Yahoo Sports Mid-Season Checkup: Western Conference 1-5
OHL action is back! With half a season to go, there is no better time to ask the question: what can we learn from the standings midway through the season?
Part three of the mid-season checkup series will shift from the Eastern Conference over to the Western Conference.
Unlike the East, the Western Conference features a large gap at the top of the standings. Three teams have separated themselves from the pack and all but clinched playoff spots.
Without further ado, here is the mid-season checkup featuring the top-five teams in the Western Conference.
1. London Knights - 33 GP (27-6-0-0) 54 pts
After winning an OHL Championship last season, the Knights look stronger than ever. In the first half of the season, they tore apart the league like Darth Vader shredding through the Rebels at the end of Rogue One.
Their 19-game winning streak rocketed the team to the top of the standings where they now sit five points ahead of the team in second.
The already strong roster led by Toronto Maple Leafs' prospect Easton Cowan has only gotten stronger this year.
Sharks' prospect Sam Dickinson leads all OHL defensemen in points. Depth forward and Edmonton Oilers' prospect Will Nichol has also taken a huge leap forward.
They added Ottawa Senators' prospect Black Montgomery early in the season before picking up Washington Capitals' prospect Cam Allen in a trade several weeks ago.
This team is a lock for the playoffs and should be considered the favorites to win another championship based on their talent.
2. Windsor Spitfires - 33 GP (23-7-2-1) 49 pts
Windsor finished last in the Western Conference last season with just 44 points and a .324 points percentage.
After that abysmal season, Windsor is back at the top of the table with a .742 points percentage and one of the most exciting young teams in the league.
A few big additions seriously boosted Windsor this year. Belarussian forward Ilya Protas left the USHL to join Windsor this season and has 50 points in 32 games this year.
Ethan Belchetz, the first-overall pick in the 2024 OHL Priority Selection, has also been an important addition to this team.
The Spitfires' performance in the first half set them up for success. Now, they need to continue taking steps forward.
3. Kitchener Rangers - 33 GP (23-7-2-1) 49 pts
When Kitchener traded away Carson Rehkopf in exchange for a whopping ten draft picks it was thought they would rebuild this year.
However, Kitchener is tied for second place in the Western Conference and looks like a lock for the playoffs.
Related: Brampton acquires Carson Rehkopf in splashy trade
Their .742 points percentage is better than the .632 points percentage from the end of last season.
Kitchener's success is a result of a fairly balanced effort across the board.
Overage forward Adrian Misaljevic leads the team in points with 38 so far this season followed by Trent Swich Luca Romano and Cameron Reid who all have 30.
The team added former West Kelowna Warrior Jack Pridham after the opening months of the season. In 15 games he has 18 points.
4. Erie Otters - (16-10-3-1) 36 pts
After an impressive first half, Erie now faces the daunting task of going several months without star defenseman Matthew Schaefer.
Erie's .600 points percentage is just slightly ahead of the .537 they ended the year with last season.
Everything depends on the second half of the season for Erie. Their first half set them up for success, but they haven't done so well that they couldn't tumble down the standings.
It seems unlikely they will miss the playoffs, given Guelph and Owen Sound's struggles, however, they could easily fall down the standings.
A lot will depend on how they do without Schaefer.
5. Saginaw Spirit - 33 GP (16-16-1-0) 33 pts
Last year's Memorial Cup Champions find themselves in fifth this season with a .500 points percentage halfway through the year.
This is a drop from last season when they finished second with a .750 points percentage.
Given that most Memorial Cup Champions slump the following season this is actually a good start to the year for Saginaw given how many players graduated last year.
Michael Misa's performance this season is nothing short of phenomenal. He leads the OHL in goals and points this season with no indication he will slow down.
Saginaw has all of the potential to once again make some noise in the playoffs, though they are far from the favorites.
Related: Owen Sound Attack Sign Cornell University Commit
