Simulation Hockey League

Tony Reali: MacMullan, Plaschke, Paige, Jones, the terrible quartet. Today on Around the Horn, we recap the IHF friendlies, McKeil, the Minnesota Chiefs playoff hopes, among others. We got 11 topics but only one winner! This is Around the Horn!




Reali: Today on this show we have the incredulous, very cunning Jackie MacMullan!



Jackie MacMullan: Very sweet, but let's cut the formalities and get to the beatdown that will be my first win in the SHL program.

Reali: Careful, Jackie, we may not see you for awhile if you can't back up that kind of talk with a convincing win! Next up, he didn't get into the final three last segment, but definitely doesn't seem to mind, Woody Paige!



[color=redWoody ]Paige:[/color] If I stay in this pose will they give me a bonus?

Reali: Not if you forget to change your blackboard. Somebody is slipping! Third on the list and third in our hearts is the gentleman Bill Plaschke!



Bill Plaschke: Got robbed out of a win last episode, so I am hoping to show Bomani what it means to overcome all odds.

Reali: Doubt that. And finally, the reigning champion of Around the Horn, Bomani Jones!



Bomani Jones: Jackie is my only challenge in this episode? This is going to be a cake walk. Tony you may have to come up here and take me on if there is going to be any hope of somebody taking the title!

MacMullan: I'm not sure if that should be taken as a compliment or an insult? Either way, I look forward to wiping the floor with you on this one, worse than Minnesota got wiped off the ice in the SHL last season.

Reali: Ouch, shots fired towards Minnesota!

Paige: Oh my goodness, it's as if there hasn't been a winning team there since a Kennedy was in office!

Plaschke: Can't imagine why when they are drafting guys like Alonzo Garbanzo instead of Marek Martinek. Gotta say that team is a huge issue and I will be surprised [MUTE]

Reali: Save it for the topics, Plaschke. On to the First Word!





Reali: With the IHF Friendlies concluded, we have some expected results and some that are not expected. What do we have in store for the next tournament? Can we expect to see anything continue from these friendlies Jackie?

MacMullan: Well, it shouldn't be surprising to see the hockey superpower Canada at the top of the standings in this tournament. They are tied with team Latvia in wins, have the most goals for and fewest goals against, and have done it all without a single player standing out. They have depth, they have goaltending, and they have a lot of pieces that are going to be huge for the upcoming tournament. Lionel Byrde and Lucas Smith are killing it with five points a piece and while they are not scorching the tournament, they are playing on both ends of the ice and the results reflect that.

Reali: Woody Paige, your thoughts.

Paige: Canada is an expected favorite and the stats show it, but the bigger story is Latvia. Zommers was on fire for the other undefeated team in this round robin, and they are right behind Canada in goals for, goals against, all despite them having a pretty brutal powerplay and penalty kill during the four games, going 8th out of 12 teams with the two categories combined. They were also much better defensively than Canada, allowing 1.5 shots against fewer than the Canadians per game.

Plaschke: Woody, the problem with that is a shot and a half a game isn't much when comparing the two teams. You are also forgetting shots for, in which Canada has a sound lead in that department, outshooting the Latvians on a regular basis by a tune of 39 shots to 34. Five shots a game means a lot more than one or two, which makes the Canadians look a lot better in this tournament.

Reali: Bomani.

Jones: To add to Bill's point, Latvia's goaltending has been great and it is a huge reason why they are winning, but Colin Scmidt has been a lot better, not even allowing a goal a game in the three that he played, as well as stopping 98% of shots. That is unprecedented and people really need to look more into that. As far as teams that have been a surprise on the opposite end of the spectrum, what has been going on with the United States? 1-2-1 in their four games, only beating out the lowly Irish who forfeit midway in this tournament, and towards the bottom in almost every category. Goals for? They are 9th. Goals against? They are 6th. 8th on the power play, 10th on the PK, 7th in shots, 11th in shots against, 12th in faceoff percentage with only 41%. They have no center depth, their goaltender Tennyson has been hung out to dry numerous times in this group of games, and their leading scorer is only at a point per game. That is not acceptable.

MacMullan: I don't find that all that surprising when you look at the roster they had coming into this tournament. The USA of today is not the same as what we are used to seeing, and when you have guys like Merica having rumors of partying out late at night before these games you have to wonder the kind of mindset these players are in. I have seen them play with my own two eyes and the players are not communicating, they do not appear to be engaged at all except for Tennyson, and their star defenseman Chris Partlow has been completely unable to focus with this team. I truly believe it is a chemistry issue and it has been apparent for awhile, so this is not surprising.

Plaschke: I am more surprised that Ireland fell as hard as it did. Nobody was expecting them to come out of these games smelling like roses, but they really did quit on everybody.

Jones: Quit? They didn't quit, the team just doesn't have any talent on their roster. Griffon Simons is a headcase with a suspension history, Tom Sawyer is a logo destroyer, and Jakob Tanner is continuing to prove to me that he is not a capable goalie at the SHL level, let alone up against the best players in the world. If you want to talk heart, talk about the United States, but don't rag on the Irish for not being a good hockey team.

Reali: Jakob Tanner not SHL material? I wouldn't be so quick to write him off just because of his time in the SMJHL, there Bomani.

