02-18-2014, 10:19 PM
Welcome to part one of a 5 part season in which I will be covering the top Dmen, Centers, Wingers, Goalies and Rookies for the upcoming SHL season.
5. Cole Reinhart – Edmonton Blizzard: Cole Reinhart will see his magical career end at the end of this season as he will hang up the skates and focus solely on his career as a general manager. He has had a fantastic career as the backbone of 3 Edmonton Blizzard championships and will surely be a first ballot hall of famer in my eyes. This season I feel as though Reinhart will come out of the gates hard and fast in an attempt to get himself in the top 5 of defenseman scoring. He has added weapons on his side with the arrival of all-star caliber defenseman OJ Simpson and Cole will benefit greatly from him and in the end should find himself and the Edmonton Blizzard back in the SHL Challenge Cup Finals.
![[Image: 20130119_sal_an4_207_29196311_117772.JPG]](http://www.dallasnews.com/incoming/20130130-20130119_sal_an4_207_29196311_117772.jpg.ece/BINARY/w620x413/20130119_sal_an4_207_29196311_117772.JPG)
Last Season: 2 goals, 34 assists, 36 points
This Season: 4 Goals, 35 assists, 39 points
4. OJ Simpson – Edmonton Blizzard: OJ Simpson has been slowly rising as one of the best defenseman in the SHL and that stock will continue to rise. He has that amazing ability to find his teammates and make tape to tape passes for easy goals. This season he should see himself get even better as he joins the tour de force that is the Edmonton Blizzard’s defense core. He will play with one of Willie Webber, Michael Haan or Cole Reinhart and this will help him become an even better player than he already is. I expect OJ Simpson to battle for the Scott Stevens award and with the Edmonton Blizzard he will see, that the glove does in fact fit.
![[Image: pk-subban.jpg]](https://2.bp.blogspot.com/__5-Ogf5NoqY/S-HlJgBsIlI/AAAAAAAAAtk/FYS41FcvkQ4/s400/pk-subban.jpg)
Last Season: 7 goals, 29 assists, 36 points
This Season: 12 goals, 28 assists, 40 points
3. Darian Scherbluk – Toronto Stars: The Toronto Stars aren’t as good as they once were. They have lost Krever as a GM, Heiss as a goalie and Richan as a Dman. With all this change you will have to figure that newly appointed GM, Jon Maxfield, will lean heavily on the veterans on this team, one of them being defensive star Darian Scherbluk. The kid has the instincts to find ways to generate goals and help lead his team to wins. With the loss of Aidan Richan, you can expect that the load on his shoulders will become even heavier as he will take the brunt of the work while also mentoring young rookie Maleek Junior. With all of this pressure, we will see if Scherbluk will take the game by the horns offensively or if he will crumble under the weight.
![[Image: jake-gardiner-2.jpg]](http://blogimages.thescore.com/nhl/files/2013/04/jake-gardiner-2.jpg)
Last Season: 11 goals, 38 assists, 49 points
This Season: 10 goals, 35 assists, 45 points
2. Dean Clarke – New England Wolf Pack: For a long time, Dean Clarke has been one of my favorite guys. This started during his days in Toronto and continued once he took his game to greater heights at the home that Bellicheck built. Clarke has all of the tools in his tool box to be a game changer. He can take over a game and win one on his own. He can pass, shoot, score and play defense, he is the perfect 200 foot player. With the Wolf Pack becoming an even better team, I expect that Clarke will take his game to another level and begin to battle for the distinction as best Dman currently in the league.
![[Image: image.JPG]](http://cdn.newsday.com/polopoly_fs/1.3718168.1337126399!/httpImage/image.JPG_gen/derivatives/display_600/image.JPG)
Last Season: 10 goals, 33 assists, 43 points
This Season: 14 goals, 34 assists, 48 points
1. Chris Partlow – Texas Renegades: For the past few seasons it has been Jason Due and then everyone else. In today’s game, it is Chris Partlow and everyone else. The man is a complete monster. He dominates everyone and makes every other defenseman in the league look mediocre when compared to him. Partlow should win the Stevens trophy this season and should see more of them filling up his trophy case. All of this is contingent on if Partlow stays in the league as he has threatened to retire if he isn’t traded. If he does get his wish, I expect him to finish in the top 5 in league scoring and perhaps may take home an MVP award. The sky is the limit for Partlow in this league and I believe he will finish atop the all-time D leaders when it is all said and done.
![[Image: Suter-negotiations-arent-all-about-the-m...large1.jpg]](http://www.hockeyworldblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Suter-negotiations-arent-all-about-the-money-SQTTV83-x-large1.jpg)
Last Season: 13 goals, 49 assists, 62 points
This Season: 18 goals, 47 assists, 65 points
On the Rise
Teemu Nurmi – Edmonton Blizzard: I am very high on all of the Blizzard and Nurmi is no exception. He had a pretty terrible season last season finishing as a minus player on a fantastic team. Expect some lowered minutes to actually help him succeed.
Niklas Stryker – Los Angeles Panthers: A guys still finding his way around the league. Is playing on a fantastic team and with the loss of OJ Simpson, should see himself getting more and more minutes and thus should see better and better play.
Logan Valentine – FA: Once again Logan Valentine is a free agent and once again Logan will be looking for a place to become a productive player. I think that he will ultimately find himself in Calgary and as a result should find some players that can help him rack up the point totals
On the Decline
Brandon Carlzner – Texas Renegades: A tremendous player who has carved out a great career. However if the Renegades lose Partlow, Carlzner could potentially see rookie Xavier Gauthier become his new D partner. Sorry but that is a recipe for disaster.
