11-14-2014, 04:58 AM
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Hamilton Steelhawks
Prediction: 5th in East | Challenge Cup Odds: 150:1
S20 Record: 35-13-2 | Conference: 1st | Overall: 1st
Offense: 3.26 GF (1st Overall) | Defense: 2.20 (2nd Overall)
Power Play: 18.95% (5th Overall) | Penalty Kill: 86.24% (3rd Overall)
Ice Time Lead (F): Joe McKeil (23:41) | Ice Time Lead (D): Brandon Cant (24:43)
Depth Chart
:
Ivo Willems (1187) - Joe McKeil (1070) - Magnus Jakobsen (937)
Arthur Grosberg (630) - Griffin Simons (505) - Jānis Krūmiņš (410)
Franklin Trey (443) - Adam Johansson (383) - Jake Cunningham (388)
Cameron Gibson (225) - Rider Clitsome (367) - Cameron Urbowicz (224)
Chris Serpe (371) - Friedrich Muller (617)
Simeon Mars III (320) - Tyler Hartman (261)
Michael Caboose (222) - Erik Nilsson (230)
Edwin Ask (749)
Jakob Tanner (462)
Key Departures: David Winter, Rehn Miller, James Blaine, Jareth Sto Helit, Roman Schultz, Brandon Cant, OJ Simpson
Projected Lines :
Ivo Willems - Joe McKeil - Magnus Jakobsen
Arthur Grosberg - Griffin Simmons - Janis Krumins
Franklin Trey - Adam Johansson - Jake Cunningham
Ivo Willems - Joe McKeil - Magnus Jakobsen
Chris Serpe - Friedrich Muller
Simeon Mars III - Tyler Hartman
Erik Nilsson - Friedrich Muller
Jakob Tanner
Edwin Ask
![[Image: TBL113623761Web.jpg]](http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/images/stories/large/2011/05/04/TBL113623761Web.jpg)
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STEELHAWKS LOOKING TO CLAW THEIR WAY BACK UP
After a heartbreaking Challenge Cup Finals loss the Steelhawks had a lot to be proud of in S20. They captured the President's Trophy and made it to the Cup finals, and one of their star players, Joe McKeil, had a phenomenal year and is a heavy favourite to take home a lot of hardware at the Awards show. Unfortunately they had a very rough off-season losing two of their top 4 defenders to retirement and another to a trade. Their offensive lines took a hit as well losing two of their top 6 forwards as well as Rehn Miller, a very solid player and great locker room presence. The management knew going into the off-season that they would be losing a large portion of their core and it they went into rebuild mode full tilt. The Steelhawks are a shell of their former powerhouse selves, but they still retain all-stars McKeil and Willems, and have young studs in Jakobsen and Muller with Ask back in net for another season so there's no reason to count this team as down and out, but they're not the heavy favourites to win the East or Cup like they have been in the past. With Jakobsen and Arthur Grosberg having career years in S20 the Steelhawks will turn to them to add some secondary scoring and will need Ask to be his usual stellar self to help them stay alive in the playoff hunt.
Offense:
Beyond their first line of Willems - McKeil - Jakobsen they really only have Grosberg in their top 6 to rely on and Muller on the back end to put up what they hope will be consistent point production. Hamilton will most likely be moving up at least one or two rookies to help fill some gaps so look for pressure to be on Simons to put up some points and Krumins to step into a top 6 role. Their team is looking to be full of depth players so the Steelhawks will look to their top line to carry the offense and scoring by committee through the rest of the line-up.
Defense:
Friedrich Muller is going to have to do his best Atlas impersonation as he is going to be looked to as the player who is going to carry the Steelhawks defense. The fourth overall pick in an incredibly strong S20 draft was touted to be a top 3 pick and for good reason, and it's his time to shine for the Steelhawks as they have next to nothing outside of Muller. Look for a breakout season for him at both ends of the ice and to possibly move into a bigger leadership role. Outside of Muller they have depth defenders in Serpe and Simeon Mars III, both acquisitions in trades to try and bolster the blue-line depth.
