As the days get shorter and the nights get colder, it’s easy to tell that youth hockey season around the world is in full action. From the biggest upsets to major movement in top-10 rankings, there’s plenty to catch up on from the last few weeks.
Here’s everything you need to know before exploring the updated youth hockey rankings:
The 2006-born New Jersey Rockets were propelled into the No. 4 spot thanks largely in part to three key victories against fellow U.S. teams.
Sitting on the outside looking in heading into their next stretch of games, the Rockets saw an opportunity to make some noise and prove that their 25-6-2 record is no fluke.
After edging then No. 3 Mount St. Charles in overtime, 3-2, they then bested the Pittsburgh Penguins Elite with another overtime victory, 5-4. Next up was a tilt with No. 10 Bishop-Kearney Selects. The Rockets would once again find themselves in another high-scoring affair, emerging as the victors 5-4.
With the three wins, New Jersey found themselves rocketing up the top-10 into their current position. Now that they are there, time will tell if they can hold onto it and prove they belong with the best.
No. 9 Sollentuna HC took advantage of a matchup with No. 10 SDE Hockey to maneuver their way into the top-10 among ‘08 clubs in Sweden.
Sitting second in their group with a 3-0-1 record, Sollentuna leaned on the heroics of leading scorer Victor Kumpulainen.
In what was a back and forth offensive display for the first 30 minutes, SDE went up 3-2 with about seven minutes remaining in the game.
It was then that Kumpulainen put his team on his shoulders. After tying the game just over a minute after SDE netted the lead, he scored his second goal of the game with just under three minutes left in the game for a 4-3 lead.
Kumpulainen not only leads Sollentuna in scoring, but is also tied for the group lead in points with seven (6G, 1A) with No. 8 AIK Hockey’s Filip Nyberg (4G, 3A). Even more exciting is that both of these squads will face each other on Nov. 13 in a game that could have major implications for things moving forward.
No. 2 Tappara cruised by No. 3 Kärpät 7-1, moving up two spots to leapfrog them at the top of the ‘07 Finnish rankings. It was a game that Tappara had circled on their calendars, as they were defeated by Kärpät 4-3 back in September, and were almost certainly itching for some payback.
In what was a close 2-1 contest going into the third period, Tappara buried five unanswered goals in the third period for the victory. Looking ahead, they have five upcoming games against teams that are all in the top-10.
While the road may not be easy, will we see Tappara strengthen their position at the top?
SKA Strelna also enjoyed a nice little boost in the Russian top-10 among 2007 birth-year teams resulting from wins over Dynamo St. Petersburg and SKA St. Petersburg.
Once handling Dynamo 4-3 in overtime, SKA Strelna’s defense and goaltending stole the show in a 3-0 win against SKA St. Petersburg. These two victories against teams ahead of them in the rankings strengthened their resume for the time being.
Russia has been known to produce its fair share of hockey talent over the years, and one of the premier programs at doing so has been CSKA Moscow. With the 2022-23 season in full gear, it’s safe to say this year is no different.
CSKA currently sits alone at the top of the rankings both in Russia and the world for the following birth years: 2008, 2009 and 2010. They are also ranked No. 1 among ‘06 teams in Russia.
While this is an impressive feat by itself, perhaps more astounding is the current winning streak of one of their programs. The 2010-born program is in the midst of a 20-game winning streak, dispatching all they have faced thus far.
It will be very interesting to see how long they can keep this streak alive, as they will surely be getting the very best of their opponents each night from here on out.
The 2022 CCM World Invite Motown took place across Metro Detroit this past weekend, as 352 teams traveled to Michigan to compete.
With multiple divisions for the 2008-2013 birth-years, as well as 150, 16U and 18U brackets, we focused on the Supertacks divisions of the birth-years that are included in the World Hockey Hub rankings, as well as the two youngest divisions at the bottom for good measure.
It was the first CCM Motown since 2019 that featured Canadian teams, and they certainly made up for lost time.
Here is a Supertacks division breakdown by birth-year:
At the 16U age level, Michigan Hockey Advancement – a collection of high school hockey players skating together before their winter school season – captured the ‘06 Supertacks division title at the 2022 Motown.
MHA started with a 6-2 win over the Wasatch Renegades and a 4-2 win over the Pittsburgh Predators on Friday, before wrapping up the round-robin play with a 5-0 win over Golden State Elite Saturday morning. In the quarterfinals Saturday evening, they beat Team Wisconsin 3-2.
On Championship Sunday, they first beat the Maine Nordiques 4-3 in the semifinals, before taking down the Anaheim Ice Dogs 2-0 in the championship game to wrap up a perfect 6-0 mark on the weekend.
In the 2007 birth-year Supertacks division championship game, it was the Chicago Reapers prevailing over Team Illinois in a Windy City rivalry showdown.
The Reapers had a dominant Friday, blanking the PHA Icemen 6-0 before beating Michigan Hockey Advancement 7-1. On Saturday, they ran into two more Michigan clubs, defeating Belle Tire 6-1 to conclude preliminary-round play and later Victory Honda 5-4 in the quarterfinals.
In the semifinals, they shut out Omaha Mastery 3-0, and in the aforementioned finals, the Reapers beat Team Illinois 4-2.
Playing in their home city of Farmington Hills, HoneyBaked successfully defended home ice, winning the 2008 Supertacks division of the 2022 Motown.
It was a dominant Friday for HoneyBaked, as they started with a 7-2 win over the SHAHA Panthers before shutting out the Ohio Jr. Blue Jackets 6-0 in the evening.
