Top surprises and top letdowns

Week one of LGAHL is in the books and there is plenty of newsworthy topics. Lets look at some of the biggest surprises and biggest let downs to start the season.

SURPRISES

5. Rockford Ice Hogs Off to a 6-2-1 start not a complete surprise this management team of @KittyKing69 @Rantallion34 and @althewall are guys who have had plenty of success at the AHL level but i feel this is a team that flew a little under the radar with all the other bigger splashes in bidding these guys seem to have built a pretty solid team. They have dropped they're last two games so look for them to get back on track this week.

4. Bridgeport Sound Tigers Although i wouldn't consider this team a normal surprise team i am sure i wouldn't be the only person to say i would have thought another team would be at the top. 8-0 to start the season before dropping the final game of the week they seem to be playing a very solid all around game. 7-0 in 1 goal games this defense is stepping up led by returning defensemen @Sumawtf and @P_Po_Patches along with the return of the stellar net duo of @SW-Bobcats9 @xKLuTchDoLphiNx should be a team to watch. Going forward i would like to see @GalchyTheBeast27 and co. start putting teams away more decisively as a top team should.

3. Grand Rapids Griffins Awkward traded from griffins to thunderbirds in the previous season @Red_Pepsi8 is back in Grand Rapids as gm now and has his team off to a great start. I think i can speak for everyone other than @mikenaughty when i say i was not sure what team would take the lead in the western central. The Griffins have stepped forward 4th in scoring they are 7-2-1 as they start the season off with the 10 game week getting big contributions from the big ticket free agent @CurelessBacon28 who has by far been the best big money pick up to start the season

2. Lehigh Valley Phantoms The longtime CHL management team of @JRGreaterThan and @T_B_61 are off to a great start at 6-3. Im sure there were a lot of doubters but after one week i think its safe to say the phantoms are going to be a solid team. @Jason_23 and @Feelted are absolutely tearing it up 1 and 2 on the scoring list and backed by big money dman (6m) @Morn and partner @scully8784 looks like they have the go to line every team needs.

1. Cleveland Monsters The Monsters might not have the best record of my surprise list 5-2-2 there is no way anyone would have thought @Degraves5 would have had his team in first place in the eastern north. At 30 gf and 28 ga something does need to be addressed whether it be some defensive help or a more reliable backup goalie option @KF1ELD 2-2 73.7sv% 3.77gaa they seem to have a pretty decent core up front with the right moves they could be a team that sticks around especially with the major letdowns also taking place in the eastern north.

LETDOWNS

5. San Antonio Rampage Obviously a 5-3-1 start is not bad but lets be honest here @BasicallyMcdavid is filling some big shoes left behind by @TKonecnyX11 who has had the Rampage at the very top for 3 whole seasons. When all is said and done there is just too much talent here though once the ball starts rolling i am sure the Rampage will find themselves in a playoff spot.

4. Iowa Wild You had to have seen this coming although this was probably another western central team that could have flew under the radar @mikenaughty put his team on everyone's radar when he proclaimed the Wild would be the team that "stood on your throat and laid the final blow". Iowa on the other hand is off to a more "Mild" than Wild start 4-4-1 Don't get me wrong i think the Wild will be a decent team they have some decent pieces like @GZUS19 @greatzilla007 they just picked up @Bart_MDA666 which is a good pick up and even @mikenaughty himself is on to a good start 3-0 but please lets not proclaim we are going to step on anyone's throat unless the whole squad is about that life.

3. Toronto Marlies This team was considered a one line team last season that just grinded to wins and eventually got bounced first round. With the that being said i figured @Malliaman would easily be able to emulate that type of style again even with the departure of @j_sherminator they still have 2/3 of that line and added some solid pieces lets see if they can turn things around and start putting the puck in the net hard to win when you are the second lowest scoring team.

2. Laval Rocket Honestly i thought this was going to be very good team they have a few very good pieces they went out and dropped 9mil on @gregy99 who did his share offensively but they could not keep the puck out the net allowing 15 goals in his 3 games while the teams other 6 games allowed a total of 8 goals so something isn't working. @Yeap_93 has been removed and although its a talented loss maybe they will be better off without the distraction they certainly have the talent still on the squad maybe strengthen up a couple spots and im sure this team will be contending in the eastern north.

1. Binghampton Devils Well i really dont know where to start with this what in the world is going on with this team? Lets just start with the obvious @frostx17 is a great player but 9mil is too much for anyone in the AHL 0-3 start for him. For the four players that went for more than 8mil the combined record is 5-7-1 take away @CurelessBacon28 and that drops to 1-7-1 in my mind you guys are just proving that this spend a crazy amount on one player then build a 500k army doesn't work at this level unless your name is @JClaus33 which is a little easier to do at the NHL level because you have 10mil more in cap. Outside of that you have @Swede is Buns that was signed to a 3 season deal lul that didn't last long. It's not hard to find the issue with this team as they are dead last in goals scored with a depressing 16 goals scored. This team is greatly underperfoming i do not see this being the case the whole season as they do have some good pieces but they need to right this ship ASAP as we all have seen how teams that expect to be contenders get off to slow starts can completely crumble maybe @LG McDonald can bring a bit of stability and experience to the offense and jump start the turn around.

Thanks for the read and keep an eye out for more media as we have a bunch of guys all looking to do our part in keeping things interesting around here. Now put your excuses below ya sweat rags.

 

Yeah man @mikenaughty is just a madman.
We suck.
Please 3rd line us all season

 

uh oh.... @Malliaman trigger warning in 3...2...1...

 

good stuff @ZeRo_SyMPoThY

 

Great write up and a big kudos to the phantoms and @JRGreaterThan. They look super sexy. That being said ignore my word at your own peril.

 

Meh. I actually agree with what was said so I am contempt

 

Marlies are better off without me anyway

 

Thanks @ZeRo_SyMPoThY i miss you

 

I think ur missing something here...smh