Jones: It's not just him playing in the SMJHL. I have thought he was overrated since he was drafted to the SHL. The guy is terrible moving side to side, which is how a lot of teams score on him, his glove, which is supposed to be the best weapon a goaltender has in net, is non-existent, he has inconsistency issues, and he is dragging Ireland down once again. You cannot look at him play and tell me he is not the problem on that team.

Plaschke: Maybe see if Jordin FourFour is planning on defecting from Sweden. That guy [MUTE]

Reali: I'm not even going to dignify that with a response considering the man has committed to Sweden for the foreseeable future, and at this stage in his career I don't even think that is worth discussing.

Paige: Not to mention Sweden hasn't even been lighting the world on fire with him in the cage. [HORN] You have the supposed best goaltender in the league and you lose to a couple of teams you could have beaten? Not a franchise goal[MUTE]

Reali: Didn't think anyone could say something I wanted to mute more than what Plaschke said, but Woody you found a way to surprise me. Alright, moving on.



Reali: 11 games into the preseason, and it looks like we have some winners, some losers, and some who are just keeping pace. The Panthers are driving hard while the defending champions are having a bit of an issue. Mr. Jones, is this a sign of things to come or should we expect the standings to change in the regular season?

Jones: This is absolutely not a sign of things to come. Yeah, the Renegades have not looked good so far this preseason, but the key word is PRESEASON. Does anyone even know how the Renegades did last preseason? No, because it doesn't matter. They don't count for the regular season, they don't determine who makes it into the playoffs, and they don't determine who wins the Challenge Cup. Why are we even talking about this? Talk to me once the regular season starts, because teams are still working out their new additions and making changes during this part of the season. These games don't matter.

Reali: Bill?

Plaschke: Bomani fails to notice that while teams are probably not going to be looking the same during the regular season and we shouldn't be looking at this as a barometer for future team performance, this is a great way to see how players may perform in the regular season, particularly the rookies. Remember last episode when I talked about what Marek Martinek was going to do in this league? 4 goals and 9 points in the first 11 games. Third among rookies and tied for 6th among all defensemen. Do you really think this is a coincidence? The guy knows how to play the game at a higher level than any of the defensemen picked in the draft, and the Panthers are doing well as a result of this. They are absolutely killing the league and nobody should be surprised, because with guys like Martinek at the helm and with the supporting cast they have put together including Brian Morely and Yuri Boyka, they are going to be a threat to win the Challenge Cup this year.

Reali: Don't make me mute you again, Woody.

Paige: Well Plaschke is tooting his "Martinek is god" horn again, and unfortunately he is going to be stopped by this logic. Texas Renegades place in the preseason? 5th in the West. Their place in the regular season? 2nd in the West. Their place in the playoffs? Challenge Cup Champions! Sure some teams like Minnesota are probably not going to move very far from where they placed in the preseason, but you cannot look at these stats as if they mean anything. Players don't care about what happens in the preseason, so why should we? Did you care at all about these stats in the SMJHL last year? Marek Martinek wasn't exactly lighting the world on fire.

MacMullan: To add to that, have you seen what some of the top players in the league have been doing so far? Chris Partlow is considered the best defenseman in the league and has 5 points and a whopping minus 10. You don't possibly think he is going to do that in the regular season when the games actually matter, do you? Do you think Jordin FourFour is going to keep up his 3.36 goals against average and .878 save percentage? Nobody thinks that will be the case. When looking at the Los Angeles Panthers, you have guys like Valterri Bottas completely collapsing while the rest of the team is lighting it up. He is not going to play that badly.

Plaschke: The thing is if you watch the games like I did, you will see that the numbers back up what I am saying. Martinek has been all over the ice. He doesn't look out of place at all which is what a lot of people expected coming into the season. Morely? He is the real deal. Boyka is picking up where he left off in Montreal. The Chiefs are exactly where everyone expected them to be, and predictably Alonzo Garbanzo is not playing on the same level. Manhattan on the other hand is already showing they are ready to contend as Creller has 7 points and the team is creeping into the playoff picture.

Jones: But the regular season hasn't even started, yet, Bill. Once the preseason ends nobody is going to pay attention to these stats because everything resets to zero and the players understand the games matter. Coaches are going to change up their tactics and things will change. You have seen this season after season and you shouldn't be surprised to see this. For crying out loud the Wolfpack who have one of the most dynamic scorers in the league are one of the worst teams in the league. They will not even be close to missing the playoffs, and their position in the preseason standings should be enough to show you these don't matter. Like Woody said, the Renegades are the defending cup champions and have the 2nd worst record in the league here. Preseason does not matter.

Plaschke: Are you going to [HORN] tell me that my eyes are deceiving me when it comes to how these players are performing?

Jones: They may be playing well now but you gotta know that they are not guaranteed to continue that play in the regular season! There is no possible way you can convince anyone of that because it is not logical at all.

Reali: Wow, Bill. Deducting 5 points from you for saying the preseason matters. That is a bold strategy, Cotton, but it did not pay off for you.





Reali: The 1st and 2nd overall picks are going to get a taste of the big leagues early, forgoing their normally standard season in the SMJHL and coming right out to play for their respective clubs. Bill, this seems like a good topic to have you run with. Are you buying or selling these two guys making the SHL out of the draft?

