Season 3 Storylines

Cyclone Taylor, Gord Roberts, Frank McGee, and the other luminaries may be struggling -- at least compared to the historic heights of Season 2 -- but there are several narratives of note here at the midway mark of Season 2.

Shining on the Blueline

There's no way Cyclone Taylor is winning a third straight Defenseman MVP award. He's sitting at -5, the worst plus-minus of any skating player in the league. Instead, the award will go either to Hod Stuart (Thistles) or Mike Grant (Comets). Both are having fine seasons. And so too is second-year blueliner Phat Wilson of the Vics, whose +5 rating is tied with the Thistles' Moose Johnson for tops in the league.

Netminders Reign

Goaltenders are faring much better this season than last. None has been better than the Comets' Percy LeSueur, who (despite having the worst Strat-O-Matic game stats of the four goalies in this league) may be on track to break Bowse Hutton's stranglehold on the Goaltender MVP award.

Tommy Tools

Tommy Smith, the first overall pick in this year's draft, is living up to the hype. His five points (3 G, 2 A) in six games are tops among rookies. He's getting time on the power play and might even start a few games as the team's first-line center. The kid is a lock to give the Thistles back-to-back Rookie of the Year winners. 

Rebounds

Some star players have been major disappointments, but we've seen nice rebounds from some of the game's lesser lights. The Bulldogs' Oliver Seibert has four goals already after scoring none in Season 2. Journeyman winger Fred Scanlan has struggled to crack the Vics' lineup in the past, but somehow has three points in just two games, filling in admirably as rookie Barney Stanley has struggled. And as I noted in a previous post, Comets winger George Richardson got off a blazing start, though he hasn't registered a point in three games; even so, he's on track to best his career marks in goals, assists, and points.

Up for Grabs

What about the scoring title and the Forward MVP? Cyclone Taylor and fellow blueliner Hod Stuart lead the league with 10 points, and Mike Grant isn't far behind with 8, but the race is wide open. Frank McGee (9 points), Tommy Phillips (8), and Gord Roberts (8) all have a shot. If one of those guys gets hot, he could claim both awards. If not, the scoring title might well go to a defenseman for the third straight year.