins
Last Week: 10th (up 1)
Record: 17-8-2
Points in four straight, but that OT loss to Hershey stunk because on percentage, may have been enough to send Kirk MacDonald to Coachella Valley next month. We won’t know this until this Tuesday, however.
10. Chicago Wolves
Last Week: 5th (down 5)
Record: 15-10-2
Slipped a bit this week with split with Milwaukee.
11. San Jose Barracuda
Last Week: 12th (up 1)
Record: 17-10-0-2
Splitting against a bad team like Henderson is why you really can’t consider the Barracuda as a serious threat for division contender.
12. Texas Stars
Last Week: 16th (up 4)
Record: 16-11-1
One game this week and the Stars got the win in Winnipeg.
13. Colorado Eagles
Last Week: 19th (up 6)
Record: 16-8-1-2
Eagles are making a run up the Pacific Division standings. Not a team you want to get hot.
14. Milwaukee Admirals
Last Week: 17th (up 3)
Record: 14-9-1-3
Split with the Wolves and have to fend off a hard charging rest of the Central Division while Grand Rapids scampers away.
15. Laval Rocket
Last Week: 8th (down 7)
Record: 18-10-1-1
Swept by Syracuse and the bad Rocket are back. Host Abbotsford this weekend.
16. Hershey Bears
Last Week: 15th (down 1)
Record: 19-10-3
Hot take. The Bears won’t win the Atlantic Division. They are the most vulnerable of the division leaders as the calendar flips to 2025.
17. Lehigh Valley Phantoms
Last Week: 23rd (up 6)
Record: 13-12-4-1
Split the week. Were they bad against the Penguins or good against the Checkers?
18. Springfield Thunderbirds
Last Week: 20th (up 2)
Record: 13-13-2-1
Split the week but ended their five game losing skid over Hartford Friday.
19. Syracuse Crunch
Last Week: 27th (up 8)
Record: 13-9-4-3
Nice sweep over Laval. You don’t want Syracuse getting hot.
20. Cleveland Monsters
Last Week: 14th (down 6)
Record: 17-9-1-2
Just one this week where they were blown out by Grand Rapids.
21. Abbotsford Canucks
Last Week: 21st (no change)
Record: 14-12-0-1
Canucks had the week off but the schedule picks up with a pair in Calgary and a pair in Laval.
22. Coachella Valley Firebirds
Last Week: 25th (up 3)
Record: 14-11-1-4
Picked up there points this week and are still very much in the mix in a competitive Pacific.
23. Henderson Silver Knights
Last Week: 24th (up 1)
Record: 8-21
Split a pair with the Barracuda, who are a division contender, this weekend. Hey, it’s a start!
24. Rockford IceHogs
Last Week: 26th (up 2)
Record: 13-12-3-1
IceHogs are benefiting from a bad Wild team being on their schedule three times to close out 2024.
25. Hartford Wolf Pack
Last Week: 13th (down 11)
Record: 13-13-2-1
5-5 in their last ten and what was a promising start looks like they have a lot of work to do in 2025.
26. Bakersfield Condors
Last Week: 18th (down 7)
Record: 12-11-3-1
Split the week and are hovering above .500. Will need more in the second half of the season.
27. Belleville Senators
Last Week: 22nd (down 5)
Record: 13-9-0-4
5-5 in their last ten and slipping down the standings in a very competitive North Division.
28. Bridgeport Islanders
Last Week: 29th (up 1)
Record: 7-19-2-2
Still in dead last in the Atlantic but that 7-5 win against Springfield on the road had to feel good.
29. San Diego Gulls
Last Week: 32nd (up 3)
Record: 9-17-1-2
Shootout win over Ontario Friday then a loss to Bakersfield to close out the year. San Jose and Ontario make for tough opponents to start 2025.
30. Utica Comets
Last Week: 28th (down 2)
Record: 6-15-2-2
OT loss to Rochester is the only positive result for an overall forgettable season for the Comets.
31. Iowa Wild
Last Week: 31st (no change)
Record: 10-17-1
Wild have a lot of work to do in 2025 and the next seven are on the road.
32. Manitoba Moose
Last Week: 30th (down 2)
Record: 7-18-0-1
Moose had one game this week and laid an egg at home against Texas on Sunday.
Happy New Year and we will talk in 2025!
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