Goaltending:
Edwin Ask has been an incredibly solid, borderline elite, goalie for the last few seasons. He helped lead the Steelhawks to back to back Challenge Cup Finals, but the real test will be now. He's proven he can make big stops when needed and that he can carry a heavy workload, but can he perform without the likes of Cant, Schultz and Sto Helit in front of him? This season will be a challenging one for Ask and the Steelhawks as a whole and it could show Ask's true form, either good or bad.
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Special Teams:
The Steelhawks had very solid special teams last season and their power play should remain around their efficiency from S20 if their top unit can carry the load and put up the points with the man advantage. Their penalty kill will drop from third in the league to much lower, and don't be too surprised if they're cellar dwellers in the PK as they lost the majority of their quality defenders.
Rookies:
With so many gaps in their roster look for the Steelhawks to slot in at least a few rookies. Jakob Tanner should slide in behind Edwin Ask (giggity) as a full-time backup goalie and Griffin Simons looks to move into a top 6 role after a second season with the Montreal Impact. Jake Cunningham was a move made last season as he had issues with the Minnesota Chiefs management team and he will be looking to crack the roster as a bottom 6 player to try and prove he can be a team player and was worth the late picks moved for him. Rider Clitsome was the Steelhawks' first round pick in this past S21 Entry Draft and he could potentially slot in as well, but will most likely develop more in the SMJHL before being called up. A good team for young players to break into, we should see at least a small handful of new faces.
X-factor:
In a word, Muller. There's a lot resting on the shoulders of this sophmore player and if he can elevate his game to a new level he should be a front runner for the Aidan Richan next season and more then that be a huge help to a team that will be looking for a leader on their blue line. He proved he can play well defensively with a +20 rating in his rookie campaign and that he can chip in in the point department as he threw in 2 goals and 14 assists for 16 points split between the second and third pairings last season. With a solid spot on the top pairing, look for him to open up offensively and if he can keep up his superb defensive play he should be a great player for the Steelhawks.
Intangibles:
Can Joe McKeil repeat his all-star performance of S20? He's still very committed to his training regiment but is aging and could fall this season. If he and Willems can keep their chemistry going and Jakobsen repeats his improvement in the season they could squeak into the playoffs. The biggest question mark on the Steelhawks will be Muller. Most analysts feel he'll thrive under the extra playing time and pressure and if he can the Steelhawks could be a playoff contender, but if it becomes too much for him, they could falter.
Prospects - Grade: A
Franklin Trey - 355 TPE - Regina (SMJHL)
Drafted: S20 (5th Round, 53s Overall) - SHL Projected: S21
Late round pick in the S20 super draft has training issues. Will fit into a bottom 6 role.
Rider Clitsome - 251 TPE - Vancouver (SMJHL)
Drafted: S21 (1st Round, 5th Overall) - SHL Projected: S22
Another prodigy found by agent Schultzy, will be an elite player but will look to spend another year in the juniors.
Jakob Tanner - 388 TPE - Montreal (SMJHL)
Drafted: S20 (4th Round, 38th Overall) - SHL Projected: S21
Off-ice issues stunted his development, if he commits fully to the league should take over from Ask for starter in S22.
Jake Cunningham - 291 TPE - Montreal (SMJHL)
Drafted: S20 (5th Round, 51st Overall) - SHL Projected: S22
Issues in Minnesota killed his development. Needs to reaffirm he can become a key player in the SHL or he may fall by the wayside.
Griffin Simons - 394 TPE - Montreal (SMJHL)
Drafted: S20 (3rd Round, 36th Overall) - SHL Projected: S21
Suspended half of last season had stunted his development, has potential to be an elite level playmaker and needs to show he is committed to the league.
Michael Caboose - 182 TPE - Detroit (SMJHL)
Drafted: S21 (2nd Round, 17th Overall) - SHL Projected: S23
Young defender has a long way to go before he makes the Show. Steelhawks hope bonuses written into his contract help him beef up his development regiment.
Cameron Urbowicz - 195 TPE - St. Louis (SMJHL)
Drafted: S21 (2nd Round, 19th Overall) - SHL Projected: S23
Has potential to be a solid depth player, needs to show up to practices and other training events more often or will fall by the wayside.
