CCHL: Some things I think I think...

The 30 game mark is a good time to take a look around the CCHL and see what stands out...

1) Participation is on a record-breaking trend. Thanks to everyone who sends lines in and stays on top of the fatigue issue within Simon. Awesome!

2) Keep an eye on your goalie usage. Chris Kash will be releasing his first goalie usage report on Christmas Day, but you could overuse your netminder before then, too. It is the responsibility of the General Managers to keep their teams in compliance with the rules. Remember last year? The penalties are stiff...

3) Hats off to the Falcons. Fighting for 1st overall and putting up some impressive numbers. The number that stands out to me is Matt's W/L record on the road. A sick 12-3-2, a winning percentage of .765!

4) The Falcons also lead the league in team +/- with a +34, they are second in both goals for and goals against, first in gaa per game, first in shots for AND in shots against AND are the best in penalty killing so far. If Fort Erie keeps this kind of performance going, this may be the Falcon's year.

5) Looking at the Conferences, keeping in mind there's a lot of hockey left, each Conference seems to be seeing some separation in their standings. In the Canosa, the top seven teams are pulling away from the bottom four teams. There is currently a five-point gap between the #7 and #8-11th teams. Likewise in the Corfield, a similar situation has developed with the top seven teams pulling away as well. The point differential between the #7 team and the #8 team is five points.

6) A reminder that after your team has played in its 41st game, you may then move your UFA signees as you wish. You can trade them, waiver them, etc...

7) Sickbay - Calgary's got it rough right now with four top players unable to play. Barkov & Gaudreau are out with various injuries, Ryan O'Reilly is out for 2 more days due to fatigue and Matty Tkachuk has been suspended for being a jerk. Two more games to go before he can return.

8) Teams that have impressed me so far: FOR, SIB, GIL & REK...

9) Teams that should & probably will be better: MIN, PAR, DRT, GEO & SPR...

10) One thing I know for sure. We don't know what we don't know...