CHL Top Ten

The CHL announces the first CHL Mosaik MasterCard Top 10 Rankings.

1. Windsor Spitfires
2. Spokane Chiefs
3. London Knights
4. Rimouski Oceanic
5. Belleville Bulls
6. Cape Breton Screaming Eagles
7. Kelowna Rockets
8. Brandon Wheat Kings
9. Chicoutimi Sagueneens
10. Shawinigan Cataractes

I think the Windsor Spitfires are a good choice for the top spot. The offense is stacked. I think they can survive players leaving for NHL camps.

The defending Memorial Cup Champions are coming in at second. They are returning most of the players from their Championship team.

The London Knights like the Spitfires, have a lot of offense. That offense could get stronger if the rumors of John Tavares coming to London are true. The question mark of this team is the goaltending. Steve Mason is no longer there.

The 2009 Memorial Cup hosts are holding the fourth slot. The Oceanic have been looking for this season since the 2006 Midget Draft where they had four of the top ten picks. They don't have that proven elite goaltender.

Another 2008 Memorial Cup participant comes in at number five. The Belleville Bulls have a strong core coming back. Eric Tangradi and P.K. Subban will be leading the way. They have also signed Bjorn Krupp who played with the National Team Development Program.

This is where the NHL scouts have put a team that could of been left out. The Cape Breton Screaming Eagless are a good team but I don't think they are Top Ten worthy. The scouts are just drooling over Olivier Roy but this list isn't about who has the best NHL prospects.

The Kelowna Rockets are underrated. They have talent everywhere you look. They have the offense and the defense could have three first rounders on the team. Tyler Myers will be back but Luke Schenn could stick it out in Toronto. You also have 2009 draft eligible players in Tyson Barrie and Colin Bowman that could go in the first round.

Another WHL team comes in at number eight. The Brandon Wheat Kings have a dynamic 1-2 punch in Brayden Schenn and Scott Glennie. They are only 17-years-old, so this team could be dominate the next few years.

Another team that could of been sawapped out, is the Chicoutimi Sagueneens. They do have an 1-2 punch in Nicolas Deschamps and Jacob Lagace who will be great the next two seasons. I question the goaltending with a veteran back-up coming in as a starter. If they still had Bobby Nadeau, then they would have a spot in my top ten.

Shawinigan should be rated a little higher. They have the goaltending with Timo Pielmeier in net. They added a lot of offense and their defense looks solid. Don't be surprised if they are the second QMJHL representative at the Memorial Cup.

That's My Take

Nathan also is a writer for Maineiacs Post to Post and the Maine Hockey Journal. He can be reached at fourniern@students.nescom.edu)