pre- season top 10

[Wildeyes]

Raiders are on the list for chl preseason top 10 sitting in 6th

Portland is 3rd Edmonton 8th and Kootenay is 10th

[puckdad]

Amazing prediction on the basis of 2 preseason games

[patsdude114]

Pre-season top 10 are kind of like dating your sister......I'll just leave it at that

[AlanC]

Amazing prediction on the basis of 2 preseason games

Ordinarily I'd say they made the analysis based on a careful examination of the rosters and each team's likely strengths and weaknesses. But then I saw they ranked Kootenay #10 and realized their "analysis" there was limited to seeing "Sam Reinhart" on the roster. Nobody who really looked at Kootenay's roster, with their no-name blueline and lack of depth at forward (though they do have some good top-six forwards) would say "hey, this is going to be one of the top 4 teams in the WHL!". IMO they're a playoff team but not a top contender.

The Raiders though, I think belong on that list. They have one of the best goaltenders in the league, one of the best defencemen, and a kid who will become one of the top forwards this year. The depth is there behind those guys too, so I'd have no problem saying the Raiders should win the East division this year which puts them at least #2 in the conference.

[patsdude114]

AlanC I have to agree with you about those top players & one would think they'd be the early favorite to win the east but under Clouston makes it a crap shoot. If he coaches them how he did in brandon they will be under acheivers yet again, if he let's them play a more offensive style they may have that chance to be a top dog team in the east as most of our division is rebuilding with youth right now, but also you can never count out a KM coached team in BRN he ALWAYS gets the most out of his players no matter what kind of a team he has.

[Bocephus]

Kelowna and Portland appear to be the top dogs in the West.
In the East it appears a little less obvious.

[chalk_one_up]

Yeah the Raiders have goaltending and a couple top players, but I think this team will have some trouble scoring at times, as well as defending and avoiding being pushed around.

I actually think Swift Current and Red Deer will be better than PA, and I'd even go further and put Calgary and Medicine Hat there too. I just don't think PA will be as great as some are advertising. They lost a lot and the depth on that team are comprised of fringe players elsewhere. The secondary scoring is also too young to assume the responsibility left by McNeill, Bardaro etc. Cheveldave will be busy and it's a 1 1/2-line team with suspect defense and no toughness.

Just my opinion.

[sbtatter]

These early season lists are a joke, heck, even my WK's made it on the top 10 list last season withe 4 and 0 start, even though we all knew it was smoke and mirrors. But if you look at the dub, PA have to be rated the best in the East division, and if all their NHL'rs come back, should be in the CHL top 10 list. I wouldn't count Red Deer out either, now with Sutter back coaching. Portland should be able to weasel there way into a good team as well. Looking forward to this season a lot!

[canes77]

Kootenay is now 0-4 with (please correct me if I'm wrong) only one player at NHL camp... I'm sure McGill will turn things around but that was a wild prediction...

Does anyone know who selects these rankings? Is it one random person from Ontario or is it a group of NHL scouts?? It'd be nice if they told us the criteria...