The two cup-less franchises continue to lead

[scoop 3,426]

With D.C.'s win in Season 85 and London's win in Season 88, we are down to two franchises that have yet to win a Continental Cup: Prague and Los Angeles. They are both currently leading their respective franchise, so there is a chance that they will be fighting to avoid the distinction of being the sole cup-less team. Of the two, Prague has been more successful. They recently made it to the Finals in Season 86, where they lost a back-and-forth series to the Vancouver Wolves in a Game 7 overtime. The Stars have never made it to the finals.

 

The Phantoms this season are being led by last season's MVP John Jameson and a much improved Fred Hampton. Hampton, who leads the team with 73 points, will definitely be a candidate for the Dustin Funk Trophy. In addition to having one of the best offenses in the league, goaltender Matt Murdock has been one of the best in the league. They are a complete team, and they have lived up to the expectations coming into this season.

 

The Stars, on the other hand, have been a surprise hit this season. They came in looking clearly like a playoff team, but rather than competing for the top seed, they were thought of as a middle-of-the-pack team. The emergence of Todd Cooke has been a story you can't ignore. In 53 games, he already has 90 points. While D.C.'s Jason is close behind at 88, the next closest is at 75. What is particularly noteworthy about Cooke's season is that the next highest in points on the Stars is Napoleon Dynamite at 68. That disparity alone will have Cooke as a prime candidate for MVP.