We’re midway through the month of November, which means that the time has come to unveil our latest 2020 OHL Cup Ranking of the 2019-20 campaign. Since we last met, each and every team competing within the Minor Midget hockey circuit this season has fought hard to improve upon their places within their respective league standings. For a number of clubs this hard work has paid off dramatically, as league standings have shifted greatly while our OHL Cup Ranking also underwent a great deal of change in just over a month’s time.
Related: All 2020 OHL Draft Rankings
Perhaps the most notable development within our 2020 OHL Cup Ranking for the month of November is the addition of two new teams to our top-10 — these clubs, which you’ll meet below, have long impressed and have burst into our ranking owing to their dominating play of late. Moreover, we’ve chosen to add an honourable mentions section to this month’s ranking as well — with such a great number of lethal teams competing this campaign, it simply wouldn’t be right to compile a ranking without discussing their exploits as well.
So, with this being said, let’s kick off this month’s ranking by delving into a trio of honourable mentions. Once you’ve familiarized yourself with these three teams, dive into the full top-ten ranking below.
Honourable Mentions
- Elgin Middlesex Chiefs:
The Elgin Middlesex Chiefs continue to stand as one of the most dominant teams in the minor midget hockey circuit, as the club carried a pristine 12-0-4 record at the time of our November Ranking. So, why have the Chiefs slipped out of the top-ten overall and into an honourable mention, you ask? Well, with two new teams cracking the top-ten this month, the Chiefs essentially fell victim to the numbers game. Yet, with this being said, be sure to keep an eye of the Chiefs in the weeks and months ahead.
- Mississauga Reps:
There is a great deal of parity present within the GTHL this season, yet the Mississauga Reps stand in contention to be a major player come playoff time. Defined by their defensive approach, the Reps feature a formidable defence and — at the time of this ranking — owned the lowest goals against per game of any GTHL club. If the Reps can generate greater offence in the months ahead on a consistent basis, they’ll be a serious threat in the New Year.
- Vaughan Kings:
The Vaughan Kings continue to battle hard with the GTHL, as the club’s play has failed to waiver since the 2019-20 campaign began. Backstopped by two solid netminders and a solid defence core, the Kings attack from the blue line forward and have the ability to overwhelm their opponents owing to their speed and tenacity. Like a handful of other teams in the GTHL, a boost of offence would surely propel Vaughan higher in their league standings.
10. Waterloo Wolves
- Months Ranked: 2
- 2019-20 League Record: 14-1-2
- Toronto Titans Tournament: Sweet-16 Finish
- Wendy Dufton Memorial: Quarter-Finalist
The Waterloo Wolves have been on a tear since reaching the quarter-finals of the Wendy Dufton Memorial Tournament, turning in a stellar 7-0-1 record across their past eight league games played. Throughout these games the Wolves have played strong defensive hockey — a reality which has allowed the team’s forwards to excel on a regular basis. Of note have been the Wolves’ big three in Lucas Carson, Evan Klein and Andy Reist — a trio of forwards who have been down-right deadly of late.
9. Southern Tier Admirals
- Months Ranked: 2
- 2019-20 League Record: 12-1-1
- Toronto Titans Tournament: Quarter-Finalist
- Wendy Dufton Memorial: Quarter-Finalist
The Southern Tier Admirals have been red-hot since the Wendy Dufton Memorial Tournament, shooting to the top of the SCTA standings owing to an outstanding seven-game winning streak to round out their month of October. Although some of these games were tightly contested matches, the Admirals also defeated a number of their opponents in a decisive fashion as a result of their potent offence and responsible defensive play. If the trio of Andrew Leblanc, Sam Alfano, and Trent Swick can continue their torrent play while receiving contributions from throughout their lineup, Southern Tier could come to stand as one of Minor Midget hockey’s offensive juggernauts.
8. Quinte Red Devils
- Months Ranked: 2
- 2019-20 League Record: 14-2-0
- Toronto Titans Tournament: Sweet-16 Finish
As one of the most dynamic and explosive teams in the Minor Midget circuit this season, it should come as no surprise to see the Quinte Red Devils within our top-ten for the second consecutive month. Although they currently hold down second place within the ETA standings, the Red Devils are a legitimate threat who should clash intensely and challenge the York Simcoe Express as the current campaign continues. Defined by their lethal offence and the ability to defend with remarkable consistency, Quinte will undoubtedly stand as a significant challenger into the new year and beyond.
7. Toronto Titans
- Months Ranked: 2
- 2019-20 League Record: 9-4-2
- Toronto Titans Tournament: Semi-Finalist
After erupting out of the gate to begin their 2019-20 campaign, the Toronto Titans have slowed slightly of late. Over the past month or so, the Titans have battled with consistency issues — playing to a handful of ties and losses in their games played within the GTHL. Despite these tough results, the Titans still stand as a top-five team within their league standings — a reality which will surely persist as the team is simply too skilled and deep to disappoint. While losing Jonathan Melee hurt, the Titans hold a slew of talented players at each position on the ice who bring compete and drive to the ice on a nightly basis. So, despite a slight slip, the Titans still remain as a team to watch closely.