Plaschke: Definitely buying Creller as a first year SHLer. Tommy Creller is going to make a big impact as a #1 pick, and he may not make an immediate impact like a good chunk of guys in season 20, the guy is going to show everyone why he was picked overall and why it was a no-brainer. The guy has a nose for the net, is doing a good job learning faceoffs and keeps getting better, has good playmaking ability as he has been setting up Daniel Merica and Colt Constantine on a regular basis. If not for Constantine he probably has a few points, as he is already outscoring him so far. I know, it's the preseason, but he has been the better player, and as a rookie who only played one year in juniors, that is a big showing so far.

Reali: I think you forgot a player in this topic, there Plaschke.

Plaschke: No I didn't. I think you guys forgot someone.

Reali: Woody, let's perhaps get a more all-encompassing analysis since Bill is unable to read.

Paige: I am also with Bill about Tommy Creller, but nobody is really surprised about that. Manhattan has a pretty solid set of pieces going forward even if they aren't going to be contenders, and having him center the first line is going to give him a lot of good looks offensively and allow him to feed the puck to some guys who are more experienced and have a lot more skill, which won't be quite the same as what Garbanzo is experiencing in Minnesota. I am also going to buy Garbanzo but only because of the team he is on. Garbanzo is going to have growing pains and I think isn't a 1st year SHLer on a contending team or even a playoff team. He could use some more conditioning in the SMJHL but since Minnesota is really hard-pressed to find good defensmen he is going to be out there.

Reali: Jackie.

MacMullan: That is basically how I am feeling, but I think Alonzo is going to do a little better than what many are expecting. Yes he is a fresh rookie coming into a program that is just now trying to get its legs back after a couple of abysmal years. No he is not a great offensive contributor. However he is their best player defensively coming into the season, and defensive play was one of their biggest problems last year. I think having a stabalizing force is going to do wonders for the team. Maybe not this year, but in the coming years after that. Especially when guys like Sullivan and Sanchez get even better. Creller shouldn't be a surprise to anybody, but as a first liner that Rage team isn't going to scare anybody.

Jones: That is basically how I feel about it. I will go as far to say that Creller WON'T have as good of a season as Garbanzo just based on the fact that he is on the first line and Garbanzo is on the second line. That means that while he will be getting more time on the ice, he is going to be dealing with more difficult matchups on a regular basis. Roy Razin and Chuck Goody are definitely good defensemen to fall back on, but 80% of the defensive responsibility when it comes to the forwards lies on the center, which means that if Creller isn't working on his endurance during the season he is going to get really tired really quick and be a negative asset on a struggling team. People look at Minnesota as a terrible team last year, but don't forget it was the Rage who won the lottery. Second pairing duties will allow Garbanzo to round out his game without being a huge detriment to the team.

Reali: Come on, Bill. Let's get some analysis out of you, here.

Plaschke: If you have to ask me, I am going to sell on Garbanzo. Frankly the topic shouldn't be about Garbanzo, it should be about Martinek. Garbanzo is going to have some serious struggles on a struggling Minnesota team, and really shouldn't be up in the SHL until at least two years from now. He collapsed in the playoffs in juniors and based on the preseason [MUTE]

Reali: Bill, you are acting like General Custer just charging into battle with a strategy you know isn't going to work. Nuh uh.

Paige: I think it can be argued that Garbanzo needs some seasoning in order to be a great contributor. But I am not seeing why Martinek has to be a comparable and a better player. He is going into a much better system than Garbanzo is, and really should have a better season in terms of plus/minus and maybe points. That isn't going to make Garbanzo a bad pick, since these picks are made for long-term talent. Creller is probably the only "now and future" pick in this draft, while the rest of the players, including Garbanzo are "not now, but future" picks. [HORN]

Plaschke: You guys are out of your minds on this. [MUTE]

Reali: I think someone is going for the Around the Horn single panelist mute record.



Reali: Joe McKeil has been a force on the Hamilton Steelhawks the last two years, scoring 30 goals in S19 with 61 points, and then repeating it with 25 goals and 60 points in S20. Woody, do you buy or sell his trend continuing?

Paige: Is this even a question? Of course I am buying. He is a consistent scorer since season 18. Has scored at least 20 goals the last three seasons, is averaging 60 points since season 18, and the Steelhawks have allowed their star players to grow like Ivo Willems and David Winter. Winter went from scoring 27 points in season 19 to 47 in season 20. McKeil has proven year after year that he is a dominant player and his supporting cast is going to make sure his numbers do not drop. The only way I can see him not having as good of a season is if the Steelhawks have a huge rash of injuries, probably including McKeil!

Reali: Not a bad point, alright Bill.

Plaschke: I honestly don't even know why the producers thought this would be a discussion. Buying all the way. McKeil is one of the most consistent star players in the league. Despite his coaches changing up the lines on a regular basis, he has continued to put up the same amount of points regardless. Season 18 had him with Ivo Willems and David Winter. Season 19 had him with Amon Tutankamun and Ivo Willems. Season 20 had him with James Blaine and Magnus Jakobsen. He was playing so well that two of the best players on their team were sent to the second line because that is how confident the Steelhawks were with putting him out there with guys like Blaine and Jakobsen, who aren't necessarily bad players, but are not at the same level that McKeil is used to. Now in the preseason he is back with Willems and Grosberg and his play has not slowed down.

Reali: Jackie, you up.