Saturday started with a 5-3 loss to the Toronto Red Wings, but it didn’t keep HB out of the playoff round.
In Saturday night’s quarterfinals, they bested the Chicago Reapers 3-2 before beating their HPHL rivals in the Oakland Jr. Grizzlies 5-4 in the semifinals.
In the final, HB posted a 5-2 win over the London Jr. Knights to capture the hardware for the ’08 bracket.
It was an all-Canadian final for the ’09 birth-year, as the Toronto Titans topped the Toronto Red Wings 4-1 in the championship game Sunday.
It didn’t come as much of a surprise that the Titans took home the championship banner, as the Toronto-based club was ranked No. 2 in Canada and No. 7 in the world heading into the Motown.
The Titans topped the Milwaukee Jr. Admirals 4-2 to start tournament play on Friday, and they wrapped up Day 1 with a 7-1 win over Team Illinois. On Saturday, they beat the No. 5 Anaheim Jr. Ducks 3-1 to conclude round-robin play.
The Elimination rounds started with a 2-1 nail-biter win over the Pittsburgh Penguins Elite. That’s as close as the Titans would come to defeat, as on Championship Sunday they posted a 3-0 win over Team Illinois in the semifinals, and a 4-1 win over the Toronto Red Wings in the final.
A Canadian squad prevailed in the 2010 Supertacks division, as the Sun County Panthers played to a perfect 6-0 record.
The Panthers opened things up with a tight 3-2 win over the Credit River Capitals Friday morning before cruising 6-0 over the Indiana Elite later in the day.
On Saturday, they played Fox Motors in a preview of the championship contest, with Sun County prevailing 3-1. To start tournament play, they squared off with the Soo Jr. Greyhounds, and the Panthers won 5-0 over their Canadian counterparts.
On Sunday, they took down the Pittsburgh Vengeance 2-1 in the semifinals – a big win over a Pennsylvania club that had recorded victories over the No. 8-ranked Chicago Fury and No. 5-ranked Little Caesars.
Fox Motors got a shot at revenge in the title game, but the Panthers played a full 200-foot game and won a 1-0 thriller.
The Toronto Jr. Canadiens – ranked No. 2 in the world and No. 1 in Canada – kept the Canadian winning streak going in the 2011 birth-year, as they too registered a perfect 6-0 weekend en route to a championship.
Familiar foes in the London Jr. Knights were the first team on the schedule for the Jr. Canadiens – the Toronto club prevailed 5-1. Later on in Day 1, the Jr. Habs beat Chicago Fury 8-2.
Saturday featured more high-scoring performances, as Toronto beat the Oakland Jr. Grizzlies 6-4 and then the Buffalo Regals 7-1 in the quarterfinals.
In the finals, the Jr. Habs beat the Vaughan Kings 4-1 in the semifinals and the No. 6 Chicago Reapers 4-3 in the final.
At the 2012 birth-year, Little Caesars was able to defend home ice, as the Michigan-based squad recorded a 5-1 record on their way to a Supertacks title at Motown.
The 2013 birth-year Little Caesars club got it done, as well, going 6-0 to win the Supertacks division title.
Each week, World Hockey Hub highlights a few of the most exciting upcoming games in youth hockey. From the hottest rivalries to the biggest tournaments, we focus on matchups that will impact the landscape among top teams in the sport.
Two 2007-born U.S. clubs are about to get very familiar with one another, as No. 2 Shattuck-St. Mary’s (9-4-3) will kick off a three-game series against No. 7 Compuware (13-6-0) on Oct. 28.
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| Friday, October 28 @ 7:00 p.m. ET Shattuck-St. Mary’s Ice Arena |
SSM enters this series fresh off a 6-1 victory against Minnesota SDP last week. Compuware was also victorious in their last game, dispatching the Sun County Panthers in a cross-border matchup by a final score of 4-2.
Shattuck will depend heavily on their goaltending for these games, as Compuware has tallied at least three goals in 15 of their 19 games this season.
Grayson Hanggi and Garrett Glaser have both suited up for eight games each to this point in the season for Shattuck and have equally proved they are up to the task of serving as the last line of defense.
Hanggi has compiled a 4-2-2 record along with a 2.02 goals-against average, and Glaser has fared equally as well. The 5-foot-6, 135-pound native of Marlborough, Massachusetts has collected a 5-2-1 record with a 1.96 goals-against average.
Kiekko-Espoo Blues I (5-0-2) and Jokerit Blue (8-4-1) will take to the ice to see who will end up on top of Group 1 among 2009-born Finland squads.
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| Sunday, October 20 @ 3:15 p.m. EEST |
In a contest of the No. 1 and No. 2 ‘09 teams in Sweden, Blues I and Kiekko-Espoo Blues II skated to a 3-3 tie last Sunday. After Blues II built up a 2-0 lead in the second period, Jesse Pahkamaa netted a late goal to cut the deficit to 2-1. Once the game was tied in the third frame, Pahkamaa found the back of the net yet again, putting Blues I up 3-2. The lead was short-lived however, when Lucas Kituniemi tied the contest once again just over a minute later.
Jokerit easily handled HJK White, putting home eight goals en route to a 8-3 win. Their offensive outburst was led by the trio of Jimi Kivinen, Niklas A. Pitkäjärvi and Wilmer C. Hämäläinen, who all collected three points.
Both of these clubs like to rely on their offense, so this contest should be no low-scoring affair. On paper alone, the Blues have an astounding plus-51 goal differential.