6. York Simcoe Express
- Months Ranked: 2
- 2019-20 League Record: 15-1-3
- Toronto Titans Tournament: 2-2
- Wendy Dufton Memorial: 1-2-1
The York Simcoe Express are blistering hot of late, as the club has used a nine-game unbeaten streak following the Wendy Dufton Memorial Tournament to climb atop the ETA standings. What’s more is that the Express have shown no signs of slowing down, as the team topped the high-powered Quinte Red Devils and the incredibly competitive Kingston Jr. Frontenacs in doing so. Sure, Quinte will challenge York Simcoe for distinction as the top team in the ETA as the 2019-20 season develops, however, the fact remains that the Express are a team on the rise who seem to improve with each passing game.
5. Oakland Jr. Grizzlies 
- Months Ranked: 1
- Wendy Dufton Memorial: Champion
Making their first appearance in our monthly 2020 OHL Cup Ranking are the Oakland Jr. Grizzlies — a team bursting at the seams with high-end skill which has been extremely competitive all year long. Whether it be league action of tournament competition, the Jr. Grizzlies have come to play and have displayed the ability to consistently challenge and overcome a number of the Minor Midget circuit’s top teams. In fact, at the recent Battle of the Border showcase the Jr. Grizzlies topped the Toronto Marlboros and Toronto Jr. Canadiens before falling to the Toronto Titans in their final game — three outcomes which accurately reflect Oakland and their lethal abilities as a team.
4. Toronto Marlboros
- Months Ranked: 2
- 2019-20 League Record: 9-2-3
- Toronto Titans Tournament: Quarter-Finalist
Consistency has been the name of the game for the Toronto Marlboros so far this season, as the club has managed to put forth a solid effort in virtually every game in which they’ve played. In fact, aside from a 3-0 loss to the Vaughan Kings to end the month of October the Marlboros have been downright unstoppable — posting a 7-2-1 record in their past ten GTHL contests at the time of publication. And, although the Marlboros posted a 1-1-1 record during the 2019 Battle of the Border, the team proved that they can compete with and defeat the strongest competition home to the Minor Midget hockey circuit.
3. Toronto Nationals
- Months Ranked: 2
- 2019-20 League Record: 11-1-3
- Toronto Titans Tournament: Champion*
- Wendy Dufton Memorial: Quarter-Finalist
The Toronto Nationals boast the best record in the GTHL, and for good reason. In their past ten GTHL games played dating back to the 7th of October, the Nationals boast a stellar 7-1-2 record and have only fallen to the Toronto Jr. Canadiens — the team which holds down the first overall spot within this month’s OHL Cup Ranking. However, if the Nationals wish to maintain their standing atop the GTHL, they’ll need to prove that they can defeat their strongest foes in decisive fashion. In the upcoming month, the Nationals will face all of the Toronto Titans, Marlboros, and Jr. Canadiens — three of the top teams in the GTHL. If they can knock off these foes, the Nationals will have further secured their place within our ranking.
2. Detroit Honeybaked 
- Months Ranked: 1
Bursting onto the scene in this month’s 2020 OHL Cup Ranking is Detroit Honeybaked — a club which has dominated its league play as well as it opponents on the international stage. In fact, in the recent 2019 Battle of the Border Showcase, Detroit Honeybaked displayed exactly what they are capable of as a team — dismantling the highly ranked Toronto Marlboros and Toronto Titans with relative ease. In their victory over the Marlboros, Detroit Honeybaked netted six goals in the first period alone en route to a 10-1 win. Then, against the Titans, Detroit once again scored 10 goals in an eventual 10-5 win — a victory which was overshadowed by the Titans’ ability to field a goaltender. However, the fact remains that if Honeybaked can wreck havoc in tournaments to come, they must be considered as a legitimate threat come the 2020 OHL Cup.
1. Toronto Jr. Canadiens
- Months Ranked: 2
- 2019-20 League Record: 11-1-1
- Toronto Titans Tournament: Finalist
The Toronto Jr. Canadiens haven’t lost a game in GTHL play since the 22nd of September — one of many reasons why the club continues to hold down the top spot in our OHL Cup Ranking for the month of November. As it stands, no team is more complete or deep at each position on the ice than the Jr. Canadiens — Toronto features a devastating offence, a steady blue line, and reliable goaltending in between the pipes. Although they fell in both of their games during the 2019 Battle of the Border Showcase, the Jr. Canadiens are a resilient group who are simply too strong and skilled to be held down for long periods of time. Boasting a stellar 9-0-1 record in their past 10 GTHL games, ‘JRC’ remains as the team to beat… for the time being.
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