MacMullan: While he has continued his dominance over a number of seasons, you guys forget that he is going on his 13th season in the SHL, and he is by far the oldest player on the team and one of the oldest in the league. He is going to be slowing down at some point, and it is very possible he slows down this season. He has moved a lot slower in the preseason, his shot isn't nearly as hard as it was last year, and you have to play the odds with his development. He is going to slow down and it is going to happen sooner rather than later. I am going to sell on him continuing his streak of 60 points.

Reali: Bomani Jones.

Jones: Jackie, you have a point on the age thing, but when it comes to guys who are at his caliber, you have to think to yourself and wonder what is more likely? This guy slowing down and not having a great year or this guy adapting his game to make the same impact with a different type of production? I personally think he could have another 60 goal season despite the age issue. We have seen his goal scoring go down which isn't surprising, but that will just mean he will be looking for guys like Willems to be scoring on a more regular basis and that will mean more assists. Muller and Mars III will be the only reason why I don't think he can keep up his pace, just because they are not franchise defensemen just yet and are a step down to what he is used to from previous years. Buying this guy all the way.

MacMullan: Well, Bomani, you aren't going to be able to replace goals with assists forever. This isn't a pick and choose what stats you are going to have type of deal. When his shooting gets weaker that means his passing gets weaker and his ability to protect the puck gets weaker. Those are all going to reduce his ability to keep the team on a puck-possession game, and when that happens your age can really catch up to you a lot quicker than you think. Will it happen? Not necessarily, no. But we have to acknowledge that his time is running out and this may no longer be his prime.

Jones: Well I don't think anyone is denying age being a factor in his ability to put up points, but I think superstars like McKeil have a nasty habit of sticking around for a lot longer than you expect them to, and with the way he has conducted himself in the league and this offseason despite losing in the finals, he has shown he is looking a lot better than most players his age, and that is something that needs to be admired.

Paige: Also with recent technology players have had much longer prime years and over time players have done a much better job adapting to their slowness of foot and other issues that affect their ability. There isn't a huge drop off any more. [HORN]

MacMullan: That may be so but 13 years is a long time playing. Father time is the only player to be undefeated, even against some of the best players the SHL has to offer.

Reali: Jackie going up against the rest of the panel but coming out smelling like roses.



Reali: The Chiefs have had two very bad years, losing some of their best talent and having to almost start from scratch. With the drafting of Alonzo Garbanzo and Jorma Ruutu, do you buy or sell the Chiefs as a playoff team this year?

Jones: I am selling these guys. They are headed in the right direction with some of the moves they have made and being able to draft a 2nd overall player, but they still have a long way to go and they are nowhere near a playoff caliber team as of yet. Ryan Sullivan is probably the only player who you can consider almost elite, but he still doesn't hold a candle to some of the best defensemen in the league. Their forward core has some decent players and a bunch of mediocre to terrible ones, and their goaltending is not going to bail them out. It's a good step in the right direction and in a few years White, Sullivan, and Garbanzo have the potential to be a deadly trio on the defensive side of the puck, but they are going to need shooters up front, and Reinhart is not the kind of guy to do that just yet.

Reali: Jackie, your thoughts.

MacMullan: Right on the money, there. Gotta sell the Chiefs this year. They have been in an uphill climb ever since their team pretty much got gutted a few seasons ago, and they do not have the pieces to make a run for the playoffs yet. It isn't even disputable at this point. Maybe if they had a player or two that was at franchise status, but Sullivan simply isn't there yet with the amount he has progressed. They do have a bright future, though.

Plaschke: Like what everyone else has said, this team is not a playoff team whatsoever and I am selling. Alonzo Garbanzo is going to be a bust pick compared to the other defensemen in the draft, Pas Chien is a car chaser, Sullivan has yet to produce a solid season that makes himself a franchise player let alone a captain, and their forwards are going to screw the pooch again. Mr. Feeny is not a guy you should trust to hold the fort offensively, especially when the guy doesn't even have a first name. That is sketchy as hell.

Paige: No first name? That seems like a player who knows exactly what he needs to do on the team. I wish you guys would refer to me as just Paige instead of my slave name. He is riding the wave of the future and I look forward to when he is shown as the innovator of this great trend. [MUTE]

Reali: Oh boy, Woody. From now on I'm not even going to refer to you by your last name, just because you said that.

Paige: Okay, in all seriousness. I am actually going to be buying the Chiefs to make the playoffs. They have a threat to make the playoffs though they will be very close to the outside if they do make it in. Sullivan has taken a lot of responsibility over the offseason and is taking it upon himself to make amends to the last two terrible seasons, JT has been a great hiring for the front office, and has made some great trades in order to make the team a contender for the future. Having a top 5 pick in a topheavy draft is a good start, but when you can't go wrong taking any of the top 5 picks in a draft based on team need, you know the team is still looking for more pieces to build a contender.

Plaschke: I would say the team is at least 4 more years from being a contending team, IF the team actually is able to do all the right things in the coming years. If they make mistakes during that process it could go as long as 5-6 years. And don't forget teams could make moves that impact how their rebuild goes. What if Garbanzo wants out? What if Sullivan is not the type of leader they were looking for?

Paige: I doubt those things happen. Sullivan has been incredibly level-headed during these issues, and he seems prepared to deal with the growing pains in building a contending team from scratch.