Hamilton Steelhawks
Prediction: 5th in East | Challenge Cup Odds: 150:1
S20 Record: 35-13-2 | Conference: 1st | Overall: 1st
Offense: 3.26 GF (1st Overall) | Defense: 2.20 (2nd Overall)
Power Play: 18.95% (5th Overall) | Penalty Kill: 86.24% (3rd Overall)
Ice Time Lead (F): Joe McKeil (23:41) | Ice Time Lead (D): Brandon Cant (24:43)
Depth Chart
:Ivo Willems (1187) - Joe McKeil (1070) - Magnus Jakobsen (937)
Arthur Grosberg (630) - Griffin Simons (505) - Jānis Krūmiņš (410)
Franklin Trey (443) - Adam Johansson (383) - Jake Cunningham (388)
Cameron Gibson (225) - Rider Clitsome (367) - Cameron Urbowicz (224)
Chris Serpe (371) - Friedrich Muller (617)
Simeon Mars III (320) - Tyler Hartman (261)
Michael Caboose (222) - Erik Nilsson (230)
Edwin Ask (749)
Jakob Tanner (462)
Key Departures: David Winter, Rehn Miller, James Blaine, Jareth Sto Helit, Roman Schultz, Brandon Cant, OJ Simpson
Projected Lines
:Ivo Willems - Joe McKeil - Magnus Jakobsen
Arthur Grosberg - Griffin Simmons - Janis Krumins
Franklin Trey - Adam Johansson - Jake Cunningham
Ivo Willems - Joe McKeil - Magnus Jakobsen
Chris Serpe - Friedrich Muller
Simeon Mars III - Tyler Hartman
Erik Nilsson - Friedrich Muller
Jakob Tanner
Edwin Ask
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STEELHAWKS LOOKING TO CLAW THEIR WAY BACK UP
After a heartbreaking Challenge Cup Finals loss the Steelhawks had a lot to be proud of in S20. They captured the President's Trophy and made it to the Cup finals, and one of their star players, Joe McKeil, had a phenomenal year and is a heavy favourite to take home a lot of hardware at the Awards show. Unfortunately they had a very rough off-season losing two of their top 4 defenders to retirement and another to a trade. Their offensive lines took a hit as well losing two of their top 6 forwards as well as Rehn Miller, a very solid player and great locker room presence. The management knew going into the off-season that they would be losing a large portion of their core and it they went into rebuild mode full tilt. The Steelhawks are a shell of their former powerhouse selves, but they still retain all-stars McKeil and Willems, and have young studs in Jakobsen and Muller with Ask back in net for another season so there's no reason to count this team as down and out, but they're not the heavy favourites to win the East or Cup like they have been in the past. With Jakobsen and Arthur Grosberg having career years in S20 the Steelhawks will turn to them to add some secondary scoring and will need Ask to be his usual stellar self to help them stay alive in the playoff hunt.
Offense:
Beyond their first line of Willems - McKeil - Jakobsen they really only have Grosberg in their top 6 to rely on and Muller on the back end to put up what they hope will be consistent point production. Hamilton will most likely be moving up at least one or two rookies to help fill some gaps so look for pressure to be on Simons to put up some points and Krumins to step into a top 6 role. Their team is looking to be full of depth players so the Steelhawks will look to their top line to carry the offense and scoring by committee through the rest of the line-up.
Defense:
Friedrich Muller is going to have to do his best Atlas impersonation as he is going to be looked to as the player who is going to carry the Steelhawks defense. The fourth overall pick in an incredibly strong S20 draft was touted to be a top 3 pick and for good reason, and it's his time to shine for the Steelhawks as they have next to nothing outside of Muller. Look for a breakout season for him at both ends of the ice and to possibly move into a bigger leadership role. Outside of Muller they have depth defenders in Serpe and Simeon Mars III, both acquisitions in trades to try and bolster the blue-line depth.