The dynamic overall game of Luka Santala and his 25 points (15G, 10A) across 6 games leads the Blues, with Lassi Luostarinen (8G, 7A) and Aaron Räisänen (8G, 5A) rounding out their top three scorers.
Jokerit’s offense will look to counter with Mark Karkkonen (7G, 3A), Mikhail Vasin (2G, 6A) and Hämäläinen (1G, 7A).
The Toronto Marlboros (9-1-1) hope that a victory over No. 1 Don Mills Flyers (10-0-1) will be enough to boost them back into the top 10 among ‘09 Canadian teams.
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| Tuesday, October 25 @ 7:10 p.m. EST Victoria Village Arena |
The Flyers have been perfect in their last two contests, shutting out the Mississauga Rebels and North York Rangers, 5-0 and 4-0, respectively.
They also took part in the Toronto Red Wings Early Bird Tournament earlier this month. The U14 team went undefeated in the round robin and the playoffs, eventually winning the championship 3-1 over the Toronto Titans.
The Marlboros enter this game after having most recently bested the Vaughan Kings, 4-1.
Stifling defense and strong goaltending have been major reasons why Don Mills has enjoyed success this season, while the Marlboros have found balanced offensive numbers across their contests.
It will be exciting to see if the Flyers can continue their defensive dominance or if the Marlboros will be able to crack through for a victory.
The No. 7 Patriotes Laval (5-0-2) will face off against fellow group club National Montréal (6-0-0) on Saturday.
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| Saturday, October 29 @ 12:00 p.m. EST Laval, Guimond-3 Sports Complex |
Currently occupying second in their respective group, the Patriotes saw a healthy jump into the latest world rankings among 2011 programs. With a victory against Montréal, they can certainly use it as a chance to show they have what it takes to skate with the best of not only their country, but birth year as well.
Laval was victorious against Collége Français Rive Sud 6-3 last time out. It was a tight 3-2 game into the third period before Laval locked things down defensively and tallied three goals for a 6-2 lead. While not enough for a comeback bid, Rive Sud would add a late goal in regulation.
Montréal ended up in the win column against Conquérants Basses Laurentides in their last game thanks to a 5-0 shutout.
This has the makings of a heavyweight battle, with both clubs seemingly able to strike offensively at will and led by two dynamic forward pairings.
For Laval, Keironn Davis Diakite (4G, 7A) and Shawn-Anthony Senat (5G, 4A) lead all skaters, while Leo Fernandez Pisanu (4G, 7A) and Mathis Cloutier (5G, 5A) stand out for Montréal.
Time will tell if these players continue to provide the offense needed for their clubs, or if some new heroes will emerge in what promises to be a high-scoring affair.
Want to stay updated on all the top teams across youth hockey? Follow WHH on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Discord and YouTube for more!
It’s become a staple for the youth hockey community, and for 2022, it’s truly back to ‘normal.’
The CCM World Invite Motown is taking place across Metro Detroit this weekend, bringing 352 teams to Michigan. For the first time since 2019, Canadian teams are making their triumphant return to the tournament field.
Despite playing a ‘normal’ season last year, Canadian clubs still had restricted travel due to COVID-19. That meant no cross-country showdowns for the Motown tournament.
This year, Canadian AAA teams are popping up all over the schedule for the various age groups set to compete. The tournament features multiple divisions for the Elite AAA, AAA and AA classifications in the 2013 through 2008 birth years, as well as the 15-only, 16-and-under and 18-and-under age groups.
The top teams in each age group are competing in the Supertacks divisions, and that’s what we will be focusing on this weekend. Here’s a look at each of the age groups featuring teams in the world rankings. In all, more than 6,000 players and 350 teams are expected to compete in the 2022 CCM World Invite Motown:
There are 16 teams set to compete in the top division of the 2011 field for the CCM Motown, and it’s an impressive mix of teams from across the U.S. and Canada.
While the No. 6-ranked Chicago Reapers are the highest-rated American team leading into the weekend, the top team in Canada shows up as the heavy favorite as well. The Toronto Jr. Canadiens are the No. 1 team in Canada — and second in the world — and will be in Pool A. They’ll be joined by the Oakland Jr. Grizzlies, Chicago Fury and London Jr. Knights. The Reapers, on the other hand, will be jockeying for position with Victory Honda, Buffalo Regals and York Simcoe Express.
If either of those two highly-ranked clubs slip up, the Reapers and the Jr. Canadiens could end up meeting in the first quarterfinal on Saturday. Otherwise, it wouldn’t be until the semifinals or championship for a heavyweight matchup like that.
The squads in Pool B and Pool C — Vaughan Kings, Team Illinois, California Goldrush, Belle Tire, Florida Alliance, Milwaukee Jr. Admirals, Oakville Rangers and Soo Jr. Greyhounds — make for a deep field for the ’11 age group.
We still think, however, that the Jr. Canadiens aren’t going to squander their weekend trip to the Motor City.
The 2010 birth year shapes up to potentially be a battle between two midwest hockey hotbeds in Detroit and Chicago. Little Caesars, ranked No. 5 in the country, headlines the field, while No. 8 Chicago Fury and No. 10 Chicago Reapers are ready to tangle.
Nine other teams will be fighting for the coveted Motown title. Canadian-based teams Soo Jr. Greyhounds, Burlington Eagles, Sun County Panthers, Credit River Capitals and Hamilton Jr. Bulldogs make up half the field. Fox Motors, Indiana Elite, Pittsburgh Vengeance and Compuware round out the field. Needless to say, with teams flocking in from all corners of the North America, this division will be fun to watch.
