Congratulations on being drafted! The hard work starts now, and your teammates are all ready to get to know you!.
Written option: You just walked into the lockerroom for the first time. How did your new teammates respond? Did they organize anything to welcome you and the other draftees to the team? Must include 150 words.
Graphic option: Make an image depicting a couple of members of your team hanging out together in the locker room. Must include the team logo somewhere.
Reward
4 TPE for doing the thing. (Just one of the things, not both.)
Only S59 SMJHL Rookies (S60 SHL Draftees) are eligible for this PT.
Link PBE or NSFL submissions here to get credit for affiliate claims.
Do not claim this TPE until a post is made in the claim thread.
Deadline: Sunday, April 18th @ 11:59pm EST
It’s draft day. It starts at the allotted time. I don’t expect to go first overall, in fact I don’t expect to go in the first round. The first round rolls by, and nothing happens. The second round rolls by, and still nothing. Now I’m starting to get worried. I thought that I had done enough to go in the first 2 rounds. The third round is just getting started. Midway through, I’m starting to look through everyone PT announcement from rookie chat, checking to see if I missed anything. Finally, my name gets called by St Louis. I walk into the locker room, and everyone is extremely helpful. They understand that I don’t quite get the ins and outs of the league, and are willing to teach me through it. I’m extremely thankful to get taken by a team that really believes in me, and cares about my success. I can’t wait for what the future beholds.
The SMJHL draft has come and gone, and Jimmy Larkin-Conway landed with the Nevada Battleborn, who took the sniper 19th overall. There was a bit of a wait to get access to the NBB locker room for all of our new draftees, but once we arrived it was nothing but pleasant conversation and good energy. It was nice to see some familiar faces there, and everyone seemed really excited to have the new recruits on board with the team. Between all our new draftees, we've got an energetic group that should help breathe new life into the NBB LR, and hopefully we'll see more people turn up in the locker room as a result. It looks like we've got good veterans to help show us the ropes, and lots of opportunity for us to grow into bigger roles later this season or next season. So there wasn't a big hoopla, but that's just fine by me, because I don't need a whole big thing to know the LR has a good vibe.
Corey McFarland was an undrafted free agent from the university of Montana. After impressing the coaches and scouts at Kelowna, he was offered a contract to play as the rotational goalie for the knights. On the first day of training camp McFarland was introduced to fellow rookie Satoru Gojo from Tokyo Japan but wasn’t given as big of a welcome since he wasn’t a drafted rookie. Bathe first day of training camp was more of a celebration for the team to hey the team hyped up for the upcoming season with basic weightlifting and skating exercises. It wasn’t of course until after the first night of camp “ended” to where the veterans revealed that the rookies run extra drills in front of the rest of the team for 2 hours. A secret tradition for the knights. After the first night actually ended it was official. Corey McFarland was part of the Kelowna Knights
Wet Jeans was more than happy to hear his name called as one of the newest members of the Nevada Battleborn. He wasn't expecting to go #1 overall or anything but he was surprised to see how many names were called before his in the draft. He can say with confidence that NBB really got a steal in Wet Jeans in the fourth round of the draft. Immediately upon entrance to the locker room the other draftees and Jeans himself were greeted with open arms by management and the other players on the team. Seems like a great group of guys to share his rookie year with. The rookies were immediately advised on player builds to ensure that we were all ready to go come game one. The Nevada Battleborn have a nice group of veterans and a great upcoming rookie class so we're all siked to get the season started.
Hey, ya boy Olof Karsikko walks into the locker room with multiple home made pizzas in his CCM hockey gear bag, all of them topped off with kebab, blue cheese and mayo.
"Don't worry guys, these are on the house" he says and winks. Everyone's looking at him, like what the fuck is going on, why is he bringing pizza folded in half inside his bag and most importantly why is there mayo on the pizza!?
Fast forward 5 minutes and all the boys have elbow tapped, because hey, there's a god damn pandemic going on we can't be exchanging bacteria.
Time passes by like no other, people have enjoyed their mayo pizzas and complimentary juice boxes. Suddenly, out of nowhere, the captain says "I don't feel so good.." and rushes to the toilet to vomit. Soon enough the whole team is in the toilet vomiting. What could have possibly gone wrong!? Well, apparently Olof used the mayo he bought from a clearance sale in bulk two months ago, when it had already gone old..
cw:184
(This story is based on a 100% true and real occurence)
After getting to America from Belarus, Ayerzov began his hockey career at the university he went to, which wasn't a phenomenal university, but still won games and got the job done. Ayerzov, sticking with hockey as a career, got plenty of calls from plenty of teams in the SMJHL, and did not really have an idea of where he would go. When he got the call from St. Louis, he didn't realize how much he would love the place he ended up. Walking in the room, he felt like he owned the place, and that he was the guy for this team. He saw overwhelming positivity from his teammates, captains, and GMs. He felt as if this was truly the place he was meant to be, and after a whole day past since the draft, he is ready to work with them and create a team scary enough to take them to the Cup.
Philip Demitra was beyond excited when the Maine Timbers used their 28th overall pick to select him. He is confident that him and Duncan the Walrus will be one of the best rookie defenseman pairings on the ice this coming season. They are 5'11 190 and 6'11 300 which should make them a fun couple of rookies to watch on the ice. Philip is excited to be joined a rebuilding team that could be competing sooner rather than later for a championship... Philip has been training hard for the start of the season going from a 155-226 TPE player in a week thanks to the new catchup rules and is excited to get on the ice!
