AHL POWER RANKINGS: Checkers still king, Moose charging
Each week, EP Rinkside serves up the AHL Power Rankings, a look at the top Calder Cup contenders across the 31-team circuit and their player development picture.
The Charlotte Checkers pushed aside another challenger to their hold on the AHL lead last week and continue to push toward 100 points. In the Western Conference, the Manitoba Moose are keeping the battle for fourth place in the Central Division a four-team race.
AHL TOP 10
1. CHARLOTTE CHECKERS (CAROLINA HURRICANES)
After thwarting the Syracuse Crunch, the latest team bidding to take over the AHL lead, the Checkers steamrolled the visiting Hartford Wolf Pack in a two-game weekend series. Charlotte has a seven-game point streak (6-0-1-0) and has a 10-game point streak at home (9-0-1-0). Now the Checkers go on the road for a challenging week that includes two games against the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, who sit second in the Atlantic Division (albeit 10 points out). Forward Clark Bishop sustained a weekend injury, per the Charlotte website. Tomas Jurco has been excellent since arriving from the Springfield Thunderbirds, and he has helped to ignite Martin Necas, who has gone 5-2-7 in his past six games.
Last Week: #1 – 16th week in a row
2. SYRACUSE CRUNCH (TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING)
The Crunch managed to gain a split in their two-game trip to Charlotte last week and then later clinch a playoff spot, but it came at a heavy price. Back-up goaltender Martin Ouellette’s season-ending leg injury leaves the Crunch thin in net. With the Connor Ingram saga continuing, the Crunch signed Northern Michigan goaltender Atte Tolvanen for the rest of the season. Tolvanen, 24, went 21-16-2 | 2.35 | .917 in 39 NCAA games this season, but it is a major late-season jump to Syracuse for him. Syracuse’s punishing run of 16 games in 30 days finally comes to an end this week, but the slate includes a visit to the Belleville Senators and a challenging home date against the Providence Bruins.
Last Week: #2 – 2nd week in a row
3. CHICAGO WOLVES (VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS)
Injuries keep pounding the Wolves yet they keep pounding their competition. With Daniel Carr already out of the line-up, they have also lost Brooks Macek for both games this past weekend along with one game for Gage Quinney. They continue to pay back the San Antonio Rampage, the team that put Carr out of the line-up in a March 5th game. This past Saturday they hammered San Antonio, 5-0, a week after ripping the Rampage at Allstate Arena, 6-2. Oskar Dansk won the CCM/AHL Player of the Week award with Max Lagacé on recall to the Golden Knights. They have a Tuesday rematch in San Antonio before a 3-in-3 weekend and are in a position to become the first Western Conference team to clinch a playoff spot.
Last Week: #3 – 2nd week in a row
4. BRIDGEPORT SOUND TIGERS (NY ISLANDERS)
After an impressive 4-1 home win against the Crunch this past Sunday, the Sound Tigers’ eight-game homestand moves forward with two visits from the Checkers. But Bridgeport has been excellent at home with an AHL-best .781 point percentage. Veteran netminder Jeremy Smith has been strong in net. This is a strong, well-balanced club with no glaring weaknesses that is looking like a very difficult playoff out.
Last Week: #6 – (▲+2)
5. ROCHESTER AMERICANS (BUFFALO SABRES)
The Amerks managed to make it a solid 3-in-3 weekend with a third-period comeback on the road against the Toronto Marlies and take a two-game sweep there. They host the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, who are making a last-ditch playoff bid in the Atlantic Division. That is followed by a visit from the Laval Rocket and a trip to the Binghamton Devils, so the Amerks are very much in position to still overtake Syracuse. They also have to hope that the Buffalo-Rochester shuttle does not disrupt their line-up too much as the Sabres wind down another non-playoff season.
Last Week: #5 – 2nd week in a row
6. BAKERSFIELD CONDORS (EDMONTON OILERS)
When a team has put together a 17-game winning streak, a miscue or two is manageable. The Condors surrendered a late-game lead on the road to the last-place Ontario Reign and lost in overtime. That contest was only the second for the Condors in a 12-day span. Edmonton has kept its word and left the Bakersfield roster intact lately. The Condors host the Reign on Wednesday night, make a quick jaunt to see the San Diego Gulls, and finish their week by hosting the San Jose Barracuda.
Last Week: #4 – (▼-2)
7. GRAND RAPIDS GRIFFINS (DETROIT RED WINGS)
A strong performance on a six-game road trip has the Griffins in good shape for a playoff spot. Going into play Tuesday, the Griffins had gone 3-for-12 on the power play in their previous four games. That is a positive sign for a power play that has struggled throughout the season. The Harri Säteri–Patrik Rybar goaltending duo is among the very best in the AHL. Even better for the Griffins, they will be back home at Van Andel Arena, where they have been dominant all season.