Little Caesars and Reapers won’t have to wait until elimination rounds for a Top-10 showdown — they will square off at noon on Saturday.
Worth noting, the Credit River Capitals are a new AAA program drawing from Brampton Hockey, Caledon Minor Hockey and Orangeville Minor Hockey in the Ontario Minor Hockey Association.
With wins over Chicago’s Mission and Fury this season already, Caesars should certainly be expected to take the Supertacks division in the battle of Original Six cities.
There are only eight teams in the 13U Supertacks division, but this could easily be seen as the premier division of the weekend.
Four of the eight teams appear on the world rankings — three from the U.S. and one from Canada. The American squads include No. 3 Chicago Reapers, No. 5 Anaheim Jr. Ducks and No. 6 Little Caesars. Meanwhile, the Toronto Titans — ranked No. 2 in all of Canada — come across the border.
Factor in that the other participants are still storied programs in the Pittsburgh Penguins Elite, Toronto Red Wings, Milwaukee Jr. Admirals and Team Illinois, and we can’t wait to see this division play out.
A whole lot of storied programs show up in Metro Detroit for the Motown this weekend. While they may not currently appear on the WHH rankings, they’re still some of the biggest names and most notable clubs on the continent.
The London Jr. Knights, Toronto Red Wings and Toronto Nationals represent the Canadian contingent. They will be taking on the Chicago Fury, Victory Honda, HoneyBaked, Ohio Blue Jackets, SHAHA Panthers, Oakland Jr. Grizzlies, Chicago Reapers, Madison Capitols and Anaheim Ice Dogs.
HoneyBaked has been heating up as of late. When you consider that this division is taking place at their home rink and a few facilities nearby, we like HB to take care of business in this bracket.
Much like the 14U group, there are plenty of big-name programs slated to compete in the 15O Supertacks division. The Mississauga Reps come in from Canada, while teams like the Carolina Jr. Hurricanes, Belle Tire, Victory Honda and Chicago Reapers look to make some noise at the prestigious tournament. We have the Reps’ Friday games against the Madison Capitols and Oakland Jr. Grizzlies circled. Both contests will serve as measuring sticks for how some 15O Canadian programs stack up against their American counterparts.
Omaha Mastery has a ‘Cinderella story’ feel with a 17-2-0 record. This weekend is a big opportunity for the Nebraska-based squad to make a statement. They already have a Chicago Steel Icebreaker championship to their name this season. We like them to add some more hardware here.
An eight-team field makes up the 16U Supertacks division for Motown. The Anaheim Ice Dogs, Tri-State Spartans, Maine Nordiques, Team Wisconsin, Golden State Elite, Pittsburgh Predators, Wasatch Renegades and Michigan Hockey Advancement (MHA) round out the field. It’s a pick-‘em here, so we will go with MHA. They are a collection of top high school players in the state, eager to prove themselves to scouts before heading off to their respective high school programs.
For more coverage of the 2022 CCM World Invite Motown, follow WHH on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Discord and YouTube for more!
Each week, World Hockey Hub highlights a few of the most exciting upcoming games in youth hockey. From the hottest rivalries to the biggest tournaments, we focus on matchups that will impact the landscape among top teams in the sport.
Entering the week as the No. 2-ranked team among Russian 2006-born clubs, Krylia Sovetov (8-2-2) prepares itself for a matchup against No. 7 Lokomotiv Yaroslavl (5-2-0) on Oct. 23rd.
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| Sunday, October 23 |
Fresh off a 3-2 overtime loss to CSKA Moscow, Krylia will look to get back into the win column this weekend.
It will be the first game between these two teams this season, with Lokomotiv leading the all-time series 12-6-1. Lokomotiv skated away with a 5-1 victory in the last game between the two clubs back in March at the end of last season.
Krylia has propelled themselves in the rankings thanks to victories against top opponents, including a close 4-3 win over No. 3 Dynamo Moscow. An early factor in the team’s success has been the production of three of its top scorers from last season. Ivan Kirilin (9G, 2A), Amirkhan Gusniev (2G, 7A) and Vitaly Korolyuk (2G, 6A) provide a balanced attack.
For the 5-foot-5 Korolyuk, the scoring touch seems to be a generational trait. His father Alexander notched more than 100 points in 296 NHL games as a member of the San Jose Sharks.
Meanwhile, Lokomotiv suffered a 3-2 defeat at the hands of Spartak Moscow last weekend, which ended a three-game winning streak.
Sitting firmly in the Top 10, Lokomotiv has fared well against the top competition of their birth year. To this point in the season, they are the only team to have defeated No. 1 CSKA, 5-3 back on Sept. 25th.
While the club has nine players with three or more points, the focus for Lokomitiv in shutting down Krylia will be in the net. Maxim Podomatsky has started a majority of Lokomotiv’s games, compiling a 2.25 goals-against average in the process. His 6-foot-1 frame looms large in the crease, leaving little room for opponents to find a place to slip a puck.
After this tilt, the two clubs will meet two more times this season, once in December and again in March of the new year.
Just over two weeks since their last meeting, No. 7 TPS (9-4-0) will take on No. 8 Lukko (8-5-0). A game that has significant implications in the ‘07 rankings for Finland.
If this matchup is anything like the last time they took to the ice together, it will be an exciting affair.
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| Saturday, October 22 @ 4:45 p.m. EEST |
Back on Oct. 8th, TPS edged out Lukko in overtime, 5-4. It was a back-and-forth contest once Petr Vechet got the scoring started for Lukko in the first period. TPS finally gained some breathing room by going up 4-2 in the middle of the second frame on a goal from Wilmer Kallio.
