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Toronto, ON – The Canadian Hockey League today
announced the first week of BMO CHL MasterCard Top
10 Rankings prior to the start of the 2011-12
season. The weekly rankings of the Canadian Hockey
League’s Top 10 teams are selected by a panel of
National Hockey League scouts.
The defending QMJHL and MasterCard Memorial Cup
Champions the Saint John Sea Dogs open the season in
top spot after spending an incredible 23 weeks in
the rankings in each of the past two seasons. The
Sea Dogs led the CHL with three players selected in
the first round of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft
including Jonathan Huberdeau selected third overall
by the Florida Panthers, Nathan Beaulieu selected
17th overall by the Montreal Canadiens, and Zack
Phillips selected 28th overall by the Minnesota
Wild. The Niagara IceDogs enter the 2011-12 campaign
as the top-ranked OHL team at number two in the CHL
and feature two top-10 picks from the 2011 NHL Entry
Draft including Ryan Strome selected fifth overall
by the New York Islanders, and Dougie Hamilton
selected ninth overall by the Boston Bruins. In the
WHL, the Portland Winterhawks are the top ranked
team at number three and have had 12 players
selected in the last two NHL Entry Drafts including
Sven Baertschi selected 13th overall by the Calgary
Flames in 2011, and Joe Morrow who was also selected
this year 23rd overall by the Pittsburgh Penguins.
The 2011-12 CHL season opens with the top-ranked Sea
Dogs hosting the Moncton Wildcats Thursday night at
Harbour Station. The OHL and WHL schedules begin on
Wednesday September 21, 2011, and Thursday September
22, 2011, respectively.
Week two of the BMO CHL MasterCard Top 10 Rankings
will be issued on Wednesday September 28, 2011.
BMO CHL MasterCard Top 10 Rankings – Week 1
1. Saint John Sea Dogs
2. Niagara IceDogs
3. Portland Winterhawks
4. Shawinigan Cataractes
5. Plymouth Whalers
6. Quebec Remparts
7. Kelowna Rockets
8. Sarnia Sting
9. Red Deer Rebels
10. Victoriaville Tigres
Honourable Mention:
Oshawa Generals
Moose Jaw Warriors
London Knights
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