After three months of watching and collecting data, here is our first addition of the Tier 3 Power Rankings.
Our rankings take into consideration several factors : Overall team record, strength of schedule, college commitments/D3 talent, and eye test. When observing the three tier 3 junior leagues across the United States, our scouts believe top to bottom, the EHL is the deepest Tier 3 junior hockey league. While the top teams in the USHPL Premier and NA3HL would do very well in the EHL, they lack the overall high end competition week in and week out.
Toughest Divisions
EHL East
EHL South
USPHL South East
NA3HL Central
USPHL New England
1 - Rochester Grizzlies
22-1-1 : NA3HL
The Rochester Grizzlies organization has been the model of consistency over the last few years in the NA3HL. This season they appear to be deeper from top to bottom and look to be on a mission to capture a Championship. Playing in one of the toughest divisions in all of tier 3 junior hockey, their only two losses were to a good Wausau program. 02' Forward Kyle Bauer has started his Junior career with 31 points and should have some NAHL attention this season. Starting goaltender Zach Wiese has been up to the task all year with a 12-1-0-1 record.
To close out 2021, the Grizzlies face Mason City Toros for a home and home, currently second in the West Division, before facing 3 division leaders, the Northeast Generals from the East Division, Helena of the Frontier Division and Granite City of the West Division.
2 - Boston Jr. Rangers
18-4-1 : EHL
Top to bottom one of the best programs around committing players. In the month of November they saw two players Jack Schlifke (Suny Fredonia) and Dylan Miller (Lebanon Valley) recieve their commitments. Coming off a championship run last year, the Jr. Rangers are looking like contenders again as they have gone 7-3 in their last 10 in the toughest division in Tier 3 junior hockey. They are a deep team that plays heavy and takes care of the defensive zone making them hard to beat night in and night out.
3 - Worcester Railers
13-3-1 : EHL
Under Coach Bertoni the Railers have done a tremendous job this year racing out to a 13-3 record. The Railers have split with the Jr. Rangers in two highly contested matchups and are winners of 6 in a row. On D 6'3 Defensemen Tyler Drummond has been effective and fellow D partner Tyler Anastasi has been a power play threat.
4 - NH Avalanche
17-3-3 : EHL
Sitting in first in the North Division the Avalanche have been rolling of late going 8-2 in their last 10. The Avalanche lead the EHL with 7 NCAA commitments this year. Forward Aden Hotchkiss (Plymouth State) and Mike Tersoni who has 30 points himself have been two of the best forwards in tier 3 hockey this season. Ronan Mobley has made a case to be the top goaltender in the EHL with a .94 save percentage. Overall, this team is built for a deep run.
5 - Granite City Lumberjacks
21-1-0 : NA3HL
The West NA3 division is looking tougher than originally predicted and Granite City has taken care of business, only giving up 32 goals against in 22 games. Former Wayzata High School standout Kyle Mortenson is shinning bright on the blue line with 18 points and is looking like a potential NA tender prospect.
‘01 Kullan Daikawa and ‘02 Ben Anderson have led the Lumberjacks offensively, with both over a point per game. Daikawa (22GP 14G 18A) is already close to doubling his point production from last season, his first year in the NA3.
6 - Wilkes Barre Scranton Knights
21-1-0 : USPHL Premier
First year program Wilkes Barre Scranton has done a top-notch job, not only racing out to a 17-1 record but securing some of the best talent in tier 3 hockey. Skilled forward Teague Porter is averaging 2 points per game and Colin Anna has 20 goals and 32 points in 20 games. More impressively, 05' Jordan Bax has adjusted well to junior hockey with 13 points in 17 games.
Their lone loss came from a Rockets Hockey Club team that is also a big-time contender this year. Wilkes has 9 games in the December including a 2-game set vs the Rockets before Christmas.
7 - Team Maryland
17-8-0 : EHL
Coach Josh Fusco's squad has been impressive all year as he has done a tremendous job assembling this group. Although, they are coming off being swept by the CT Roughriders, this is an older team that should be in the thick of things at the end of the year. ‘01 Forward Nick Graziano is a recent commit to Wilkes University has moved up the ladder of the EHL coming from the Renegades EHLP program to Maryland EHL to a NCAA commitment.
8 - Rockets Hockey Club
16-1-2 : USPHL Premier
The Rockets Hockey Club finds itself at the top of the USPHL premier once again. This years version is filled with Division 3 talent that has potential to win a Premier Championship. Their top two lines of Mike Stevens, Nick Cyprian, Jason Finan, Declan Conway and Tucker Forte are a nightmare to match up against. Defensively Matt Metsa, Andrew St. Julian and Brendan Pomerantz have shown to be high end college prospects. Their only regulation loss this year has been to Utica and they took 3 of 4 points from Wilkes.
9 - Walpole Express
15-8-2 : EHL
Despite 8 regulation losses and 2 OTL losses Walpole deserves to be in this spot. Their division does not allow for any nights off and despite 8 straight losses earlier this season, this team has sorted it's issues out going 9-1 in their last 10. When this team is playing well they are dangerous and with goaltenders Scott Bird and Jack Boschert in net, they have the potential to be a championship team. They are trending up but need to prove they can be consistent.
10 - Florida Eels
17-3-1 : USPHL Premier
The Eel's have not had many stumbles along the way in an underrated Florida division that has some sneaky good talent. A convincing win over a very good Charlotte Rush team proves they are the real deal. Forward Taurin Haddon-Harris has 44 points in 20 games and is proving to be a legit college prospect. Eric Hambling has really developed over the last two seasons and has been playing some very solid hockey on the Eels blueline.