Jones: I'm in the same camp. Sullivan is a good player, and from looking at preseason he has acted very intelligent and been able to deal with the punches as the team has had trouble making any positives happen during their few games. They won't make the playoffs this year, but the rebuild will be sooner than [HORN] you think.

Reali: Anyone else feel like we have more subjects before the 1st cut than before? Seems like a lot.



Reali: The preseason isn't even over yet, and we are seeing talks on who is going to be the rookie of the year. Woody, do we have any early contenders?

Paige: Looking at the rookie of the year, you gotta look at Yuri Boyka. The guy dominated at the SMJHL level in Montreal and was part of the three-headed monster there. Despite not winning a title with the club due to some controversy and poor defensive play by the team, he proved he was a great pick in season 20, and is going to be part of an incredible up and coming group in the Los Angeles Panthers. Chuck Goody is another player who I think is going to be a force to be reckoned with over in Manhattan. A guy who will be a sleeper is former Vancouver Whaler Jaime Hill. The Dragons aren't anything special going forward, but I think Jaime Hill is going to get a lot of ice time and make a case for the best rookie going forward.

Jones: Jaime Hill is an interesting case because he did play for a great Whalers team, but nothing that I saw of him looked like anything special. He only scored 14 points in 40 games compared to guys like Boyka who scored 60. He was outscored by some guys on his own team like Longford and Sherrill who I think will be much better for their respective teams in the future. The guy I am looking at as a surprise going forward will be Jackson Weekes. He has looked amazing against SHL talent in his first season for the Panthers, and doesn't look to be stopping, so we could see that award go to a goaltender this year.

Plaschke: Weekes was going to be my first pick as well. .918 save percentage so far, 10 out of 11 wins with a Panthers team that just seems to be clicking. Even if he appears to be a by-product of the system, I think people will see those stats and will be ready to give him the rookie of the year award. Of course, there are a couple guys on that team who should break out in a big way. Boyka has already been mentioned and based on his play in the big leagues so far he will be a force. Then you have Adrian Thomaz who also is looking like an impact player and will be taking his championship pedigree from St. Louis to the Panthers. And of course, Marek Martinek is going to have a big year and prove what I have been saying about him being a steal in the draft. Guy has all the tools.

MacMullan: Boyka is definitely an obvious choice up front considering what he has done up to this point. The other two heads to that three headed dragon, Gil Lemar and Griffon Simons, are also going to be impact players. Simons will unfortunately be stuck behind Joe McKeil which may hurt his ability to put up big numbers, but if the guy is matching up against weaker competition he may be able to reach a similar form that he was at in his last year at Montreal. All he needs to do is not get in trouble again and he could do it. Lemar may have more trouble due to being on the third line, but if he starts out on the right foot I can see him going for it.

Jones: Lemar? He had a good year in Montreal but he hasn't shown whatsoever that he can translate that to the SHL level in any way. He is on the third line for a reason, mainly because he is just not a top 6 player for them and may not be in the future. When it comes to trying to beat out some of the best rookies in the SHL, I don't see him doing it. I think Tommy Creller has a better shot, honestly. First line duties with some really good wingers will be huge for the youngster and he has already proven that he is getting better week after week. Nobody should be surprised at to how good he is as a rookie.

MacMullan: I don't buy Creller breaking out as the rookie of the year simply based on the fact that he is going up against some of the best draftees from Season 20 and it is going to take a monumental season from him, one that is unlikely unless the Rage fire on all [HORN] cylinders in the upcoming season.

Reali: And it looks like Bomani Jones will not be able to continue his winning streak, as he has the lowest score. What happened, Bomani? Get too much hubris in that booth over there?

Jones: Just give me another crack at you guys and I will show you why I am the king even though I lost this one!

Reali: Maybe next time, but not this time. Three remain, and we still have one more cut to go. Next up, Rider Clitsome's impact on the Steelhawks, the Merica Trade, the potential of CJ James.






Reali: Back to Around the Horn, we have Plaschke, Paige, and MacMullan left as the reigning champ Bomani Jones has left the building. Rider Clitsome has said and I quote "This is going to be a big year for the Steelhawks and I plan on being the reason why." How much of an impact is Clitsome going to make on these Steelhawks?

MacMullan: Well it's a cute little quote, but Clitsome is not historically a guy who will be able to be a huge impact guy, let alone being the straw that stirs the drink as a rookie on an SHL team. SMJHL he was on a stacked Whalers team and still only managed 28 points in 40 games. He had a great plus/minus which shows he wasn't a defensive liability, but when you can't dominate at the SMJHL level, regardless of the team you are playing for, you will be hard pressed to do the same thing at the SHL with even better players. The Steelhawks are a great team to start out with and I think it will be great for his development, but he isn't doing anything on the third line.

Reali: Plaschke.

Plaschke: The Steelhawks are a team that tends to give ice time primarily to their top two lines, and with Clitsome on the outside looking in he is not going to be a dominant force. As of right now he is only playing 15% of the time with the forwards which will make it harder for him to put up enough points to be a force on the team. He will be able to feast on lower competition since other teams will be focusing their best defensive assignments on the McKeil and Simons lines, but he has to make the most of that ice time or else he is just going to be a complimentary piece.

