Every two weeks throughout the regular season, FloHockey’s AHL expert Patrick Williams will deliver the FloHockey AHL Power Rankings listing all 32 teams.
Out go the Toronto Marlies from the number-one spot. Now atop the AHL are the Ontario Reign.
See where your favorite team ranks based on the Power Rankings and follow them throughout the season to see how your club rises or falls. You can also see the full AHL standings here to see how it compares with our power rankings.
1) Ontario Reign (+4)
There was the blip of a 5-0 home loss to Iowa last Friday, but otherwise the Reign have been dominant. Being able to run Samuel Fagemo, Glenn Gawdin, Charles Hudon, Tyler Madden, Jeff Malott, and Jack Studnicka out on a regular basis gives the Reign some of the AHL’s most productive base of forwards. Since a 6-7-0-0 start, the Reign have gone 15-3-0-1 since Nov. 20.
2) Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (+4)
First-year head coach Kirk MacDonald has more than validated the Pittsburgh Penguins’ decision to bring him in to help revive what had been a sagging farm system. They outscored opponents, 17-4, during three consecutive wins before last Sunday’s matinee defeat at Belleville. When the Penguins dip at all, MacDonald has been quick to address any issues quickly. An annual contender for years, the Penguins are back among the AHL’s top once again.
3) Calgary Wranglers (-1)
The Wranglers have slowed down in the past month, winning just four of their past 11 games. They took a bruising on a two-game weekend trip to Colorado in which the Eagles outscored them, 12-4. Head coach Trent Cull remains with the parent Calgary Flames as an interim assistant coach. After a two-game home series with Tucson this week, the Wranglers will move into a quite winnable stretch in which seven of the following nine games will be against either Abbotsford, Henderson, or San Diego.
4) Charlotte Checkers (-1)
Injuries have slowed down a team that has every chance to be a strong Calder Cup contender. Dropping back-to-back games against Hershey was a difficult way to begin a six-game homestand after a very solid stretch that had taken them into the new calendar year.
5) Rochester Americans (+5)
A 6-2 loss at Syracuse last Saturday ended the Amerks’ seven-game winning streak. A bad night at the rink like that isn’t always the worst thing for a team, and it can help to reinforce that there are no easy nights on the schedule. They have a chance to rebound from that with a home-and-home series against Lehigh Valley.
6) Texas Stars (+10)
Apparently a 6-3 home loss to Tucson back on Jan. 3 got the Stars’ attention. Since then they have won four straight games and outscored opponents, 20-4. Cameron Hughes is one of the top two-way players in the AHL and helps to head one of the best forward groups in the league. Veteran Magnus Hellberg has been a reliable backstop who allows the Texas attack to handle business.
7) Hershey Bears (+2)
Back-to-back Calder Cup champions, the Bears are one of only two teams in the AHL to have already moved into their second-half schedule. They pulled off a two-game weekend sweep at Charlotte, something they needed badly after a 3-5-0-0 homestand. Having already played a league-high 21 home games, road play will be something that the Bears will have to continue to do well. While they are a decidedly mediocre .500 (10-10-1-0) at home, their road record is an outstanding 13-1-2-0 (.875) that tops the AHL.
8) Laval Rocket (+4)
The Rocket are back in the Top Ten following an impressive weekend stop at Cleveland, where they took three of four points against an solid opponent in the Monsters. Goaltender Jakub Dobeš remains on recall to the Montreal Canadiens, and Laval may not be seeing the second-year pro again any time soon. Still, Cayden Primeau is established at this level as he works to get his game back in order after a difficult go with the Canadiens.
9) Toronto Marlies (-8)
A four-game losing streak took the Marlies directly into their annual midseason Toronto International Boat Show road trip. They managed to break that streak with a win at Syracuse before a sluggish loss against Utica, a team that is 18 points below the playoff line. Now comes the Western Conference portion of this road schedule, an eight-gamer that will take the Marlies on the road for more than two weeks. Adding a veteran defenseman like Dakota Mermis is a strong move for the blue line.
10) Colorado Eagles (+4)
The Eagles have shown at different points that they can compete and beat top opponents. This past weekend might have been their best effort yet in those two decisive home wins versus Calgary. With two-game home series against Bakersfield and Coachella Valley this week, now is the time to build on that effort.
11) Cleveland Monsters (–)
12) Coachella Valley Firebirds (+1)
13) San Jose Barracuda (-5)
14) Grand Rapids Griffins (-10)
15) Providence Bruins (-8)
16) Syracuse Crunch (+2)
17) Tucson Roadrunners (–)
18) Chicago Wolves (-3)
19) Bakersfield Condors (+3)
20) Lehigh Valley Phantoms (+5)
21) Milwaukee Admirals (–)
22) Rockford IceHogs (+1)
23) Belleville Senators (-4)
24) Hartford Wolf Pack (-4)
25) Abbotsford Canucks (-1)
26) Springfield Thunderbirds (–)
27) San Diego Gulls (+1)
28) Iowa Wild (-1)
29) Manitoba Moose (+2)
30) Bridgeport Islanders (–)
31) Utica Comets (-2)
32) Henderson Silver Knights (–)
Out of the Top 10: Grand Rapids Griffins, Providence Bruins, San Jose Barracuda
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