Goaltending:
Edwin Ask has been an incredibly solid, borderline elite, goalie for the last few seasons. He helped lead the Steelhawks to back to back Challenge Cup Finals, but the real test will be now. He's proven he can make big stops when needed and that he can carry a heavy workload, but can he perform without the likes of Cant, Schultz and Sto Helit in front of him? This season will be a challenging one for Ask and the Steelhawks as a whole and it could show Ask's true form, either good or bad.
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</div>Special Teams:
The Steelhawks had very solid special teams last season and their power play should remain around their efficiency from S20 if their top unit can carry the load and put up the points with the man advantage. Their penalty kill will drop from third in the league to much lower, and don't be too surprised if they're cellar dwellers in the PK as they lost the majority of their quality defenders.
Rookies:
With so many gaps in their roster look for the Steelhawks to slot in at least a few rookies. Jakob Tanner should slide in behind Edwin Ask (giggity) as a full-time backup goalie and Griffin Simons looks to move into a top 6 role after a second season with the Montreal Impact. Jake Cunningham was a move made last season as he had issues with the Minnesota Chiefs management team and he will be looking to crack the roster as a bottom 6 player to try and prove he can be a team player and was worth the late picks moved for him. Rider Clitsome was the Steelhawks' first round pick in this past S21 Entry Draft and he could potentially slot in as well, but will most likely develop more in the SMJHL before being called up. A good team for young players to break into, we should see at least a small handful of new faces.
X-factor:
In a word, Muller. There's a lot resting on the shoulders of this sophmore player and if he can elevate his game to a new level he should be a front runner for the Aidan Richan next season and more then that be a huge help to a team that will be looking for a leader on their blue line. He proved he can play well defensively with a +20 rating in his rookie campaign and that he can chip in in the point department as he threw in 2 goals and 14 assists for 16 points split between the second and third pairings last season. With a solid spot on the top pairing, look for him to open up offensively and if he can keep up his superb defensive play he should be a great player for the Steelhawks.
Intangibles:
Can Joe McKeil repeat his all-star performance of S20? He's still very committed to his training regiment but is aging and could fall this season. If he and Willems can keep their chemistry going and Jakobsen repeats his improvement in the season they could squeak into the playoffs. The biggest question mark on the Steelhawks will be Muller. Most analysts feel he'll thrive under the extra playing time and pressure and if he can the Steelhawks could be a playoff contender, but if it becomes too much for him, they could falter.
Prospects - Grade: A
Franklin Trey - 355 TPE - Regina (SMJHL)
Drafted: S20 (5th Round, 53s Overall) - SHL Projected: S21
Late round pick in the S20 super draft has training issues. Will fit into a bottom 6 role.
Rider Clitsome - 251 TPE - Vancouver (SMJHL)
Drafted: S21 (1st Round, 5th Overall) - SHL Projected: S22
Another prodigy found by agent Schultzy, will be an elite player but will look to spend another year in the juniors.
Jakob Tanner - 388 TPE - Montreal (SMJHL)
Drafted: S20 (4th Round, 38th Overall) - SHL Projected: S21
Off-ice issues stunted his development, if he commits fully to the league should take over from Ask for starter in S22.
Jake Cunningham - 291 TPE - Montreal (SMJHL)
Drafted: S20 (5th Round, 51st Overall) - SHL Projected: S22
Issues in Minnesota killed his development. Needs to reaffirm he can become a key player in the SHL or he may fall by the wayside.
Griffin Simons - 394 TPE - Montreal (SMJHL)
Drafted: S20 (3rd Round, 36th Overall) - SHL Projected: S21
Suspended half of last season had stunted his development, has potential to be an elite level playmaker and needs to show he is committed to the league.
Michael Caboose - 182 TPE - Detroit (SMJHL)
Drafted: S21 (2nd Round, 17th Overall) - SHL Projected: S23
Young defender has a long way to go before he makes the Show. Steelhawks hope bonuses written into his contract help him beef up his development regiment.
Cameron Urbowicz - 195 TPE - St. Louis (SMJHL)
Drafted: S21 (2nd Round, 19th Overall) - SHL Projected: S23
Has potential to be a solid depth player, needs to show up to practices and other training events more often or will fall by the wayside.
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