SUDBURY – The on-ice efforts of a trio of Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League clubs have them among the elite in the entire 129-team Canadian Junior Hockey League in terms of winning percentage.
With play across the 10-league CJHL now complete across the country for another night you’ll find the NOJHL’s Soo Thunderbirds, Kirkland Lake Gold Miners and Elliot Lake Wildcats are among 24 squads in the CJHL that currently boast a .700 winning percentage or better heading into game action next week.
The top NOJHL side in this category are the Thunderbirds as they currently sit fifth nationally at .816.
Sporting a 28-4-1-5 record Sault Ste. Marie is tied with the Gold Miners for first overall in the NOJHL standings with 62 points apiece.
The T-Birds, who hold one game in hand on the Miners, have lost the second fewest contests in regulation in the CJHL to date at four.
As for Kirkland Lake, they are tied for the ninth-best win mark in the CJHL at .795 to go along with their 29-6-2-2 record.
Rounding out the league teams on this impressive list are the surprising Elliot Lake Wildcats.
The first-year club has more than held their own this season having won 25 times in their initial 37 contests in the league and currently boast a .716 winning percentage, which knots them for 22nd in the CJHL.
The surging Portage Terriers of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League have the best win mark in the CJHL as the 2015 RBC Cup hosts are at .939 while having gone 45-2-2 in MJHL play to date.
Rounding out the top five are the Spruce Grove Saints (AJHL) .847, Carleton Place Canadians (CCHL) .820 and the Camrose Kodiaks (AJHL) .819.
| CJHL winning percentage leaders (As of Jan. 26/15) | |||||||
| TEAM | LEAGUE | GP | W | L | T/OT/SL | PTS | WIN% |
| Portage Terriers | MJHL | 49 | 45 | 2 | 2 | 92 | .939 |
| Spruce Grove Saints | AJHL | 49 | 40 | 6 | 3 | 83 | .847 |
| Carleton Place Canadians | CCHL | 50 | 40 | 8 | 2 | 82 | .820 |
| Camrose Kodiaks | AJHL | 47 | 37 | 7 | 3 | 77 | .819 |
| Soo Thunderbirds | NOJHL | 38 | 28 | 4 | 6 | 62 | .816 |
| Aurora Tigers | OJHL | 45 | 35 | 7 | 3 | 73 | .811 |
| Penticton Vees | BCHL | 45 | 35 | 7 | 3 | 73 | .811 |
| Fort Frances Lakers | SIJHL | 37 | 29 | 7 | 1 | 59 | .797 |
| Kirkland Lake Gold Miners | NOJHL | 39 | 29 | 6 | 4 | 62 | .795 |
| Georgetown Raiders | OJHL | 44 | 31 | 5 | 8 | 70 | .795 |
| Woodstock Slammers | MHL | 38 | 29 | 7 | 2 | 60 | .789 |
| Melfort Mustangs | SJHL | 45 | 32 | 6 | 7 | 71 | .789 |
| Kindersley Klippers | SJHL | 45 | 32 | 8 | 5 | 69 | .767 |
| Dieppe Commandos | MHL | 34 | 25 | 7 | 2 | 52 | .765 |
| Brooks Bandits | AJHL | 47 | 35 | 11 | 1 | 71 | .755 |
| Longueuil College Francais | QJHL | 42 | 29 | 9 | 4 | 62 | .738 |
| Sherbrooke Cougars | QJHL | 42 | 30 | 7 | 5 | 65 | .734 |
| Ottawa Jr. A Senators | CCHL | 49 | 33 | 11 | 5 | 71 | .724 |
| Trenton Golden Hawks | OJHL | 46 | 34 | 9 | 3 | 71 | .722 |
| Princeville Titan | QJHL | 41 | 27 | 9 | 5 | 59 | .720 |
| Cobourg Cougars | OJHL | 46 | 31 | 11 | 4 | 66 | .717 |
| Elliot Lake Wildcats | NOJHL | 37 | 25 | 9 | 3 | 53 | .716 |
| Pictou County Weeks Crushers | MHL | 37 | 25 | 9 | 3 | 53 | .716 |
| Nanaimo Clippers | BCHL | 45 | 31 | 12 | 2 | 64 | .711 |