Demitra felt proud as he walked into the Maine locker room for the first time. Shouts of "more trees" "more trees" erupted as Philip joined by other rookies J.J.J.J. Angler, and Duncan the Walrus ran excitedly into the looker room. They would soon be joined by another duo of rookies Sirir Gruggsson and Miles O'Brien. Philip is grateful to have joined such a fun and teamwork oriented locker room. Maine are working hard to be contenders not pretenders this season and the new rookies will hopefully be a helping hand in that!
Going into the draft, I planned on being a mid round pick as I had not been scouted by every single team. Thankfully, the one team I really felt comfortable with and felt great going into the draft with was the Carolina Cracken. They took me in the second round of the draft and I was ecstatic to get into the locker room. When I first walked in, I was greeted by so many familiar faces from my recreation football league that I played in college. I was able to give hugs to all these friends, but I was also met by a wave of support from new great teammates and captains. My favorite part of the locker room was that the veterans had an awesome buffet set up for. As a Swede, our food is always the best, but I really enjoyed all the southern food that I was met with for the first time.
Being a Canadian, I didnt get to Nevada until later that evening. I did know I was probably going to be moving there, but I didnt want to count my chickens before they hatched. I booked a flight for after the draft so I could experience it with family. The first team mates I met were Anton Harrier (@
Thunfish) and Jimmy Larkin-Conway (@
Grapehead). We all ran into each other at Los Vegas International Airport, having recognized each other from scouting combines. We split a cap to get to the training facilities where we met some of our new teammates putting in some overtime at the gym. We were welcomed with open arms and several team mates offered to let us stay with them until we could find our own apartments. We all met with our GM and signed our contracts and ended the night getting to know each other with stories from back home.
Greyson Cooper was drafted 3rd overall to the Quebec City Citadelles and was welcomed into the locker room with open arms. It was so nice to see some familiar faces and was greeted by the general managers immediately upon entering the arena. It made it feel so real once he walked in to the dressing room and seen his own jersey with his last name and future number. As he turned around he saw the four star cup in the cabinet and knew this is the place where he belonged. As he was looking at the four star cup, some of the team walked in and expressed how excited they were to have a young sniper on the team. All of the players introduced themselves and before Cooper even realized it they were headed to Denny's for a team supper to introduce all the new rookies to the best team in the SMJHL.
153 Words
I walked into the Vancouver locker room and for the first time in my life I was star struck. I'd have posters for SHLers in my castle walls and it was amazing to have my name on a plate above my locker.
The guys were nothing but kind to me. We introduced each other and did some handshakes and we told stories of how it was when they were drafted. My nerves calmed down and I really felt like one of the guys at that point.
Then we hit the ice and that was something pretty special. They played my theme song from when I went on the ice before and it showed me that this is where I was meant to be.
It was a special treat meeting some of the other draftees. They knew what I was going through and we bonded over a magnificent feast. It was a pretty special day and it showed they cared a lot about us.
(164 words)
Anytime you're the "new guy" there is always the possibility of a little good natured hazing, and with someone like Daniel Merica Jr. entering the locker room, you best believe the Anaheim Outlaws were ready to greet their cocky sniper with some tasteful treats. Prior to Merica's arrival, several Outlaws (who we will keep anonymous for legal purposes) and been concocting a nasty cocktail: sauerkraut, mustard, pickle juice, tuna, expired milk, rotten Surstromming and a host of other items, all poured into a big 5 gallon jug and set out in the sun to ferment and become utterly disgusting. Once Daniel entered the locker room, rocking some fresh new duds, two teammates came up behind him and tackled him to the ground, while another put a black bag over his face and handcuffed him. They then dragged his ass outside, tied him up to a telephone post and dumped the disturbingly gross cocktail all over Merica. Rumor has it these teammates wore gas masks to prevent themselves from puking during the process, and Merica's clothes had to be burned- it took a week to fully wash off the stench. We asked Daniel about the event: "Caught me by surprise for sure, but I loved it, I mean the smell was horrendous, but it shows that the guys really care, it was their way of welcoming me in, that's how real bonds are formed, not by fruit baskets." Welcome to Anaheim.
I had been here before.
Last season had afforded me the opportunity to meet some of my future teammates on their march toward a Cup. This was different, however. As I walked through those halls, I was officially a part of this team now. The reality settled in as I approached my locker and saw my number 30 jersey hanging in the locker, the name Gardner fashioned across the back. This felt good.
Every single individual in the lockerroom was so welcoming. There were greetings and well wishes from players on the team last season who bled and sweat for that Championship. Other new teammates such as Greyson Cooper, Hail Bingus, Darrell Niskala, Kerbal Rais, Andrew Jackson and Nor Dekes were settling in and finding their way around. Alfred Yankovic, who I knew somewhat well, was also being officially welcomed. There was a strong sense of camaraderie right away. I promised my new teammates I would fight for them this season whenever needed. There will be blood! But first, there will be Dennys.
There's always fear and nervousness going into the unknown that is the locker room of a new team. Those are definitely what Zhen Roza felt going in Anaheim's big room. Opening the doors that felt a ton, he saw all the players there chatting it up and giving him a warm welcome. The older vets like Kaapo Kampainen came up immediately and the shakes for Roza evaporated, at least for now. After the tour of the lockers and the facility the team went out for some great sushi and talked about their experiences and their hopes about going to the SHL. Even bets were placed for the new guys to see where they'll end up in the draft. "Are you kidding! I just hope I get drafted by anyone" a couple of the younger guys would say, but as the good times rolled on, all of them knew the hard work and the seriousness was just around the corner.