Paige: I think he has a lot of heart and a pair of stones to make a comment like that, and while I don't see him being a huge reason why the team makes the playoffs, he will have a great year just like he did in Vancouver. Yeah, 28 points in juniors isn't a huge deal, but as a rookie he did well and was a part of a dominant team that choked in the playoffs. The question I would have is how are the Steelhawks players and management going to handle this? Yeah the fans are going to eat it up as a guy with a lot of confidence, but the coaching staff over there prides themselves on being humble and not going over the top with self-gratification like this. I think management is going to have a few choice words for this kid, and that may make trouble in paradise. Not to mention the players are going to think that he is better than they are without even playing a regular season game for the club.

MacMullan: Woody, nobody is going to think that. We have a rookie kid who made a comment about how he thinks he is going to make an impact. He didn't call himself an all-star, he didn't talk about how he was the main event on the Steelhawks. He said he was going to be a reason why they are going to have a good year, and that is just a confident kid and not a showboater. Let's see how he plays before assuming he is a cancer to the locker room.

Plaschke: I do not agree with Woody about him being an issue with the team because of these comments, but over time if he keeps making these kinds of statements and doesn't deliver, it may be an issue with the media and the team in general. However one comment is not a big deal. If anything he is going to get a lot of chirps from his teammates, and there is nothing wrong with that. Chirps are a good part of building team chemistry and everyone gets them.

Paige: Let me ask you guys this. If you are a coach and you have a guy who is drafted, and he makes these kinds of comments, how do you try and tell this guy to just be a defensive forward or just play not to get scored on? If he already thinks that he is going to be the dominant player coming out of his rookie season, do you think putting him on the third line is going to make him happy? He sounds like he is entitled and that kind of entitlement is not good for building a contending team. If he does have a lot of issues he could get sent down to Vancouver or simply benched. They made the finals without him, and if he proves to be an issue they may elect to go into the playoffs without him this year.

Plaschke: You sound like the media with that comment. Media members get so upset when players give canned interviews and never give them something to write about with platitudes and cliches, but as soon as a player gives them something to write about their first instinct is to tell them how they are full of themselves and will be a cancer in the room. It's completely hypocritical. He is just trying to drum up some hype for himself and make the team know he is ready to be an impact player for them. We don't think he will, but we applaud his confidence.

Paige: You call it confidence [HORN] I call it arrogance. Trust me, if this keeps up the Steelhawks will not be a contender.

Reali: All this for a little quote? Didn't expect to see Paige on the negative side of a guy making a unique comment. Very interesting.



Reali: In one of the biggest trades of the season, Daniel Merican has been traded to the rebuilding Manhattan for goaltending prospect Arton Laxk. Woody, who wins this trade?

Paige: Manhattan wins this trade, big time. They add a left winger which they desperately need, offload a goaltending prospect who won't be able to get regular duties for at least 3 more years, and get rid of a couple of picks. If Merica makes the impact I think he will, the team will finish middle of the pack and won't have to worry about giving up a lot of picks. Plus if it doesn't work out, their first round pick in season 22 will be changed to a 2nd rounder in season 22 and 1st rounder in season 23. It is a perfect trade and I think it was a mistake for the Riot to give up a star left winger for a prospect goaltender who isn't likely going to be their starter.

Reali: Plaschke.

Plaschke: I think this is a win for both sides. Manhattan is a rebuilding team, we all know that. But adding a star player who will play on the first line and getting rid of a goaltender who may be a future star but won't help their ability to win now is going to catapult them into at the very least playoff contender status. They probably won't be a contender this year, but next year they will be a force to be reckoned with, and if not for Merica they are probably not in that position. Seattle on the other hand is able to grab a goaltending prospect who will be ready in 2 years maximum to take over Dustin Rose's position if need be, and if Dustin Rose doesn't regress a lot then Laxk may be a trade piece worth a lot more than what they paid for him. Not to mention they got a couple of draft picks for a ridiculously deep draft and that could keep them in contender status for a number of years just with this move alone. Merica was great for that team, but they will be better in the long run because of it, I think.

Reali: Jackie?

MacMullan: I agree with Bill in that this is a win for both sides. In this league you have to give in order to get, and Laxk was shaping up to be a solid goaltending prospect. However with C.J. James having a great year last year they had to do something with Laxk. Seeing the issue they had last year with their wingers they needed to add someone to play alongside Tommy Creller and help him in his first season. This is going to help that and with a guy like Merica to pass to, Creller should be able to compete with some of the S20 draftees who are getting their first shot in the SHL. Them drafting first really was a godsend, because they needed a guy like Creller and adding both a future star in Creller and a current one in Merica there is going to be some magic in Manhattan.

Paige: Jackie, the problem is Seattle just put themselves in the same position as Manhattan did with the goalie logjam. Both Rose and James were drafted in season 16, which means they are going to hit regression around the same time and will need a replacement at around the same time. So Laxk is probably going to be stewing in the pressbox for no reason and while their forward depth is good, they aren't that strong on the left side and it will be exposed in the regular season now that Merica is no longer there to mitigate that problem.

MacMullan: The thing is Dustin Rose is not projected to last as long as C.J. James is and when Rose retires then they are going to need someone immediately to take over. Laxk will be that kind of goaltender, and if Rose exceeds expectations then as Bill said, they will be able to trade him to another team that needs a star goaltender for much more than they had to give up for him. Don't forget the potential impact of grabbing two more draft picks in a draft that is projected to be almost as deep as season 20.

