AHL POWER RANKINGS: Setting the stage for the playoff drive
Each Tuesday, EP Rinkside serves up the weekly AHL Power Rankings, a look at the top Calder Cup contenders across the 31-team circuit and their player development picture.
The NHL Trade Deadline passed, and the AHL deadline – with all of two moves on Monday – followed a week later, so teams are mostly set for now. But even after two deadlines, more roster change is still possible. This year’s crop of CHL and NCAA talent will begin to move into the AHL later this month.
AHL TOP 10
1. CHARLOTTE CHECKERS (CAROLINA HURRICANES)
After checking off their final remaining roster needs, the Checkers then took care of business on the ice. They overwhelmed the visiting Binghamton Devils in a two-game sweep that featured an 8-1 demolition to finish it. The power play has been an issue at times for the Checkers, but they blitzed the Devils four times on 12 man-advantage opportunities in the two wins. Needing a back-up goaltender to spell Alex Nedeljkovic, the Checkers brought int proven veteran Dustin Tokarski from the Hartford Wolf Pack. That had followed the addition of a top-end sniper from the Springfield Thunderbirds in Tomas Jurco, who fit into the Charlotte line-up playing alongside top prospect Martin Necas immediately. They visit the Lehigh Valley Phantoms for a two-game set as a light schedule continues through the first half of March. However, it will intensify after that with an intense stretch of consecutive two-game visits from the Rochester Americans and Syracuse Crunch.
Last Week: #1 – 13th week in a row
2. BRIDGEPORT SOUND TIGERS (NY ISLANDERS)
The Sound Tigers pulled off a Pennsylvania sweep this past weekend, putting further space between themselves and the third-place Hershey Bears in the Atlantic Division by taking a 4-1 win in Hershey. They followed that with a win the following afternoon at Lehigh Valley. That has them on a seven-game winning streak, a surge that has taken them to within six points of Charlotte. They host the Checkers twice at the end of the month. Before that, they have to go to Rochester this Friday and then move on to visit the Toronto Marlies. Forward Matt Lorito had missed the first four months of the season with an injury, but he has delivered 4-6-10 in the seven games since his season debut last month.
Last Week: #3 – (▲+1)
3. SYRACUSE CRUNCH (TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING)
Lightning management chose to leave the Syracuse roster intact going into a grueling March schedule. Syracuse took two wins in a 3-in-3 weekend to start the month off right. They still have 13 games in 27 days to go, however. Second-year forward Mitchell Stephens continues his strong performance since returning from a long-term injury last month and had 4-2-6 in four games last week. Potent rookie sniper Alex Barré-Boulet is now up to 27 goals and has pushed Belleville Senators forward Drake Batherson out of the rookie scoring lead with 27-25-52.
Last Week: #5 – (▲+2)
4. ROCHESTER AMERICANS (BUFFALO SABRES)
Rochester missed a chance for a perfect week by taking a 4-1 home loss to the Crunch to close out their weekend. The loss gave them a home-and-home split with Syracuse. They host Bridgeport and then have a very manageable home-and-home series with Binghamton to end their 3-in-3 weekend. A goaltender like Scott Wedgewood gives the Amerks a chance to win on any given night. Another strong week could put the Amerks into a position to leave the third-place Toronto Marlies behind and earn home ice through at least the opening round of the Calder Cup Playoffs.
Last Week: #4 – 3rd week in a row
5. BAKERSFIELD CONDORS (EDMONTON OILERS)
Bakersfield’s run at AHL history fell short this past weekend when they ran into the visiting Iowa Wild. The loss ended their 17-game winning streak, the second-longest run in AHL history. They did rebound the next night in a 5-2 victory against the San Jose Barracuda. Holding a five-point lead on the Barracuda for first place in the Pacific Division, they will see San Jose twice on the road this week, starting Wednesday. Rookie forwards Tyler Benson and Cooper Marody continue to excel, and Shane Starrett has been excellent in net.
Last Week: #2 (▼-3)
6. CHICAGO WOLVES (VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS)
The Wolves ran into the desperate Texas Stars this past Saturday night and saw their six-game winning streak end. They finish up their stretch away from Allstate Arena on Friday by visiting the Milwaukee Admirals before returning home to host the Iowa Wild and the Admirals on the weekend. They have been excellent on the road, where their 17 wins tie them for second in the AHL. They also have won six consecutive games on home ice going into this weekend. They also have an ability to attack first, and their 37 game-opening tallies top the AHL. This is a team that is able to play a patient game and then use its elite skill to strike.