It was then that Vechet put matters into his own hands.
Vechet would hit the back of the net with a strong wrist shot at the end of the second period to make it a 4-3 game. Then, with a little under a minute remaining in regulation, he would complete a hat trick to force overtime. Three minutes into the overtime period, Henri Aava put the game away for TPS to halt any chance of a comeback victory for Lukko.
Vechet’s penchant for heroics has helped propel him for the lead on Lukko in points with 15 (7G, 8A), followed closely by playmaker Julius Suominen’s 12 (2G, 10A). Look for TPS to counter with their own one-two punch of Wilmer Kallio (6G, 7A) and Jeremi Virtanen (6G, 5A).
No. 7 Djurgårdens IF (18-8-1) hopes that a victory against No. 4 Flemingsbergs (14-0-0) will build their resume in the top 10 rankings among Sweden ‘09 teams.
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| Sunday, October 23 @ 5:30 p.m. CET Mälarhöjdens Ice Hall |
Going 6-1-0 since district play began, Djurgårdens shut out Haninge Anchors HC svart 3-0 in its latest contest. They are currently in third place in their group with a 2-1-0 record, behind Trångsunds IF vit (2-0-0) and Flemingsbergs (2-0-0).
Djurgårdens has fared well in the majority of its games so far. With a heavy tournament schedule as well as a handful of district games under their belt, their opponents know their strengths and weaknesses. Scoring has not been an issue for them, but goaltending has been a bit sub-par.
With a team like Flemingbergs waiting for them, it could be an area of concern.
Flemingsbergs is currently in the midst of a 14-game winning streak and will enter the matchup fully rested. It will be their first game since Oct. 9th. Not much more can be said of the offensive firepower of this team, as they seemingly score at will from anywhere on the ice.
Djurgårdens’ focus will have to be on the defensive aspect of its game, trying to limit the chances in the defensive zone. If not, it could spell disaster and will only boost Flemingsbergs’ chances at continuing an incredible streak.
Two 2010 programs experiencing stellar starts to the season are No. 2 Spartak Moscow (18-5-0), and No. 3 Dynamo Moscow (11-4-0). A game between two teams so close in the standings could have major implications for seeding moving deeper into the season.
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| Saturday, October 22 |
Last time out, Spartak had a meeting with No. 1-ranked CSKA Moscow, falling 7-5 in a high-scoring affair. The loss also ended a seven-game winning streak.
Spartak’s goal-scoring ability has been on display all season long, led by the trio of Artem Korolev (16G, 18A), Alexander Sidorenko (10G, 12A) and Gordey Khotkov (8G, 13A). As a team, they have only been held to 2 or fewer goals in two contests; one 2-1 loss to Lokomotiv and a 2-0 loss to CSKA.
Dynamo sits right on the heels of CSKA and Spartak in the top 10 in the country. However, Spartak cruised by Dynamo 6-2 when the two met previously back in August. Still, Dynamo has the skill to skate with the very best in Russia.
Arseniy Rychagov’s 11 points lead his team, with much of the supporting cast of forwards all huddled close behind. A balanced attack throughout four lines is arguably Dynamo’s biggest strength. The team’s success could hinge on whether or not that depth and versatility continues.
Time will tell if Dynamo learned anything from their first encounter with Spartak, or if the latter will once again come out on top.
Want to stay updated on all the games of the week and the top teams across youth hockey? Follow WHH on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Discord and YouTube for more!
On the list of important dates for the 2022-23 Greater Toronto Hockey League (GTHL) season, Oct. 17 may be the most important.
It is officially ‘Game On’ for the arguably the most elite youth hockey league in the world.
With 51 different hockey clubs and associations — and a total of 508 teams competing — the GTHL is the largest minor hockey league in the world, located right in the heart of Canada’s most populated area. More than 40,000 players in Markham, Mississauga, Toronto and Vaughan skate in the GTHL each season.
Twelve of those clubs have teams competing in the AAA classification from U10 through U18.
Don Mills Flyers
Markham Majors
Mississauga Rebels
Mississauga Senators
North York Rangers
Reps Hockey Club
Toronto Jr. Canadiens
Toronto Marlboros
Toronto Red Wings
Toronto Titans
Toronto Young Nationals
Vaughan Kings
As we prepare for a new GTHL AAA campaign, there’s no better way to size up which teams are the favorites than by looking at who brought home the hardware last season.
U15 AAA (’07): Toronto Jr. Canadiens
U14 AAA (’08): Vaughan Kings
U13 AAA (’09): Don Mills Flyers
U12 AAA (’10): Markham Majors
U11 AAA (’11): Vaughan Kings
U10 AAA (’12): North York Rangers
Game action has already been underway, as the GTHL introduced a preseason schedule for the month of September. Meanwhile, the GTHL AAA schedule was increased at the older age groups; U10 through U14 will play 33 games, while U15 through U18 will play 36.
Expect big things out of the U16 age group, as the top three spots in the 2007 Canadian rankings all belong to GTHL teams. The Jr. Canadiens — fresh off winning the GTHL and All-Ontario titles last season — currently check in at No. 3, behind the No. 1 Mississauga Senators and No. 2 Toronto Marlboros.
Last year, of course, the ’06 Mississauga Senators won the U16 OHL Cup with the help of a few under-agers in ’07 forwards Marcus Lagana, William Moore and Michael Misa. That last guy ended up getting exceptional status for the OHL Draft and was selected No. 1 overall by the Saginaw Spirit. Moore, however, is skating for the Marlboros U16 team this year, and Lagana is with the Don Mills Flyers.
