As the 2021 portion of the 2021-22 Alberta Elite Hockey League season comes to a close, the Fort Saskatchewan U18 AAA Rangers, Calgary U16 AAA Royals, and St. Albert U15 AAA Sabres atop their respective leagues.
U18 AAA
Heading into 2022, the U18 AAA standings are:
North Division
1) Fort Sask Straightline Dodge Rangers (38 pts)
2) St. Alberta Nektar Raiders (31 pts)
3) SSAC BP Athletics (24 pts)
4) GPAC Ernie’s Sports Storm (20 pts)
4) Sherwood Park Ennis Kings (20 pts)
4) Lloydminster Inland Steel Bobcats (20 pts)
4) CAC Gregg Distributors (20 pts)
8) MLAC Beverly Optimists (18 pts)
9) Leduc Wilhauk Jerky Oil Kings (15 pts)
South Division
1) Calgary Buffaloes (35 pts)
2) Calgary NW Flames (34 pts)
3) Lethbridge Hurricanes (27 pts)
4) Airdrie CFR Bisons (26 pts)
4) Calgary Royals (26 pts)
6) Calgary Northstars (20 pts)
7) Okotoks Bow Mark Oilers (17 pts)
8) Red Deer Optimist Chiefs (13 pts)
Calgary NW Flames forward Jagger Tapper finishes 2021 on top of the league in both points (38) and assists (23), while Airdrie forward Cooper Brown, who finished atop the league in points in both October and November, continues to lead the way in goals, with 19.
In goal, Fort Sask netminder Carson Burkart remains undfeated with a league-leading 11 wins in as many starts, while Calgary Buffaloes goaltender Nicholas Jones is tops in both GAA (1.47) and shutouts (5), while Lethbridge’s Erick Roest boasts the best SV% (.943).
U16 AAA
The U16 AAA standings after three months of play are:
North Division
1) Canadian (CAC) United Cycle (34 pts)
1) St. Albert Tetz Powell CPAs Flyers (34 pts)
3) Fort Sask TC Infrastructure Rangers (31 pts)
4) Sherwood Park Squires (27 pts)
5) Leduc Techmation Oil Kings (20 pts)
5) Lloydminster R’ohan Bobcats (16 pts)
7) GPAC Storm (13 pts)
8) SSAC United Cycle Bulldogs (12 pts)
9) MLAC Alberta Screw Piles Leafs (5 pts)
9) KC Centennials (5 pts)
11) PAC Saints (2 pts)
South Division
1) Calgary Royals (35 pts)
2) NWCAA Flames (34 pts)
3) Okotoks Oilers (24 pts)
4) Lethbridge Headwater Hurricanes (20 pts)
4) CBHA Bulls (20 pts)
4) SEAC Tigers (20 pts)
5) Red Deer North Stars (17 pts)
8) AC Avalanche (4 pts)
9) Calgary Northstars (3 pts)
November’s U16 AAA Source for Sports Player of the Month, CAC forward Lynden Donald-Gorman, heads in to 2022 as the league-leader in goals (21) and points (37), while St. Albert forward Cash Carter once again heads into a new month as the league-leader in assists (21).
In goal, St. Albert goaltender Hudson Sedo continues to pace the league with 10 wins in 12 games, to go along with a league-best 1.53 GAA and .942 SV%, to go along with two shutouts.
U15 AAA
The U15 AAA standings after December are:
North Division
1) St. Albert Gregg Distributors Sabres (36 pts)
2) GPAC Golden Arrow Storm (31 pts)
3) Fort Sask Enhance It Rangers (30 pts)
4) PAC Saints (27 pts)
5) Lloydminster Meridian Surveys Bobcats (22 pts)
6) Sherwood Park United Cycle Flyers (17 pts)
7) SSAC Southgate Lions (14 pts)
8) Leduc LJAC Oil Kings (9 pts)
9) MLAC Scott Pump (8 pts)
10) KC Squires (7 pts)
11) CAC Volvo of Edmonton (3 pts)
South Division
1) Airdrie Xtreme (32 pts)
2) NWCAA Flames (28 pts)
2) Red Deer Rebels (28 pts)
4) Calgary Bisons (23 pts)
5) SEAC Tigers (20 pts)
6) Okotoks Oilers (18 pts)
7) Calgary Royals (15 pts)
8) Calgary Northstars (6 pts)
8) Lethbridge Val Matteoti Golden Hawks (6 pts)
Fort Sask forward Kale Dach finishes 2021 with the league lead in both points (46) and assists (30) in just 18 games played. PAC Saints forward Rowan McDonald and Lloydminster forward Aiden Foster share the top spot in goals, with 22 each.
Goaltenders Lachlan Kirkey (Fort Sask) and Hudson Perry (GPAC) are tied for the league-lead in wins with 10 apiece. Kirkey also boasts the top SV% (.946), while St. Albert netminder Finn Werner, who is undfeated on the season with a perfect 9-0 record, holds the best GAA (1.56).
December also saw a couple of good news stories for the league, with 38 AEHL players taken at the 2021 WHL Draft, and 26 AEHL staff named to 2022 Alberta Cup, Alberta Challenge and Prospects Cup team staffs.