PowerPlay Magazín

A continuation of the pre-season prediction article posted here and the mid-season article posted here.

Before the season I made some predictions as to how the season would play out followed by a re-cap mid-season. Let's have a look at how each team made out this past season in Canada's top league. Be sure to check out players who stood out this season at the end of the article.

1st - (Mid-Season 1st, Predicted 1st) [Even] – Kenora Stingers
Prediction: 90+ points.
Mid-Season Pace: 110 points.
Final Point Total: 109 points.
Comments: I'd say "I told ya so" but I think everyone saw this coming. The only thing I didn't see coming was a semi-final loss in the Champions' League.

2nd - (Mid-Season 2nd, Predicted 2nd) [Even] – NK Divlje Jagode
Prediction: 85+ points.
Mid-Season Pace: 90 points.
Final Point Total: 94 points.
Comments: Bounced around between 2nd and 3rd down the stretch. Took over 2nd late and clinched second place while playing his B-squad against a very strong Loser Patrol team in order to save energy for the Cup Winners' Cup final.

3rd - (Mid-Season 3rd, Predicted 10th) [Up 7] - Ontario Alpha Particles
Prediction: 65+ points.
Mid-Season Pace: 90 points.
Final Point Total: 92 points.
Comments: I'd like to say I saw The Alphas challenging the top of the table and qualifying for the Champions' League but I'd be lying. Attribute their top-3 finish to sound defensive play and liberal energy spending due to an early National Cup exit and no international competition.

4th - (Mid-Season 7th, Predicted 3rd) [Down 1] – Loser Patrol FC
Prediction: 85+ points.
On Pace: 82 points.
Final Point Total: 86 points.
Comments: Really cranked up the offence this season. For a defensive team this is worrisome for other teams come next season.

5th - (Mid-Season 6th, Predicated 11th) [Up 6] – Reflex de Montréal
Prediction: 65+ points.
Mid-Season Pace: 82 points.
Final Point Total: 86 points.
Comments: Missed a Champions' League birth by goal differential. Played well above where they were originally predicted. Fantastic season for RdM.

6th - (Mid-Season 8th, Predicted 8th) [Up 2] – Bow Valley AFC
Prediction: 70+ points.
Mid-Season Pace: 78 points.
Final Point Total: 82 points.
Comments: I called them the surprise of the season but that award can easily go to a couple other clubs. Nonetheless, fantastic season for Bow Valley. I suspect this is the first of several fantastic seasons for the club.

7th - (Mid-Season 9th, Predicated 9th) [Up 2] – Muffin Fighters FC
Prediction: 70+ points.
Mid-Season Pace: 70 points.
Final Point Total: 75 points.
Comments: Very consistent season for The Baked Goods. Started slow but finished strong.

8th - (Mid-Season 4th, Predicted 7th) [Down 1] – Brutal Deluxe
Prediction: Lots of wins when they have less than their share possession, 70+ points.
Mid-Season Pace: 88 points.
Final Point Total: 74 points.
Comments: The National Cup winners had a decent season in league play but more importantly added another trophy to their case.

9th - (Mid-Season 10th, Predicted 4th) [Down 5] – Ragateene Rabbits
Prediction: 80+ points.
Mid-Season Pace: 68 points.
Final Point Total: 69 points.
Comments: Down a bit in points from last season and a mid-table finish is respectable for the team that is poised financially for the long run. A stadium like that will catapult them back up the standings in the seasons to come.

10th - (Mid-Season 11th, Predicated 13th) [Up 3] - Dinamo Montreal
Prediction: 60+ points.
Mid-Season Pace: 68 points. 
Final Point Total: 67 points.
Comments: The Dinamo had another respectable showing. A team that is as hot-and-cold as they come could finish anywhere in the table next season, only time will tell.

