2022-23 ECHL Power Rankings
Despite Tough Week, Steelheads Still In No. 1 Spot
Now that the All-Star Game – which was streamed live on FloHockey – officially is behind us, it’s time to start focusing on the second half of the season, as teams start to either jockey for playoff position or to try to get in at all.
This week’s installment of the very unofficial league power rankings takes that into account, as several teams are starting to get hot at just the right time.
1) Idaho Steelheads (28-6-0-1) (Last Week: 1)
Though Newfoundland is charging, it’s hard to see a scenario where Idaho gets knocked out of the top spot anytime soon.
However, the Steelheads did have somewhat of a tough week, dropping 2-of-3 to the lightly regarded Utah Grizzlies in a home-and-home set.
2) Newfoundland Growlers (25-9-1-0) (Last Week: 2)
The Growlers have won five straight and are reemerging as a Kelly Cup contender.
They’ve potted 28 goals over that stretch, including a sweep of freefalling Worcester in a three-game slate at home.
3) Indy Fuel (25-10-1-0) (Last Week: 3)
Indy continues to roll, having claimed six out of a possible eight points in a busy past week.
Their only setback was a 3-1 road defeat at the hands of the Cincinnati Cyclones on Friday night.
4) Florida Everblades (21-8-3-2) (Last Week: 7)
Florida has points in three straight games heading into this week’s contests on FloHockey, including back-to-back road wins over South Carolina this past weekend.
5) Maine Mariners (21-11-1-1) (Last Week: 9)
The Mariners are the league’s hottest team right now, having not suffered a regulation loss since Dec. 21.
They’re 9-0-0-1 since then and continued to plow through the league this past week with a three-game sweep in Norfolk, followed by a Monday win in Reading.
6) South Carolina Stingrays (21-7-3-1) (Last Week: 4)
Before the losses to Florida, South Carolina had a strong start to its week, winning on the road in Atlanta and backing that up with an overtime triumph at home over Savannah.
7) Atlanta Gladiators (22-12-3-0) (Last Week: 6)
It was a tough week for the Gladiators, who won just one of their four games and fell back one spot in this week’s rankings.
Only a 5-3 win over Jacksonville on Friday salvaged the stretch.
8) Jacksonville Icemen (22-12-1-0) (Last Week: 12)
On the flip side, the Icemen are back into the top 10 in this week’s rankings after a largely successful four games, dropping only one of them.
A 7-3 win over Florida on Wednesday was backed up by two straight victories in Atlanta.
9) Reading Royals (22-11-1-0) (Last Week: 8)
Another team with a busy week, Reading played four times in the past seven days, as well, and split their slate.
The two wins came at home against lowly Adirondack on Friday and Saturday, before losing to Maine in a matinee Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
10) Cincinnati Cyclones (20-7-4-2) (Last Week: 11)
Cincy sneaks back into the top 10 after taking home five out of a possible eight points this past week, but the Cyclones saw a four-game point streak snapped with Sunday’s 4-2 loss in Toledo.
The Rest Of The ECHL
11) Wichita Thunder (21-13-3-0) Last Week: 5)
12) Greenville Swamp Rabbits (19-10-7-0) (Last Week: 14)
13) Rapid City Rush (19-17-1-0) (Last Week: 17)
14) Kansas City Mavericks (16-12-5-0) (Last Week: 18)
15) Orlando Solar Bears (15-16-4-1) (Last Week: 20)
16) Toledo Walleye (17-14-4-1) (Last Week: 15)
17) Worcester Railers (19-15-3-0) (Last Week: 10)
18) Fort Wayne Komets (15-12-4-2) (Last Week: 13)
19) Wheeling Nailers (17-16-3-0) (Last Week: 16)
20) Allen Americans (14-19-1-0) (Last Week: 21)
21) Kalamazoo Wings (15-16-3-0) (Last Week: 23)
22) Trois-Rivieres Lions (14-19-2-0) (Last Week: 22)
23) Utah Grizzlies (14-19-1-0) (Last Week: 25)
24) Tulsa Oilers (11-15-6-1) (Last Week: 24)
25) Savannah Ghost Pirates (11-18-7-0) (Last Week: 26)
26) Adirondack Thunder (10-17-5-1) (Last Week: 19)
27) Iowa Heartlanders (7-17-8-1) (Last Week: 27)
28) Norfolk Admirals (6-27-1-2) (Last Week: 28)