Plaschke: Going further Manhattan and Seattle did a good job of structuring that first so that if Manhattan does tank then Seattle be walking out stealing a lottery pick, and if Manhattan is one of the best teams then Seattle will acquire yet another pick in season 23. Everybody wins in this situation and I don't think either GM thinks their team has gotten worse because of it.

Paige: How can you say Seattle didn't get worse? They just lost one of their best left wingers for a prospect? On the ice they will not be as dominant of a team and even with the addition of some of the season 20 prospects they have a huge hole to fill in that regard.

Plaschke: Have you seen their depth? They [HORN] are not a team that needs Daniel Merica to the point where their contending status will be affected.

Paige: They may not need him to make the playoffs, but they will need him when it comes to playoff time.

Reali: Woody I am going to give you another point just for mentioning the playoffs in regards to Merica. Good on you.



Reali: Speaking of Mr. James, C.J. James finished Season 20 with an impressive 22-11-7 record with the Panthers, recording a 0.908 save percentage and a 2.24 goals against average. Bill, is this a sign of an elite goaltender coming out of Manhattan?

Plaschke: If he isn't an elite goaltender yet, he sure is looking like it. 5th in save percentage, 4th in goals against, 22 wins, and almost 1000 shots faced. These are the numbers of a goaltender who is able to win and do it consistently. I think with James between the pipes in Manhattan and Merica coming up on the left wing the team is going to be something to see, for sure.

Reali: Woody Paige, lay it on me.

Paige: I don't see elite in this guy. Yes he was top 5 in both save percentage and goals against average, but the guy was way down on shots faced, which means that the Panthers did a great job limiting chances and opportunities when he was on the ice, plus when you think of elite you look at guys like Jordin FourFour with his .925 save percentage. That is the standard you have to set, and while .925 is unreal and not realistic for even the best goaltenders year in and year out, you should at least have a .910 save percentage to enter the conversation, and while James is close, that isn't going to cut it to look like elite to me.

Reali: MacMullan.

MacMullan: Another thing that needs to be considered is how a goaltender plays when the playoffs roll around. We all know that it takes a great playoff performance for a goaltender to really break out as an elite one, fair or unfair. Jordin FourFour topped off his impressive record-tying season with a Challenge Cup, basically guaranteeing that the guy is the top goaltender in the world. C.J. James was able to hit some impressive numbers on a good defensive Panthers team, but completely folded when he entered the playoffs. He faced under 25 shots a game on average in the playoffs and hit those numbers. In the playoffs he had to face 30 shots a game and his numbers completely fell off. He had a 0.874 save percentage in the five games he played, and a 3.56 goals against average. He was tied with Dustin Rose as the worst goaltender in the playoffs and for good reason. Those are not elite stats, at all.

Plaschke: I don't really blame C.J. James for what happened in the playoffs. For starters, they played against the Texas freaking Renegades in round one. That included some of the best players this game has to offer, as well as a complete rock in net. Did anyone think that the Panthers were going to come out of that series as the victors? They were outmatched in every single position. They-

MacMullan: -Including goalie.

Plaschke: Well, ya, nobody is saying C.J. James is Jordin FourFour now are they? FourFour is not the only elite goaltender in this league, end of story. My second point is even with the mismatch in talent, the Panthers completely lost their composure after game one. You cited the increase in shots against? Well that is because the team defensively couldn't stop a nose bleed on the rush. Texas was manhandling them and taking advantage of every single weak spot the Panthers had in that series, and at times it was only C.J. James who kept the games from being blowouts every single game.

Paige: But one of the reasons they were so mismatched was they did not have the kind of goaltender who can win you hockey games. He couldn't do it in season 19 despite some decent stats, and he couldn't do it in season 20 when he couldn't stop anything. Yes, the defense in front of him could not protect him on the rush which led to a lot of situations where he was the last man back, but he did not make those situations look any better when each time the other team had a break, he was more likely than not to allow a goal. You have to rely on your goaltender to make the saves at those important times, and C.J. James has not yet proven he is capable of doing that at the SHL level.

MacMullan: Exactly. He is a part of that team, and if you want to call him elite, he is going to have to put up the kind of performance that makes you say "how did that team beat this team?" With Manhattan, they are getting better as a group, but they are not the same caliber as Los Angeles yet, and that means C.J. James is going to be seeing more 30+ shot games than under 25 shot ones. He has to rebound [HORN] or else the Rage will be in a similar position next year.

Reali: Ohh, a come from behind rush by Jacki MacMullan to knock Bill Plaschke out of the race! Bill, how does it feel to have the showdown slip away from you there?

Plaschke: I kept hearing those pluses and it just started to collapse just like Hamilton's Challenge Cup dreams when they saw FourFour as their opposing goaltender. Devastated.

Reali: Well that does it for Bill. MacMulland versus Paige. Two go into the showdown, but there can be only one winner. The showdown is coming up next!




Reali: This should be an interesting one. We have the incomprehensible, unintelligible, unbreakable Woody Paige. Then we have the beacon of logic and understanding in Jackie MacMullan. Oh boy, if Woody takes this one I don't know what this will mean for Around the Horn, because I think Woody is walking into the meat grinder, here.

Paige: Tony, you gotta believe in miracles. Where is Al Michaels when you need him?