Last Week: #7 – (▲+1)
7. GRAND RAPIDS GRIFFINS (DETROIT RED WINGS)
This week the AHL schedule will give the Griffins two more home games at Van Andel Arena, where they are 21-5-2-3. Their road performance has been a different story, however. With a 10-12-3-1 road mark, the Griffins will play a road-heavy closing schedule that will feature a run of eight of nine games away from Grand Rapids. Chris Terry has gone eight games without a goal, but if he can heat up in March that would be a major boost for the Griffins. But this is where the Griffins’ deep scoring talent really shines – with Terry off the scoreboard, Wade Megan has fired off six goals in his past six games to help pick up the slack.
Last Week: #6 (▼-1)
8. TORONTO MARLIES (TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS)
The Marlies managed a split in a relatively light week by holding off the Cleveland Monsters in a home win. Second-year forward Adam Brooks has heated up recently with 5-3-8 in his past eight games to give him 15-13-28 in 45 appearances this season. Now the Marlies will see their games pile up quickly, starting with a two-game trip to play the Laval Rocket. They come home to host the Sound Tigers and have a Monday matinee game against Belleville. That will be followed by a grinding trip that features a 3-in-3 weekend. Toronto has a two-point hold on third place in the North Division, but that grip could loosen quickly if they do not navigate this stretch of eight games in 15 days well.
Last Week: #8 – 2nd week in a row
9. IOWA WILD (MINNESOTA WILD)
Iowa can be a bit of a mystifying team at times, and this past weekend served as an apt illustration of that. They shut down Bakersfield before moving on to play the Ontario Reign in back-to-back road games. In the first game, they coughed up a 4-1 third-period lead on the worst team in the AHL by allowing three power-play goals in the final 2:55 of regulation. Ontario finished off the win 33 seconds into overtime. They did reply the next afternoon with a 5-4 win that featured five assists from blueliner Brennan Menell and four power-play goals of their own to finish the weekend with five of six points. Deep into a stretch of 17 of 24 games on the road, the Wild have managed to go 7-4-3-2 through it so far. It continues with two more road games this week before leading them into a key two-game Central Division home series against the San Antonio Rampage next week.
Last Week: #10 (▲+1)
10. BELLEVILLE SENATORS (OTTAWA SENATORS)
The Senators break into the AHL Top 10 for the first time this season thanks to their continued tear through the AHL. They picked up three of four points this past weekend to move into a fourth-place tie in the North Division at 67 points. That will take them into a key two-game visit to Cleveland. Defenseman Erik Brännström immediately fit in, and there is not a team anywhere in the AHL that can match a late-season addition like him. This run has undone much of the damage of a mediocre first half, but it only puts the Sens into a position to take more control of their postseason fate. Now they have to finish the job.
Last Week: #15 (▲+5)
Erik Brännström looks to provide Belleville Senators with a boost. Photo: Matt Cohen/Icon Sportswire
UNDER CONSIDERATION
11. UTICA COMETS (VANCOUVER CANUCKS)
The Comets keep hanging around in contention, but they face a tough week ahead.
Last Week: #12 (▲+1)
12. PROVIDENCE BRUINS (BOSTON BRUINS)
At least someone did something to liven up the AHL deadline. Providence added experience in Stuart Percy from Belleville to help a blue line dealing with injuries. Urho Vaakanainen and Connor Clifton had an excellent finish this past Sunday to yet another 3-in-3 weekend. The P-Bruins play the last of five consecutive three-game weekends, hosting the Hershey Bears twice before finishing with yet another game against the Thunderbirds.
Last Week: #14 (▲+2)
13. SAN JOSE BARRACUDA (SAN JOSE SHARKS)
The Barracuda have stumbled over the past month and have picked up only four wins in their past 12 games. They host the Condors twice this week. A first-round meeting with the San Diego Gulls is looking increasingly possible.
Last Week: #9 (▼-4)
14. HERSHEY BEARS (WASHINGTON CAPITALS)
Hershey ran into a difficult schedule after a 16-0-0-1 streak and has stumbled somewhat. Their pair of games in Providence is a major test, but a productive 3-in-3 weekend that finishes at Hartford could put the Bears even more firmly in Atlantic Division playoff territory.
Last Week: #13 (▼-1)
15. SAN DIEGO GULLS (ANAHEIM DUCKS)
All in all, the Gulls are moving along well enough, although there was a 3-0 loss on the road to the Stockton Heat. But they did defeat Stockton a night later and will host the Heat on Wednesday night. They also welcome the Colorado Eagles on Friday and Saturday nights, and one of the best home environments in the AHL should be rocking.