The Senators and the Marlboros first meet on Oct. 28 for a battle of No. 1 vs. No. 2. Before that, the Marlboros and the Jr. Canadiens clash on Oct. 21.
In the ’08 birth year, the Vaughan Kings are ranked No. 1 in Canada and No. 3 in the world (behind just two Russian teams). Close behind are the No. 4 Toronto Marlboros and No. 5 Toronto Jr. Canadiens. The Vaughan squad is familiar with on-ice success, as they won the inaugural U14 OHL Cup last season after taking care of business in the GTHL.
Vaughan will get big tests early in November, starting on Nov. 6th when the Jr. Canadiens come to town. The next night, the Kings get the Mississauga Senators, and then on Nov. 11th, the Marlboros show up for another top-five battle.
Much like the two elder birth years, the ‘09s feature some highly-rated GTHL squads, as well. Don Mills, ready to defend its GTHL postseason championship from last spring, checks in at No. 1. Breathing down their necks are the Toronto Titans, who are ranked No. 2, and the North York Rangers aren’t far away at No. 4.
The Flyers, already with an 8-2 win over the Vaughan Kings under their belts, will play the No. 4 Rangers on Oct. 18th.
At the 2010 birth year, the Toronto Jr. Canadiens hold the top spot in the latest Canadian rankings, while the Vaughan Kings are No. 4, Markham Majors are No. 6 and Don Mills Flyers are No. 8.
We’ve already had one top-10 showdown, as the Jr. Canadiens blanked Don Mills 4-0 on Oct. 13th.
And at the 2011 birth year — the youngest the WHH rankings go — the Toronto Jr. Canadiens hold the top spot as well. Don Mills is No. 3, the Toronto Red Wings are No. 4 and Toronto Titans are No. 6.
The Minor Hockey ALLIANCE of Ontario is set for a big season of hockey in Canada.
With 23 member associations and over 30,000 members, the ALLIANCE membership is larger than eight of Hockey Canada’s provincial governing bodies, and with that brings impressive AAA hockey talent to the organization.
Founded in 1993, ALLIANCE continues to establish itself as a premiere youth hockey organization in Canada. Twelve organizations have teams competing at the AAA level within ALLIANCE for the main youth hockey birth years and are split into two divisions. In the East Division, the Brantford 99ers, Cambridge Hawks, Hamilton Huskies, Huron-Perth Lakers, Kitchener Jr. Rangers and Waterloo Wolves are battling for positioning before the postseason begins in March.
Meanwhile in the West, the Chatham-Kent Cyclones, Elgin-Middlesex Canucks, Lambton Jr. Sting, London Jr. Knights, Sun County Panthers and Windsor Jr. Spitfires will be doing the same.
ALLIANCE champions carry with it more than just season-ending bragging rights. At the U13 and U15 age groups, it punches tickets to the Ontario Hockey Federation Championships, and to the OHL Cup in the U14 and U16 age groups.
This year, there are plenty of ALLIANCE teams to watch, and the league has plenty of representation on the Canadian rankings. At the ’08 level, for instance, Elgin-Middlesex Canucks rank No. 6 in the country. One birth year younger, there two major powerbrokers at the ’09 level, as the Sun County Panthers check in at No. 1, and the Huron-Perth Lakers are close behind at No. 2. Considering Huron-Perth is the defending ALLIANCE champions after knocking off Sun County in the final last year, this only adds to the budding rivalry between the two clubs. At the 2010 birth year, the Brantford 99ers appear at No. 6, and Sun County is No. 8. Lastly, the ’11 birth year features two teams as well; Elgin-Middlesex at No. 2 and Sun County at No. 10.
One of ALLIANCE’s biggest events helps propel the season into full gear this weekend when the league hosts its U15AAA Face Off in Komoka, home of Elgin-Middlesex. The league brings its U18, U16, U15 and U14 teams together on various weekends early in the season for jam-packed showcases of hockey; great for scouts, and for teams to really get a sense of where they stand in league-play.
On Friday, the 12 members of the U15 division gather for a 24-game weekend. While there have been some league games played already, this event really serves as the kick-off event for the 2008 birth year.
The U18 division started with their own Face-Off event on Sept. 30th. Meanwhile, the U14s will get underway Oct. 21 – 23, and the U16 group will take part on Nov. 18 – 20. The latter is a major event for the 2007 birth year as they compete for the attention of scouts in their junior draft-eligible season.
It’s mid-October, and youth hockey worldwide is in full swing. The latest youth hockey rankings continue to identify some of the top teams in the world. Swedish clubs embark on District and Group play, Canadian leagues like the GTHL, CSSHL and LHEQ have started games, Finnish teams are a few weeks into Group schedules, and the U.S. and Russia have been going strong for more than a month.
Here’s everything you need to know before exploring the updated youth hockey rankings:
Previously ranked No. 14, Krylia Sovetov propelled themselves into the top five with a big win on Monday. Egor Sidorov’s shootout goal gave Krylia a 4-3 win over Dynamo Moscow. Both teams check in the Top 10 of this week’s world rankings, with Krylia peaking at fourth overall. That victory puts Krylia’s record to 8-2-1, with four of those wins coming against other Top-25 teams. They trail only CSKA Moscow amongst Russian teams, who previously defeated Krylia 6-0 on Aug. 24th. The top two teams in Russia are slated to meet three more times this season, the most recent matchup is scheduled for this Sunday.
