Last week Simon threw us a curveball. When sending in our lines we looked ahead a few games in order to set up our goalie rotation and were shocked to see that the Loons were about to embark on 3 games in 3 days, and overall 7games in 9 days. The initial 3 game stretch saw us matched up against the top three CCHL teams in order of points: Wisborg, Falcons and Calgary. Coming off of two straight losses to conference rivals things were looking bleak. Low and behold the Loons pulled themselves together and swept through the CCHL elite. We won't get into the following two games since we like to focus on the positives today. However after the 5th game the Loons have clinched a trip to the playoffs, tied for 2nd in the Corfield and tied for 1st in the Patrick Division.
Sunday, February 2, 2025
State of the Loons: Best Loons team yet?
Also during this murderous stretch Jack Eichel scored his 50th goal and 100th point. Eichel is the first Loon to accomplish both of these accomplishments not to mention in the same season. All this got us to thinking if this is the best Loons' team of all time.
Capeside entered the CCHL in the 2018/19 season and stunningly finished 1st in the Corfield Conference and 2nd in the CCHL with 110 points, just 2 behind the Norsemen in the overall CCHL standings. After a first round bye, the Loons were embarrassingly bounced right out of the playoffs by the Falcons. Unfortunately the stats from that season are seemingly lost forever in the old website but my memory recalls that Loons team was more lucky then good.
2020 saw the Loons make the playoffs as the 6th and final seed in the Corfield, losing in the first round to Seattle 4-2. Dubois lead the way that year for the Loons in both goals and points (27/56). 2021 was by far the worst Loons team finishing dead last in the Corfield with a measly 53 points, Mikeal Granlund led the team with a whopping 21 goals and 45 points. 2022 saw the Loons move up on spot to 10th in the Corfield with 81 points, Eichel lead the team with 30g and 67 points. 2023 brought the Loons back to the playoffs as the 5th seed with 96 pts only to be swept out of the first round by the same Seattle Reign. Joel Farabee lead the way that year with 31 goals and 68 points. And last year, 2024 , saw the Loons finish with 112 pts good for 4th in the Corfield and more importantly our first playoff series win against the same Seattle Reign, only to be swept in the second round by that Donut juggernaut. Captain Kreider lead the team in goals with 34 while Eichel put up 83 points.
With 14 games left in the 2025 season the Loons record book looks to be under attack, Granted due to an aggressive front office in previous years and a lot of player turnover during the season only points recorded in a Loons sweater have been tracked. This year has been our lowest turnover year to date which helps but both Eichel and Kreider could both be 50 goals and 100 points. Eichel, Larkin and Matthews (all Americans btw) should go down to the wire for the CCHL scoring title: 50,50, 45.
This is only a look at our own team but brings up a few questions like does less in season moves translate to team results as the Loons were by far and away the least active in our history this year? Is scoring up in the CCHL as a whole with much less parity throughout the league?
How the Loons fair in the post season will ultimately answer the question if this is the best Capeside team yet but as far as individual stats go the answer is yes.
Capeside Loons records (minus 2019 RIP)
Goals Assists Points
1. Eichel 50* 2025 1. Makar 59 2024 1. Eichel 101 2025*
2. Kreider 40* 2025 2. Eichel 57 2024 2. Kreider 86 2025*
3. Kreider 34 2024 3. McAvoy 53 2024 3. Eichel 83 2024
4. Vatrano 33* 2025 4. Boldy 52 2025* 4. Boldy 77 2025*
5. Schmaltz 32 2024 5. Eichel 51 2025* 5. Makar 73 2024
6. Farabee 31 2023 6. Hanifin 50 2025* 6. Farabee 68 2023
7. Eichel 30 2022 7. McAvoy 48 2025* 7. McAvoy 68 2024
8. McCann 28 2023 8. McAvoy 48 2022 8. Eichel 67 2022
9. Caufield 27* 2025 9. Kreider 46 2025* 9. Schmaltz 65 2024
10.Garland 26 2022 10. Eichel 41 2023 10. Eichel 64 2023
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