Mixed Results for Canadian Clubs 10 Games Into The 2023-24 AHL Season

All teams are not created equal. Falling under the banner of the Great White North doesn't immediately translate to success. Ask the Oilers, who, after massive projections of playoff grandeur to start the year, have fallen to 31st in the league with a woeful -18 GF/GA ratio and just five points in 11 games. 

Contrast that with exceeded expectations among the Vancouver Canucks (19 points in 12 games with a whopping +30 to start the season) and the not-so-fast-to-rebuild Winnipeg Jets (with 14 points in 12 games).

The Leafs are hitting status-quo levels of high highs with offensive bursts and low lows with the odd embarrassing loss, while the Flames, Canadiens and Senators are all experiencing varying degrees of points poverty, for a variety of non-related reasons. 

The overall sentiment is true even at the AHL level, where, 10 games into the 2023-24 season for many clubs, results have varied from the fantastic to the desperate. 

The Hockey News takes a look at every Canadian AHL club's start to the season:

Abbotsford Canucks - 13 Points in 11 Games

The aforementioned Vancouver Canucks are far and away the hottest, and perhaps most surprising Canadian NHL club to start the season. 

Ditto for their AAA affiliate in Abbotsford, who currently sit fourth in the AHL with a 6-4-1 record, propelled by strong offensive stats from league-leader Arshdeep Bains (16 points in 11 games), NHL-veteran blueliner Christian Wolanin and pair of centers Nils Aman (5 goals, 11 points) and Sheldon Dries (4 goals, 10 points).

Goaltending, however, has been suspect for the A-Canucks, with the tandem of Nikita Tolopilo and Arturs Silovs each holding GAA's north of 3.30 and sub .900 SP. 

Calgary Wranglers - 13 Points in 8 Games

With three fewer games and a 6-1-1 run to start the year, the Calgary Wranglers are the hottest Canadian club in the AHL.

Backstopped by heir-apparent to the Flames crease Dustin Wolf - who carries a sparkling 2.34 GAA and .924 SP with one shutout - the Wrangles have found timely offense from recent NHL call-ups Connor Zary (10 points in 6 games) and Martin Pospisil (6 points in 6 games), blueliner Jeremie Poirier (7 points in 4 games) and winter Adam Klapka (7 points in 8 games).

The knock on the Wranglers is that the relative mediocrity of the Flames to start the season could see a glut of productive forwards, and the long-awaited ascent of Wolf, coming sooner rather than later.

Toronto Marlies - 12 Points in 9 Games

With a 5-2-2 record through nine games with 31 goals for opposite 24 against, the Toronto Marlies currently show promise while sitting at 11th in the AHL.

A firm mix of veterans - Martin Jones, Logan Shaw, Kyle Clifford, Joseph Blandisi, Dylan Gambrell - to prospect ratio - Nick Robertson, Alex Steeves, Max Ellis, and goaltender Dennis Hildeby - seems to be a winning formula for new coach John Gruden.

Recent Leafs callup Robertson leads the Marlies with five goals and 11 points in nine games (as of press time), while Hildeby has outperformed Jones and Keith Petruzzelli early with a strong 1.68 GAA and .935 SP in three games played. 

Belleville Senators - 9 Points in 8 Games

Heading to the middle-lower tier of the Canadian A-clubs, the Belleville Senators have seen their season hampered by a glut of call-ups precipitated by a snake-bitten and banged-up Ottawa roster.

Goaltending has been strong for the Baby Sens, with AHL Goaltender of the Month Mads Sogaard standing on his head with an impeccable 2.15 GAA and .931 SP, with backup Leevi Merilainen comfortably sporting a 2.37 GAA and .922 SP through two games.

Offensive support, though, just hasn't been there for Belleville, with team leader Matthew Highmore sitting with 7 points in 8 games. Matthew Guenette (6 points), Garrett Pilon (5 points), Angus Crookshank (5 points), and Egor Sokolov (5 points) have all contributed to a club that sits 26th in the league with just 22 goals scored on the season. 

Manitoba Moose - 8 Points in 8 Games

Through eight games of play the Manitoba Moose have been the definition of a 500 club. 

Four wins against four losses with 28 goals against 27 goals, the Jets AHL affiliate has found production from the near point-per-game unit of Kyle Capobianco (11 points), Brad Lambert (10 points), and Nikita Chibrikov (10 points), yet has struggled to keep pucks out of their own net. 

Starter Collin Delia has a so-so 2.96 GAA against a .892 SP, while backup Oskari Salminen, in three games, has a rough 3.42 GAA and .852 SP. They'll need timely saves in order to break away from a crowded Central Division. 

Laval Rocket - 5 Points in 10 Games

Sitting at the bottom of the Canadian pecking order, and a mere one point above the league bedrock is the lowly Laval Rocket. 

The good news, despite only five points in 10 games and an unsightly 2-7-1 record, is that forward prospects are thriving on the scoresheets.

Highly touted 20-year-old Joshua Roy has five goals and 12 points in 10 games, with Brandon Gignac and Lias Andersson owning 10 and 9 points apiece. 

The good news stops there as the Rocket goaltending, to be kind, has been poor. 

Overall the club sits on a loathsome -16 GF/GA differential, with the tandem of Jakub Dobes and Strauss Mann sinking to start the season. Dobes holds a wretched 4.75 GAA and .853 SP through six games, with Mann's stats somehow worse with a 4.65 GAA and .851 SP in five games.

Simply put, the Rocket will not have enough fuel to climb out of the AHL's basement without quality saves and team-wide defensive efforts.