Last Week: #11 (▼-4)
16. TEXAS STARS (DALLAS STARS)
Texas pulled out of a 5-12-0-1 tailspin with five of six points last week. Just when it felt like the Stars had finally come off the road, they depart Texas again for five of six contests on the road. They find themselves in a five-team glut battling for fourth place in the Central Division.
Last Week: #18 (▲+2)
IN CONTENTION
17. ROCKFORD ICEHOGS (CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS)
The IceHogs are catching their breath while the rest of the Central Division catches up on the schedule. But they go into Winnipeg this weekend for crucial back-to-back games against the Manitoba Moose. A clean sweep for the IceHogs would perhaps take at least one team out of that five-team traffic jam in the Central Division.
Last Week: #17 – 2nd week in a row
18. LEHIGH VALLEY PHANTOMS (PHILADELPHIA FLYERS)
The standings indicate that a trip to the postseason will be a difficult task, at best for the Phantoms. But now that they finally have at least some semblance of roster stability, this group could be quite capable of a strong run. Being five points out of a playoff spot in the Atlantic Division leaves them minimal room for error, and they are looking at an imposing schedule ahead of them.
Last Week: #17 (▼-1)
19. COLORADO EAGLES (COLORADO AVALANCHE)
These Eagles look more like the team that had a strong open to the season. They swept the rival Tucson Roadrunners in back-to-back home games. Their two-game trip to San Diego is crucial, but they have given themselves a three-point hold on a playoff spot.
Last Week: #25 (▲+6)
20. WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON PENGUINS (PITTSBURGH PENGUINS)
A team trying to push through a crowd into a playoff spot has no room to lose to a team like Hartford, but the Penguins did that. After a big game at Lehigh Valley on Wednesday, they get another crack at the Pack on Friday at home. The Crunch visit them a night later.
Last Week: #19 (▼-1)
21. MANITOBA MOOSE (WINNIPEG JETS)
Eric Comrie leaving on emergency recall to the Jets did not come at an ideal time, but Mikhail Berdin filled in admirably. They missed a chance to break even on a six-game road trip that finished 2-4-0-0, but now they stay home for two weeks. They welcome the IceHogs this weekend and need a strong performance to keep pace – and perhaps get ahead – in the Central Division.
Last Week: #23 (▲+2)
22. SAN ANTONIO RAMPAGE (ST. LOUIS BLUES)
After two wins on a 10-game February road trip, they Rampage took three of four points in a two-game visit from the Milwaukee Admirals. They continue to stay in contention, but a challenging schedule is ahead.
Last Week: #22 – 2nd week in a row
23. MILWAUKEE ADMIRALS (NASHVILLE PREDATORS)
Part of that five-team clog, the Admirals only won twice in a seven-game road trip, but they did manage to add three points via overtime losses. They play 11 of their final 17 games at home, but it is a difficult run of opponents.
Last Week: #24 (▲+1)
24. CLEVELAND MONSTERS (COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS)
A sluggish home loss to Laval symbolized how much of their second half has gone so far. They are hovering in the North Division with little room for error now.
Last Week: #21 (▼-3)
HANGING ON
25. TUCSON ROADRUNNERS (ARIZONA COYOTES)
They have two home games with Ontario that they need badly to end a poor stretch with only two wins in their past 13 games. That extended slump has pushed them out of a Pacific Division playoff spot.
Last Week: #20 (▼-5)
26. SPRINGFIELD THUNDERBIRDS (FLORIDA PANTHERS)
A soft schedule with a trip to Binghamton and a home date with the Wolf Pack might be the Thunderbirds’ last shred of hope. They need those games, plus a win at Providence. Even then, the odds are against them after such a poor second half.
Last Week: #27 (▲+1)
OUT OF CONTENTION
27. LAVAL ROCKET (MONTREAL CANADIENS)
Laval cleared out another player, sending defenseman Adam Plant to Milwaukee. The Rocket will have to settle for playing spoiler after finishing last overall in 2017-18.
Last Week: #28 (▲+1)
28. STOCKTON HEAT (CALGARY FLAMES)
The Heat briefly made it interesting toward the end of February.
Last Week: #29 (▲+1)
29. HARTFORD WOLF PACK (NEW YORK RANGERS)
Management cleared out the dressing room, so contracts and pride will have to be motivators for the final six weeks of play.
Last Week: #30 (▲+1)
30. BINGHAMTON DEVILS (NEW JERSEY DEVILS)
The potential for the finish to this season to grow increasingly ugly is there.
Last Week: #29 (▼-1)
31. ONTARIO REIGN (LOS ANGELES KINGS)
Ontario is allowing staggering amounts of shots. Somehow they took two of three games from the likes of San Jose and Iowa.
Last Week: #31 – 3rd week in a row