Last Week: #7 – 4th week in a row
8. TORONTO MARLIES (TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS)
The Marlies became the rare team to grab a win at Bridgeport only to return home and lose back-to-back games to the Amerks, including that third-period blown lead this past Sunday. Those losses continued their struggles against Rochester, a potential first-round opponent for the defending Calder Cup champion Marlies. Chris Mueller has been piling up goals since returning from injury, and second-year forward Jeremy Bracco has taken over the AHL scoring lead. This past weekend’s losses pushed Rochester six points ahead of the Marlies and may very well have cost Toronto a chance at home-ice advantage in the first round.
Last Week: #8 – 5th week in a row
9. IOWA WILD (MINNESOTA WILD)
The bad news for the Wild was being swept by the Stockton Heat in a pair of road games. The good news for them is that their run of 17 of 24 games on the road stretching over two months is finally over. They went 11-8-3-2 (and 6-8-2-1 on the road). They were second in the Central Division and two points out of first place when that stretch began on January 25th; they begin play this week third in the division and six points out of first place, so the damage could have been much worse for the Wild.
Last Week: #9 – 4th week in a row
10. PROVIDENCE BRUINS (BOSTON BRUINS)
A grinding week awaits the P-Bruins, who have to visit the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, Syracuse, and Hershey Bears in a four-night span. Given that the P-Bruins are unlikely to have home-ice advantage in the first round, this is an opportunity to improve on their road play (12-15-4-2) against strong competition this week. Elite AHL forward Paul Carey signed a new two-year contract on Tuesday with Boston that should cement him as a key figure in Providence and a reliable NHL recall option for the organization. Providence handled business at home last week with weekend victories against the Senators and Devils.
Last Week: #11 (▲+1)
UNDER CONSIDERATION
11. HERSHEY BEARS (WASHINGTON CAPITALS)
After a tough two-game trip to see the streaking Cleveland Monsters, the Bears have a chance to finally get some rest with a six-day break. They resume play by hosting the P-Bruins on Saturday night in what should be a key battle for playoff positioning and gain some extra ground on the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, who continue to linger in contention. A Sunday afternoon visit to Bridgeport has been a meat grinder for visiting teams, the Bears included.
Last Week: #10 – (▼-1)
12. SAN DIEGO GULLS (ANAHEIM DUCKS)
Second place in the Pacific Division, the Gulls still do not have much margin for error even with a four-game point streak (3-0-1-0). They only are six points clear of the fifth-place Tucson Roadrunners. This week they stay at home for three games in four nights. It starts with the Barracuda, who are only two points behind San Diego. They host the Condors on Friday followed by the Heat a night later. Anaheim’s season wraps up next week, so a significant talent haul is on tap for the Gulls. They can also finish off the Roadrunners when they visit Tucson on the regular season’s final weekend.
Last Week: #12 – 2nd week in a row
IN CONTENTION
13. MANITOBA MOOSE (WINNIPEG JETS)
Part of a four-team battle for a Central Division playoff spot, these Moose do not look like they are going away. They swept the Colorado Eagles in back-to-back road games to take over fourth place in the Central Division and did so without number-one goaltender Eric Comrie. While Comrie remains with the Jets, Mikhail Berdin delivered 35 saves to take the sweep at Colorado, and ECHL recall Ken Appleby had a shutout in the first game. This week they visit Texas on Wednesday before stopping in San Antonio for a pair of games. That means a chance to damage a playoff competitor’s chances (Texas) along with two shots against a faded team like the Rampage. With two home dates against the Condors next week, a strong finish on the road would be valuable breathing room in this playoff race.
Last Week: #22 (▲+9)
14. CLEVELAND MONSTERS (COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS)
The Monsters’ 3-in-3 weekend sweep has them back in control of a North Division playoff spot. They are on a 9-3-0-1 run in the past month after a crush of injuries had threatened to wreck their season. They are still without captain Nathan Gerbe and Sonny Milano, but top Blue Jackets prospect Alexandre Texier has made an immediate difference for Cleveland since arriving there when his Liiga season ended. Goaltender J-F Bérubé left a win at Rochester and missed the Monsters’ two home wins against Hershey, but Brad Thiessen provided excellent relief through the rest of the weekend. With five consecutive home wins, they have the Phantoms twice at home this weekend.
Last Week: #18 (▲+4)
15. BELLEVILLE SENATORS (OTTAWA SENATORS)
What had been a modest lead on Cleveland has evaporated for the Senators, who have cooled off since their strong run earlier in the second half. They fell at Providence and Bridgeport in a tough weekend slate. Now they have to host the Crunch, the first of two meetings in Belleville between the teams in the next week. They go back to Connecticut this weekend to visit Hartford. Ottawa recalls have continued, and now forward Darren Archibald will be out with a two-game suspension.
Last Week: #13 – (▼-2)
16. SAN JOSE BARRACUDA (SAN JOSE SHARKS)
A 6-12-1-0 slide since February 5th has left the Barracuda’s season in danger after they had carried the Pacific Division for much of the season. They came away with one point in a pair of losses at Tucson, allowing the Roadrunners to step to within four points of them. They now have a trip to San Diego and Bakersfield this week (with a home date against the Reign in between), so this situation could worsen for San Jose. Anything less than a productive week could put the Barracuda in significant danger of missing the postseason altogether. After this week, their season finishes with an extremely difficult final six games that feature two more match-ups opposite San Diego.