Jim Lahey – West Kendall Platoon: Lost his defensive partner as well as Jackson Turska leaving the team to retire. Lahey will see added minutes but will also see a much lesser team due to all of the changes. Expect Lahey to have an abysmal season.
Waldo Cezar JR – Seattle Riot: Seems less and less interested with the team and the league. Doesn’t have much around him on the back end to really help him hit his totals of last year. Expect him to be in the sub twenties this upcoming season.
Breakout Star
Matthew Buchesner – Seattle Riot: A fantastic young player. Has the ability to become a prolific scorer on the backend but hasn’t seen the results yet. He is in a contract year and as such I expect him to be extremely hungry to show that he is worthy of a big pay raise.
5 pictures, 1110 words.
5. Cole Reinhart – Edmonton Blizzard: Cole Reinhart will see his magical career end at the end of this season as he will hang up the skates and focus solely on his career as a general manager. He has had a fantastic career as the backbone of 3 Edmonton Blizzard championships and will surely be a first ballot hall of famer in my eyes. This season I feel as though Reinhart will come out of the gates hard and fast in an attempt to get himself in the top 5 of defenseman scoring. He has added weapons on his side with the arrival of all-star caliber defenseman OJ Simpson and Cole will benefit greatly from him and in the end should find himself and the Edmonton Blizzard back in the SHL Challenge Cup Finals.
Last Season: 2 goals, 34 assists, 36 points
This Season: 4 Goals, 35 assists, 39 points
4. OJ Simpson – Edmonton Blizzard: OJ Simpson has been slowly rising as one of the best defenseman in the SHL and that stock will continue to rise. He has that amazing ability to find his teammates and make tape to tape passes for easy goals. This season he should see himself get even better as he joins the tour de force that is the Edmonton Blizzard’s defense core. He will play with one of Willie Webber, Michael Haan or Cole Reinhart and this will help him become an even better player than he already is. I expect OJ Simpson to battle for the Scott Stevens award and with the Edmonton Blizzard he will see, that the glove does in fact fit.
Last Season: 7 goals, 29 assists, 36 points
This Season: 12 goals, 28 assists, 40 points
3. Darian Scherbluk – Toronto Stars: The Toronto Stars aren’t as good as they once were. They have lost Krever as a GM, Heiss as a goalie and Richan as a Dman. With all this change you will have to figure that newly appointed GM, Jon Maxfield, will lean heavily on the veterans on this team, one of them being defensive star Darian Scherbluk. The kid has the instincts to find ways to generate goals and help lead his team to wins. With the loss of Aidan Richan, you can expect that the load on his shoulders will become even heavier as he will take the brunt of the work while also mentoring young rookie Maleek Junior. With all of this pressure, we will see if Scherbluk will take the game by the horns offensively or if he will crumble under the weight.
Last Season: 11 goals, 38 assists, 49 points
This Season: 10 goals, 35 assists, 45 points
2. Dean Clarke – New England Wolf Pack: For a long time, Dean Clarke has been one of my favorite guys. This started during his days in Toronto and continued once he took his game to greater heights at the home that Bellicheck built. Clarke has all of the tools in his tool box to be a game changer. He can take over a game and win one on his own. He can pass, shoot, score and play defense, he is the perfect 200 foot player. With the Wolf Pack becoming an even better team, I expect that Clarke will take his game to another level and begin to battle for the distinction as best Dman currently in the league.
Last Season: 10 goals, 33 assists, 43 points
This Season: 14 goals, 34 assists, 48 points
1. Chris Partlow – Texas Renegades: For the past few seasons it has been Jason Due and then everyone else. In today’s game, it is Chris Partlow and everyone else. The man is a complete monster. He dominates everyone and makes every other defenseman in the league look mediocre when compared to him. Partlow should win the Stevens trophy this season and should see more of them filling up his trophy case. All of this is contingent on if Partlow stays in the league as he has threatened to retire if he isn’t traded. If he does get his wish, I expect him to finish in the top 5 in league scoring and perhaps may take home an MVP award. The sky is the limit for Partlow in this league and I believe he will finish atop the all-time D leaders when it is all said and done.
Last Season: 13 goals, 49 assists, 62 points
This Season: 18 goals, 47 assists, 65 points
On the Rise
Teemu Nurmi – Edmonton Blizzard: I am very high on all of the Blizzard and Nurmi is no exception. He had a pretty terrible season last season finishing as a minus player on a fantastic team. Expect some lowered minutes to actually help him succeed.
Niklas Stryker – Los Angeles Panthers: A guys still finding his way around the league. Is playing on a fantastic team and with the loss of OJ Simpson, should see himself getting more and more minutes and thus should see better and better play.
Logan Valentine – FA: Once again Logan Valentine is a free agent and once again Logan will be looking for a place to become a productive player. I think that he will ultimately find himself in Calgary and as a result should find some players that can help him rack up the point totals
On the Decline
Brandon Carlzner – Texas Renegades: A tremendous player who has carved out a great career. However if the Renegades lose Partlow, Carlzner could potentially see rookie Xavier Gauthier become his new D partner. Sorry but that is a recipe for disaster.
Jim Lahey – West Kendall Platoon: Lost his defensive partner as well as Jackson Turska leaving the team to retire. Lahey will see added minutes but will also see a much lesser team due to all of the changes. Expect Lahey to have an abysmal season.
Waldo Cezar JR – Seattle Riot: Seems less and less interested with the team and the league. Doesn’t have much around him on the back end to really help him hit his totals of last year. Expect him to be in the sub twenties this upcoming season.
Breakout Star
Matthew Buchesner – Seattle Riot: A fantastic young player. Has the ability to become a prolific scorer on the backend but hasn’t seen the results yet. He is in a contract year and as such I expect him to be extremely hungry to show that he is worthy of a big pay raise.
5 pictures, 1110 words.