Will we get some clarity or confusion later this month when the top four 2007-born teams in Finland face off? No. 2-ranked Kärpät and No. 4-ranked Tappara are set to clash on Oct. 23rd; They are the top two teams in Group 1 of the U16 SM-Series. They met a month ago, and back-to-back third-period goals from Juuso Juka and Elias Tiensuu secured the 4-3 win for Kärpät. That game included four lead changes as the two teams proved to be neck-and-neck.
The top two teams in Group 2 will take the ice on Oct. 28th when No. 1 Kiekko-Espoo plays No. 3 HIFK. It will be the first of two scheduled meetings between the ranked opponents, with the second matchup coming in December. This matchup will also feature the top four scorers in the country, with HIFK’s Oliver Torkki (19) and Matias Vanhanen (17) going head-to-head with Aleksi Kilpeläinen (17) and Aapo Vanninen (16) from Kiekko.
Both of these matchups should prove to be pivotal in the upcoming weeks.
Top-ranked CSKA Moscow is an astonishing 18-0-0 to start the season, just months after completing its U12 season with a 36-1-2 record. They’ve been held to less than five goals in a game just twice, defeating No. 3 Spartak Moscow 2-1 and No. 7 Vityaz Podolsk 4-3. CSKA’s remaining schedule features nine matchups against opponents currently ranked in the top 10 in the country. They’re fueled by a dynamic duo of Nikita Sinikin (48 points) and Roman Andreev (40) who account for 55 percent of the team’s total offense.
In Sweden, Viggbyholms IK maintains a 16-0-1 record, with tournament championship wins at the Nicklas Backstrom Cup and Nordic Youth Trophy. The lone ‘blemish’ on the team’s record is a 1-1 tie to Leksand IF Vit at the Farsta Games a month ago. Through that stretch, only two teams managed to score more than two goals in a single game against Viggbyholms. Goaltenders Elias Ådeby, Oscar Bergström and Douglas Ottoson have provided steady play between the pipes early on this season. Over the next few weeks, several Swedish programs split into two teams for Group Play, with Viggbyholms being one of them. Its Röd (red) team is 1-1-0 in Stockholm’s Group 2 while Blå (Blue) is 0-1-1 in Group 3.
No team at any age group in the United States remains undefeated with as many games played as the Minuteman Flames. The No. 4-ranked team in the world from Massachusetts is 12-0-1, with four wins over Top-10 American teams. The lone tie came two weeks ago against in-state rival and No. 8-ranked team in the world, Boston Jr. Eagles in the form of a 4-4 tie. Averaging 4.9 goals scored per game, the Flames are a tough offense to contain. Over the next few months, they’ll play more than 30 league games in the Eastern Hockey Federation (EHF). The league currently has three teams ranked in the top 20 among 2010s with the Flames, Jr. Eagles and Middlesex Islanders.
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Each week, World Hockey Hub highlights a few of the most exciting upcoming games in youth hockey. From the hottest rivalries to the biggest tournaments, we focus on matchups that will impact the landscape among top teams in the sport.
This week, we highlight a cross-border tilt between Canadian and U.S. squads, a Sweden team trying to crack the top-10 and two Russian powerhouses facing off against one another.
There can only be one No. 1, and two of the premier teams at the 2010 birth year in Russia will square off this weekend to determine just who that is. CSKA Moscow (18-0-0) and Spartak Moscow (18-4-0) will not only have bragging rights on the line, but the outcome of this game may shake up the top of the Russian rankings.
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| Saturday, October 15 |
These two programs have already faced each other twice this season, with CSKA emerging victorious both times by scores of 7-6 and 2-1. Rest will play a factor in this game, as both sides will be heading into this tilt following some time off.
A rest that will aid the incredible scorers hailing from both sides.
On paper, the dynamic offenses for both squads are certainly noticeable. For CSKA, names like Nikita Sinikin (24G, 24A), Roman Andreev (23G, 17A), and Bogdan Doroshkevich (7G, 11A) certainly have raised eyebrows of opponents.
Spartak comes equipped with their own set of high-profile scorers; Artem Korolev (16G, 18A), Alexander Sidorenko (10G, 12A), and Mikhail Isaev (8G, 10A) lead the group.
Amazing offensive output from two strong forward cores, but each team also boasts a player from the defensive side of the puck who can also rack up the points.
For Spartak, that player comes in the form of Gordey Khotkov (8G, 13A) and for CSKA it is Mikhail Makeev, who has collected 17 points (1G, 16A) on the season thus far.
Given how the season has played out for both teams, both individually and the two games they have under their belt against the other, high offense and dazzling playmaking should be on tap.
With district group-play beginning this past week in Sweden, many top-10 clubs are in full swing. For 2007-born teams, a matchup between SDE Hockey (6-5-2) and IFK Täby HC (11-2-1) headlines the schedule.
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| Tuesday, October 11 @ 8:00 pm CET Stockhagens Ice Hall |
Täby is fresh off an 8-3 win against Viggbyholms IK. With that victory, they remain undefeated in group play.
Their offense has been propelled by the balanced attack of 5-foot-7 forward Theo Stockselius (1G, 7A), dynamic play-making of Max Johannesén (1G, 7A), and strong goal scoring of Viggo Björck (5G, 1A).
SDE — currently holding down the 10th spot in the Sweden rankings were bested by Viggbyholms in overtime in their last outing. Filip Thorling (1G, 2A) and Oliver Höglund (2G) were forces in the game for SDE, standing out as its two best forwards.
A big focus for Täby will be staying out of the box, as SDE’s power play was firing on all cylinders against Viggbyholms. They went 2-for-2 with both goals coming from the hot stick of Höglund.