Last Week: #14 – (▼-2)
17. WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON PENGUINS (PITTSBURGH PENGUINS)
The Penguins managed two to grab two weekend wins and also take a point on the road against Hershey. They still sit five points out of a playoff spot, so another strong week will be required. They host the P-Bruins and then have the Springfield Thunderbirds back in town on Saturday night for the second time in six days. Tristan Jarry has carried the Penguins as they try to extend their playoff streak to a 17th season.
Last Week: #19 (▲+2)
18. COLORADO EAGLES (COLORADO AVALANCHE)
After rolling off nine consecutive wins, the Eagles have dropped three games in a row and only have six games remaining, the fewest of any of the clubs that they are trying to fight for a playoff spot. They have a trip into Tucson this weekend for two games followed by another pair of road tilts with the Wolves next weekend.
Last Week: #15 (▼-3)
19. ROCKFORD ICEHOGS (CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS)
Rockford squandered a home win against the Wolves with back-to-back losses against the Milwaukee Admirals. Those defeats prevented Rockford from pulling ahead in the four-team clog battling for fourth place in the Central Division, and it also allowed Milwaukee to remain very much in contention. Rockford has three more home dates this week, but it is all against strong competition that begins with a visit from the Admirals on Wednesday.
Last Week: #16 (▼-3)
20. TEXAS STARS (DALLAS STARS)
Texas went 1-2 at home last week and has remained unable to pull away from Central Division competition for the fourth-place spot. They host the Moose before going to Iowa for a pair of weekend games. Their 11 road wins tie them with the Moose for the third-fewest in the AHL, and they also yield at least one game in hand to the three other Central Division competitors that they are trying to overcome. However, they have three meetings remaining with the last-place Rampage, a team that they have controlled in the season series.
Last Week: #17 (▼-3)
21. MILWAUKEE ADMIRALS (NASHVILLE PREDATORS)
The Admirals kept themselves in Central Division by a clean sweep of the IceHogs this past weekend. They go back to Rockford on Wednesday night for another meeting after blowing out the IceHogs there this past Saturday night, 8-2. Forwards Austin Watson and Miikka Salomäki arriving from Nashville on conditioning loans along with defenseman Matt Donovan returning is a significant talent infusion for Milwaukee.
Last Week: #23 (▲+2)
HANGING ON
22. LEHIGH VALLEY PHANTOMS (PHILADELPHIA FLYERS)
Eight points behind Hershey for an Atlantic Division playoff spot, the season could finally fall apart this week with visits to Rochester and Cleveland (back-to-back games). A split with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in their home-and-home series this past weekend may not end up being nearly enough given that eight wins in 22 games over the past two months have severely damaged their playoff chances. All of that has come after an impressive first half in which they survived massive disruption from the Flyers’ turmoil.
Last Week: #19 (▼-3)
23. TUCSON ROADRUNNERS (ARIZONA COYOTES)
Seven consecutive losses (0-6-1-0) seemed to have bumped the Roadrunners out of contention. Now five wins in their past six games, including a sweep of the Barracuda this past weekend, have them back in the hunt. That burst has allowed them to cut an 11-point distance between them and the Pacific Division playoff line down to four points. They can do more damage this weekend when they host the rival Eagles.
Last Week: #26 (▲+3)
24. UTICA COMETS (VANCOUVER CANUCKS)
Going 2-10-2-0 has the Comets in deep trouble, though somehow they still are only four points out of a playoff spot. However, they face a punishing final eight games to their regular-season.
Last Week: #21 (▼-3)
OUT OF CONTENTION
25. SPRINGFIELD THUNDERBIRDS (FLORIDA PANTHERS)
The T-birds remain just good enough to be a potential trap for Atlantic Division opponents still in the playoff race.
Last Week: #24 (▼-1)
26. LAVAL ROCKET (MONTREAL CANADIENS)
With seven of their final games against opponents still in the playoff mix, the Rocket have a chance to shape the playoff field.
Last Week: #27 (▲+1)
27. HARTFORD WOLF PACK (NEW YORK RANGERS)
The main goal now is to sift through the organizational depth chart and see what they have for next season.
Last Week: #25 (▼-2)
28. STOCKTON HEAT (CALGARY FLAMES)
Sweeping the Wild made for a solid weekend. The Heat can still be a dangerous trap-door for unwary opponents.
Last Week: #29 (▲+1)
29. SAN ANTONIO RAMPAGE (ST. LOUIS BLUES)
Add three more losses to the pile to make it eight in a row and 17 in their past 21 games. This is their second eight-game losing streak this season.
Last Week: #28 (▼-1)
30. ONTARIO REIGN (LOS ANGELES KINGS)
At long last the Reign are on the rise.
Last Week: #31 (▲+1)
31. BINGHAMTON DEVILS (NEW JERSEY DEVILS)
Binghamton now has the AHL’s longest losing streak this season at 10 games and counting (0-9-1-0).
Last Week: #30 (▼-1)