Aggression, faceoffs and shooting, that is Raivo Helminen, a center from Finland who is moving to North-America in the hopes of making it into SHL someday. Playing in Finland and in the hometown team Ilves would have been a solid alternative, but the style of hockey in SMJHL is closer to SHL and then comes everything else starting from living in a foreign country and having to use English every day that made the decision fairly easy at the end, its better for the future if Raivo makes the jump to North-America and plays in the SMHJL before the SHL draft.

The next step on that road is to find an SMJHL team to play in, the first opportunity to do so is the draft in few days.  Some sources say that the draft is going to be a deep one and players are joining up as we speak, which naturally makes it difficult to predict which teams could be interested in a player like Raivo, but in the hopes of collecting some cash, let's take a quick look on the teams and see what the center depth of each team looks like.

Some kind of TLDR, I have put together a top-5 ranking of the teams that could potentially have room in the middle. That is the biggest factor in this ranking, could I actually play in the middle. As a disclaimer, during my research, as always I did very little actual research and the expansion draft could change things for some teams, but either way here is the top-5 in random order and after it comes the quick look on each team:

Colorado Raptors
Quebec City Citadelles
Vancouver
Nevada Battleborn
Carolina Kraken


Anaheim Outlaws

Center depth: Looks pretty deep to me, Hammarberg, Carragher, and Petrovic are all top-level centers, and there are younger centers like Boxman II, Andrews, and Voskoboynikov who are perhaps the next generation in the team, so not looking likely that Anaheim has center high on their list.

General comments: Roster has some familiar names from SHL and other leagues, can't remember for sure if I have played in the same team with anybody, maybe briefly with player or two in some other league. Management might not be interested in having me in the roster, which might not even matter as the middle lane is fairly full already.

Final verdict: Raivo playing in Anaheim next season does not look likely.

Anchorage Armada

Center depth: Räsänen, Vyskoč, and Gunnar have the top-9 roles under control, but behind those three Yzerman might be someone that Armada is looking to replace. That opens the opportunity for Raivo to slide in. Less depth in general in the center position, so Armada is more likely destination compared to Anaheim.

General comments: Once again some familiar names in the roster, I don´t think I have played in the same team with anybody else than one of the general managers and in a similar fashion as previously I don´t think they are too high on me as a user right now.

Final verdict: Depth says maybe, but the big picture moves the needle closer to not likely option on whether Raivo plays for the Armada next year or not.

Carolina Kraken:

Center depth: Lee, Grimstad, and Bergen make the top-9 look unreachable for Raivo, but could Lee move into the big show soon? If so and when there is not that much center depth, Raivo as a center could be in the Kraken draft lists.

General comments: I think my last player left the organization just before they became the Kraken or maybe some seasons earlier? Anyways, once again the current roster has familiar names, I know I have not mentioned too many names yet, but I´ll mention one now, I remember Durden from some other league, what he did to the Patriots will not be forgotten.

Final verdict: Depth makes it look fairly good for Raivo, but when looking at the big picture again there are at very least some question marks. Let's say Kraken picking Raivo is a maybe.

Colorado Raptors

Center depth: Ragnarsson-Tremblay and Daddy are the top-6 centers for Raptors, behind those two they have Cerullo and young Raiden. I think there is a fair chance that Raports could be interested in upgrading Cerullo and his position, when there are no other centers waiting in the lineup, Colorado looks like a fair destination for Raivo. Assuming he keeps working hard he could reach Cerullo´s level somewhat soon.

General comments: I don´t actually know the Raptors and their group that well, I recognize some names though. Most noticeable, In the search for more ice time I guess, goalie Huuveri did what our national hero Matti Nykänen only said he would do, he went and started to represent Sweden and their national team. That move is pure 10 on the scale of 1-10 when it comes down to betrayals, and for that reason I´m a fan. Another Finnish player Aumy Jr also plays for Colorado.

Final verdict: center depth suggests that Raivo could have a small chance to play in Colorado, so another mark on the maybe category.

Detroit Falcons

Center depth: Williams and McMaster are the veterans, Jutila and Blaze are the young blood for Detroit. Unless something dramatic happens, I don´t think Detroit will be looking to add Raivo high in their draft lists, the center position looks pretty good already.