Djurgårdens IF (5-1-0) will take to the ice against Flemingsbergs IK (8-4-2) for an ‘07 mid-week matchup, hoping to continue their impressive start to group play.
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| Wednesday, October 12 @ 7:30 pm CET Mälarhöjdens Ice Hall |
With a 6-2 statement win right out of the gate against IFK Tumba IK, Djurgårdens appears ready to prove why it’s one of the top teams in their group.
William Håkansson (1G, 2A) and Kean Tollet (1G, 1A) have been early leaders among the forward corps for Djurgårdens. The team’s secret weapon, however, lies with 5-foot-9 defenseman Lucas Grahn. Not only bringing size and strong defensive play to the team’s blueline, he has a knack for finding the scoresheet as well. Grahn has one goal and two assists in one game.
Djurgårdens is also prepared for a run of strong play in net thanks to Oscar Sääf. Displaying a calm demeanor in net, he turned aside 22 of 24 shots in their opening win.
Following an overtime loss to Södertälje SK 1, Flemingsbergs got back on track with a 5-3 win against IFK Tumba last weekend.
Samuel Palenik (2G, 1A), Carl Carlenius (1G, 2A), Sebastian Dahlqvist (1G, 2A) and Michal Horníček (3A) top the leaderboard for Flemingsbergs in the early stages of group play.
Flemingsbergs boasts their own star goaltender Lukas Furaev, who has solidly performed in his duties, racking up a 2.86 goals-against average and .933 save percentage.
Comparing those numbers to that of Sääf, whose modest performance in net had led to a 2.00 goals-against average and .916 save percentage, it shows that both clubs are served with a strong goaltending.
This matchup may very well come down to who performs best between the pipes.
This one has been circled on the calendar since the rankings came out last week. On October 15, the No. 1-ranked team in Canada, Vaughan Kings (9-1-1), will meet with the No. 3-ranked team in the U.S., Chicago Mission (13-1-1). It will be a battle between two of the top 2008-born clubs in the world.
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| Saturday, October 15 @ 7:00 pm EST BELFOR Training Center |
Chicago is coming off a successful weekend where they swept fellow U.S. clubs Honeybaked and Compuware.
Vaughan started the season off with a nine-game unbeaten streak. That came to an end with a 3-2 overtime loss at the hands of the North York Rangers on October 2. Last weekend, they took to the ice against the Oakville Rangers, skating away with a 4-2 victory.
It’s a rare Top-10 international matchup in a battle between Canada’s best and one of America’s top programs. The youth hockey world is in for a good one on Saturday.
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Held annually since the 2016-17 season, the St. Petersburg Cup took place last weekend. This year’s tournament for 2007-born clubs followed the customary format, with 16 teams all vying to be the last one standing.
After the field of 16 teams participated in a round of single-elimination games, only eight squads remained. Those teams took part in a two-game series in both the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds. That all culminated with the championship game, which reverted back to a single elimination, winner-take-all match on Saturday.
This year’s championship matchup was a rematch of the final from last year’s tournament, with Dynamo St. Petersburg (7-4-1) taking on SKA St. Petersburg (11-3-0). SKA emerged the victor in 2021, besting Dynamo 2-1 in a tightly contested game.
Dynamo and SKA are two names synonymous with success not only within the St. Petersburg District limits, but in Russian youth hockey as a whole. It came as no surprise that these two rivals would clash in the championship game of this tournament, especially given the impressive run by Dynamo in the preliminary rounds.
What stood out throughout Dynamo’s tournament run was the incredible balance from the team in all aspects of its game. The offense was clicking at a staggering rate, filling the back of opponents’ nets with incredible ease. And defensively, they allowed little to nothing for a team to strike back at them.
After kicking off their tournament with an astounding 23-1 win against Zanevsky Molot, they had no issues in a two-game set vs. Dynamo Peter with resounding 8-1 and 10-1 wins.
In the semifinals, the task would get tougher as the opponent switched to SKA Strelna. The No. 4-ranked ‘07 team in Russia, Strelna presented the toughest matchup of the tournament yet. As Dynamo’s offense was highlighted in previous contests, defense and goaltending took center stage here. After edging Strelna in a shootout 3-2 in Game 1, Dynamo finished off the series with a 2-1 victory in Game 2.
Going an undefeated 5-0-0 heading into the final game, Dynamo had handled business almost perfectly at both ends of the ice and had their sights set on payback. The loss in the championship game from last season still fresh in their minds, there was extra motivation for Dynamo as they took to the ice against No. 5-ranked SKA St. Petersburg.
Despite the best efforts of SKA, Dynamo’s overwhelming balance of offense, defense and goaltending would once again serve as the perfect ingredients for a 4-2 victory, crowning them champions.
All in all, 14 skaters for Dynamo tallied at least two points at the tournament, led by the incredible depth provided by Erik Pastukhov (8G, 8A), Daniil Prokhorov (14G, 1A), Alexander Kotov (6G, 7A) and Gleb Semenov (1G, 10A). This group made up four of the top five scorers at the tournament.
Not to mention the stellar goaltending Dynamo received from Viktor Levchenko and Mikhail Tatulyan, who recorded 1.21 and 1.33 goals-against averages, respectively.
The story, however, does not end there.
After recording three wins against Top-25 teams in the world last weekend, Dynamo will reconnect with SKA St. Petersburg later this week. Now the opportunity for revenge sits with SKA, as two of the top teams in St. Petersburg get set to clash for the third time in eight days.
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