11th - (Mid-Season 18th, Predicted 17th) [Up 6] - Xenons
Prediction: 50+ points.
Mid-Season Pace: 42 points.
Final Point Total: 65 points.
Comments: Fantastic second-half turnaround for the Noble Gasses. They surged up the table in the second half and took some points from some good teams. 

12th - (Mid-Season 12th, Predicted 5th) [Down 7] - Shinodas
Prediction: 75+ points.
On Pace: 60 points.
Final Point Total: 63 points.
Comments: Bit of a disappointing season for the Shinodas after finishing 4th last year. They have a strong club and not participating in an international cup next season will allow them a bit of energy to take a run up the table to get back to where they're used to.

13th - (Mid-Season 15th, Predicted 19th) [Up 6] - L'Impact du Mont-Royal
Prediction: 40+ points.
Mid-Season Pace: 52 points. 
Final Point Total: 56 points.
Comments: Certainly under-estimated this club. A very good showing for the work-hard team from Quebec. This will do wonders for their finances and the longevity of the club.

14th - (Mid-Season 5th, Predicted 6th) [Down 12] – HL Football†
Prediction: 75+ points.
On Pace: 86 points.
Final Point Total: 52 points.
Comments: Lost one of Canada's top teams. There is a chance they may represent Canada still in the Cup Winners' Cup next season too.

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15th - (Mid-Season 17th, Predicted 15th) [Even] - 77777
Prediction: 55+ points.
Mid-Season Pace: 46 points.
Final Point Total: 49 points.
Comments: Bit of a hard-luck year for Five-Sevens. They're a strong team and will do better next season. Look for them to remain in I.1 with a promotion/relegation round victory.

16th - (Mid-Season 14th, Predicted 14th) [Down 2] - Melchester Rovers
Prediction: 55+ points.
Mid-Season Pace: 56 points. 
Final Point Total: 49 points.
Comments: Tough year for the club from Brantford ON. Facing JSF Lightning in the promotion/relegation round. Likely will see the Rovers back up in I.1 after next season.

17th - (Mid-Season 16th, Predicted 16th) [Down 1] - Vancouver FC
Prediction: 50+ points.
Mid-Season Pace: 50 points.
Final Point Total: 49 points.
Comments: Facing a weaker team in the form of fc sadm to see who plays in I.1 next season. Vancouver FC should have no issues staying in the top division.

18th - (Mid-Season 13th, Predicted 12th) [Down 6] - Coal Harbour Captains
Prediction: 60+ points.
Mid-Season Pace: 58 points.
Final Point Total: 47 points.
Comments: Manager has been less active than normal. Faces an inactive team in the promotion/relegation round meaning they'll remain in I.1 next season.

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19th - (Mid-Season 19th, Predicted 18th) [Down 1] - The Flying Frenchmen FC
Prediction: 50+ points.
Mid-Season Pace: 30 points.
Final Point Total: 37 points.
Comments: Was a bubble team at the start of the year to be automatically relegated. They'll do well in II.4 next season, likely to return in a year back to the top division.

Currently 20th-22nd, Predicted 20th-22nd [Even] - Bordeaux†, Grassmen† and The cKs†

This year was another year of dominance by Kenora Stinger striker Rob Frenette. The striker led the scoring charts much of the season and was only challenged by Reflex de Montréal's Fang Shizhen down the stretch. Daniel Arsenault of Loser Patrol was another stand out on the attacking side of the ball; he notched 35 goals, up from his 27 from last season. The increased output is of critical importance for his team who saw their offensive production jump from 88 goals on the season to 103.

On the defensive side of the ball Darien Fralick's three send-offs was the most in the league and even with his disciplinary trouble he still managed to nab himself 11 man of the match nominations - tied for 8th in the league. In between the woodwork this season was led by Rod MacNeil who played 37 of OAP's 42 games and racked up a league-leading 27 clean sheets including nearly 10-straight games of scoreless soccer helping The Alphas to retain the lowest goals against on the season with 14 over 42 games, a 0.33 team GAA.

Thanks for reading. Good luck next season!