General comments: I remember Detroit did some controversial moves in the past, I think. Some say that the hole is still there, is that true? I don´t know. From the current roster I recognize the wicked WannabeFinn, he has been running Finnish national team for some time now. Also, another Jutila plays for Detroit.

Final verdict: The combination of center depth with the management who might not be too interested in having me in the team makes Raivo playing in Detroit look not so likely.

Kelowna Knights

Center depth: Berni, Duncan, Laforest, and young Q. Next makes the center position look rather nice. Unless older players like Duncan or Berni are moving up into SHL I don´t think Raivo is going to play for the Knights, there is simply no room in the middle. However, if Duncan and or Berni are moving up, then at least the fourth line position opens up and when there is no center depth in place right now, Raivo could be an option.

General comments: Quite a few familiar names in the roster, mostly from SHL. I don´t think I have ever played for Kelowna with any of my players.

Final verdict: Questions marks are up in the air, right now it is not looking likely that Raivo is joining the Knights due to them not having that much space for another center.

Maine Timber

Center depth: Roach, Shepherd, and Danke followed by Stromberg. Maine and the center depth is in a good place at the moment. There is no real competition but looks like the players are not moving up just yet, I think, so not a lot of room for Raivo in Maine.

General comments: Quite a few familiar names in the roster again,  jcfbey01 was my general manager in some other league, in two separate teams and times if I remember correctly. Other than that I don´t know if I have shared a team with anyone in the roster lately at least.

Final verdict: Not looking likely that Raivo joins the Timber when looking at it right now, no room in the middle.

Nevada Battleborn

Center depth: Nobody in the roster! That promises good things for Raivo. The expansion draft is going to change things for Nevada and now I realized that it will do the same for some other teams, so maybe I should have waited a bit before doing this? Not going back now.

General comments: I like the name and logo of the team. Can't remember if I have ever been in the same team with the general managers. Not lately at least.

Final verdict: New team with a lot of changes coming, Raivo could sneak into a solid role if all stars are in the correct position.

Newfoundland Berserkers

Center depth: LeGrande, Forrester, Marner, and Suhonen make a solid center group. There is no real need for a fifth center unless something dramatic happens with the expansion draft, for example, so Raivo has a hard time finding a role from the Berserkers next year.

General comments: Familiar names, to name few, I know Snussu is a Finnish user, never too many in SHL. Wally used to yell at me in a basketball league, he was my general manager and I know Andrei of course, spent solid twenty minutes answering his scouting report. Remains to be seen if that made an impact on my odds of getting picked by the Berserkers.

Final verdict: No room for Raivo right now, combined with management more than likely not interested in adding me into the team, not looking likely that we will see Raivo in Newfoundland.

Quebec City Citadelles

Center depth: Nothing yet! Again one of the new teams that could have room for a center, but the expansion draft makes it tough to predict what the roster looks like before SMJHL draft.

General comments: Played in a Quebecian team for multiple seasons in one other league, I know the city as well as a person who has never visited the place can. Evok was on the same team with me when I won my first SHL championship.

Final verdict: Since there is nobody in the roster, the odds for Raivo making the team are reasonable.

St. Louis Scarecrows

Center depth: The Scarecrows have four centers in the roster, Nets, Lizard, Spinka, and Underton. Nets is the oldest of the group and perhaps a player that could lose their spot for younger option. Is that where a player like Raivo comes into the picture? Maybe.

General comments:  Quite similar team as Colorado, I don´t know the organization and the members that well, might even be that I have never been in the same team with anybody in the roster before.

Final verdict: There could be a spot opening for a center, but that is a maybe right now, so a lot depends on that. Right now the center positions are all taken, but if there indeed is an opening for a spot, player like Raivo could be among the players that are scouted.

Vancouver Whalers

Center depth: When looking at it right now, Vancouver might be a team that is most likely going to pick a center and early. They only have two centers in the roster, Coyote and Nikiforov. For Raivo that is excellent news. Not the need to pick early, but in general the space in the middle.

General comments: Few familiar names in the roster, especially the diabolic Sam. E who I remember was my general manager back in the day over here.

Final verdict: Depth makes Vancouver an excellent option for Raivo, another thing if the two parties end up getting together, since the management could have question marks over me as a user. Overall, perhaps the biggest role for Raivo is on the table in Vancouver.

(1880 words, X2 = draft related media, ready to be graded)