In the Slot: The Top 5 Difference Makers in the CCHL
By Kristopher Bras on February 4th, 2015
The 2014-15 CCHL Regular Season is almost over and a familiar group of teams is on top of the league again. Pembroke, Carleton Place and Ottawa all have significant win percentage advantages over the rest of the league’s teams—and specific players are easy to pinpoint as a large reason why.
While individual achievement can never rival teamwork, when you look at the league from a statistical perspective, five anomalies leap right off the screen—for varying reasons.
So without further deliberation, here are my top 5 difference makers in the CCHL, in no particular order.
1. Felix Chamberland
Felix Chamberland is one of the most dangerous scorers in the CCHL, and he has a habit of scoring big goals. This season, he has potted an incredible nine game-winning goals—three more than the nearest comer (who happens to be his own teammate, Adam Dauda). In last year’s playoffs, Chamberland scored 19 points in 13 games—and brought the Carleton Place Canadians to the brink of elimination in a double-OT Game 6 thriller. Expect Chamberland and the Lumber Kings to push their rivals hard again this year.
2. Andy Sturtz
Sturtz is a straight-up freak. Although he doesn’t lead the league in points this year, he does lead the league in one category—shorthanded goals. His insane nine goals when down a man are more than twice what he has scored on the man advantage (just four). In total, only 13 of his 65 points were scored on the powerplay, making Carleton Place’s top line a major threat—whether they’re able to draw a penalty or not. Sturtz also has four game winners.
3. Robert Michel
After trading Zac Tierney during the offseason, the Ottawa Jr. Senators needed a new powerplay quarterback—and Robert Michel has filled the void with authority. Through 50 games, Michel has racked up 48 points, leading all defencemen in every major offensive category. He has managed to do this without sacrificing his own zone, fitting into the team’s newfound commitment to defence. Michel will be a valuable asset when the team attempts to win their first league championship since 2002.
4. Alexandre Boivin
After spending a few seasons with the Quebec Remparts, Boivin was brought back to the CCHL six weeks into the season to replace an injured Adam Dauda. In just 37 games since, Boivin has taken the league lead in powerplay scoring, racking up 25 points while a man up. In total, he has 64 points—good for a 1.7 points-per-game pace, also a league best. Incredibly, the Lumber Kings have 91 powerplay points among their top four scorers. Don’t take a dumb penalty against this team!
5. Tie: Guillaume Therien and Adrian Clark
The Carleton Place Canadians have the best goaltending tandem the league has ever seen. While Guillaume Therien is widely regarded as one of the best junior goaltenders in the country, rookie Adrian Clark has been given plenty of chances to shine this year—both with the team and in extra opportunities. Clark made the 2014 World Junior A Challenge as a member of Team Canada East in December, and recently participated in the CJHL Top Prospects Game in January. Clark and Therien are 1-2 among all goaltenders in both goals-against and save percentage.
