#3 Los Banditos

After finishing 3rd in the Spring Season, the Los Banditos return this summer with something to prove.

Led once again by captain Battery Jr. and his trusted admin Tyler Watt, the Banditos enter the season with what many believe could be the highest ceiling in the entire CDHL. Their draft was methodical, balanced, and loaded with skill from top to bottom.

So why are they only ranked third? Because this team comes with two massive question marks that could either propel them to a championship… or keep them stuck in the middle of the pack.

The draft opened with Battery Jr forced to take himself once again in the first round. His second pick may have been the steal of the first round.

Anthony Kyriopoulos somehow slipped to fifth overall after an outstanding Spring Season. When Kyrio is on the ice, there’s a legitimate argument to be made that he’s the best player in the league. His speed, hands and ability to completely take over a game are second to none.

There’s just one problem. He has to actually show up. After playing just four total games during the Spring Season, availability has become the biggest storyline surrounding one of the league’s biggest stars. If Kyrio commits to playing consistently, the Banditos instantly become legitimate championship favourites.

If not… Battery may once again find himself searching for offense.

The Banditos continued adding youth and grit with Liam Bettan (who finished the spring season 1st in points) before selecting league veteran David Montgomery—a player every captain loves to have. He’ll block shots, finish every hit, and make sure opponents know exactly where he is every shift.

The middle rounds continued to showcase Battery’s balanced approach. Dimitri Tsitouras brings the dawg. Anything you need, Dim brings. Grit, speed, power, good looks, squidward, … a true captains dream.

Ben Godfrey is now another season removed from his Achilles injury and should finally be approaching full strength. He certainly showed to be back to normal as last season progressed.

Rhys McRae adds speed and unpredictability. Rayan Khalfi brings offensive flair.

Then came the biggest surprise of the entire draft. Tasso.

Widely regarded by players around the league as a Top-15 talent, Tasso somehow free-fell all the way to 36th overall. Talent has never been the concern. Attitude has. League insiders suggest several teams simply didn’t want to deal with the potential headaches that can come with one of the league’s most emotional competitors.

Which brings us to the Banditos’ second major question mark. Can Battery Jr. keep Tasso engaged, focused, and pulling in the same direction as the rest of the room? Or will emotions boil over before the playoffs even arrive?

If Battery finds the right buttons to push, this pick could go down as one of the biggest steals of the entire draft. If not… Well… there’s probably going to be some entertaining group chat screenshots.

The Banditos rounded out the roster with Zach Pelletier, Isaac Jenne, Ryan Castiel, Battery Sr, Ray Kingsley and Marcelo Lisi—adding experience, depth and plenty of locker room personalities.

And yes… we can confirm… Zik is back. We reached out to Zik’s representatives for comment, but they informed us he was unavailable, citing “ongoing networking obligations” and a “high-priority LinkedIn announcement.”

The Banditos are one of the deepest teams in the league. They have responsible veterans, young skill, balanced scoring and excellent leadership. But no team has a wider range of outcomes. If Kyrio shows up every week and Battery successfully keeps Tasso dialed in, this roster has everything needed to finish #1 and compete for a Summer Championship.

If those two question marks go the other way… Third place may end up looking optimistic.

Biggest Strength: Elite balance and offensive threat throughout the lineup.

Biggest Concern: Availability from Kyrio and managing Tasso’s personality.

X-Factor: Anthony Kyriopoulos. If he plays a full season, the Banditos become the team nobody wants to face.

Prediction: The highest ceiling in the league outside of the A’s. Don’t be surprised if this team ends the season sitting atop the standings.