MacMullan: This almost feels like a trap game with the way Tony set this showdown up. I can't say that I am liking my chances at this point.



Reali: Woody, with Calgary drafting Wong as their future goaltender, are we seeing a potential passing of the torch incoming?

Paige: I think we are. Verminski was never a big elite goaltender in the league, and after 9 years, going on his 10th I think the Dragons are preparing for the next generation of goaltender. Hunter Wong is already looking to reach his level in the next year or two and as early as next year we may see Wong as the starter in Calgary.

MacMullan: It is pretty obvious that Hunter Wong is in their plans to be their starter in the next couple of years. He has been a very active goaltender, is a Wong which just shows you he has a lot of potential talent there, and has already been showing the SMJHL that he can hack it in the league.

Reali: Because he is a Wong, I like it Jackie.



Reali: With the addition of a lot of high-profile talent in the SHL, there have been talks of an expansion. Jackie, do you think this has legs or are we a ways off from an expansion.

MacMullan: I think this is just the media wanting to get our attention and drum up excitement for the league. We saw a lot of growth in season 20, but season 21 had a lot of promise and fluttered out, and it is possible season 22 ends up the same way in terms of draft picks. The big problem is the players are getting better a lot quicker, and with the amount of inflation of talent you see in the league, there is a chance they are more focused on changing that than adding one or two more teams.

Paige: I think it has legs just because I want my favorite city, Denver, to finally get a team. They are willing and waiting and if you can get a Denver team and a San Francisco team in the league, then I will be so very happy! Let's go Denver Broncos!

Reali: Well that was borderline insane, Woody. Jackie takes the point, and the game. 30 seconds, MacMullan.

MacMullan: With the recent outbreak in media podcasts going off the walls, I just want to give a big shout out to the man who takes care of that, Mr. Gorlab. He does get a bit of flack from a lot of the media for his almost "no nonsense" approach to taking care of that stuff, but in the end he is responsible in making sure those journalists and other media members get paid, including me. They appear to be doing some more hiring, which I think is needed because Gorlab could use a vacation, here. Keep at em, Mr. Gorlab!

Plaschke: Man, is the regular season going to start yet or what? I am looking forward to seeing when we get topics on who is a bust, namely that Garbanzo loser in Minnesota.

Jones: I think we need to have a vote on if Bill Plaschke has an axe to grind and should no longer be qualified to participate in these types of discussions. Actually, even better we should get a sign that says "I love Marek Martinek" and just pin it behind him like Woody's blackboard.

Paige: Don't sully the legacy of the blackboard by making cheap imitations. My board deserves better than that.

Plaschke: I'll do it only if we get another sign that says I am always right. I'll even make a bet on him being the best rookie of the season 20 draft class. Come on, Bomani. Let's put your money where your mouth is.

MacMullan: I'll take that bet.

Paige: Same here.

Jones: Don't encourage him.

Reali: I'm with Bomani on this one. That will do it folks, thanks for comin' around we are on a 23 and a half hour break. We'll see ya tomorrow.

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I accidentally added a couple of topics when I shouldn't have, and forgot to make three topics for the showdown, so this is what we got. Hopefully next time it will not be as long, as I don't know how many people are going to want to read almost 10,000 words of sports analysis. Either way, hope you don't have too many issues with the facts as I had to spend most of the week trying to figure out who played where and depth and whatnot.

Looking forward to doing episode three!

Also congrats on Satan giving me the most topics for this event and winning 500k! Had a lot of good ones and if I use them for the next segment they will count when I do this again.

Sanchez?
Garbanzo = benched

Quote:Originally posted by EuroCap@Nov 28 2014, 03:47 PM
Sanchez?
Garbanzo = benched

#BlameAlonso




Another great article Garb

Good read

No mention of the Platoon or a Toon player. Therefor, irrelevant :ph34r:

This was awesome!

Hawkins snubbed

Quote:Originally posted by EuroCap@Nov 28 2014, 02:47 PM
Sanchez?
Garbanzo = benched

Jeez I think I was half asleep when I wrote that part.

My B.

Also if you feel your team was not discussed and should be, make sure to mention them when making suggestions for episode 3. I'll probably put up that thread next week.

This is one of the few 10000 word articles that I will read the majority of!

Good read, well done!

12 goals in 5 games from our offence didn't help those win numbers too, so not all blame can fall on me. Unfair to speak elite with C.J. as I haven't really has a full time gig completely for a couple seasons. Those analysis are on crack.

Quote:Originally posted by C.J.@Nov 28 2014, 04:43 PM
12 goals in 5 games from our offence didn't help those win numbers too, so not all blame can fall on me. Unfair to speak elite with C.J. as I haven't really has a full time gig completely for a couple seasons. Those analysis are on crack.

1. The panelists are meant to have more lopsided views one way or the other to be more entertaining and provide an easier way to create debates between one another.

2. I did mention the team you guys played against as a factor in you guys losing that series. But the main gripe was your goalie didn't play great in the sim and the team needed an elite performance in order to take that series. Not to mention I think I mentioned the small sample size in that part (at least I had it on my mind when doing the subject). Also I can't get into detail with every single stat just because it would take me twice as long to get the full context, so veterans will have to bear with me on some topics as I don't know quite enough yet.

By the way, the opinions made by the panelists are not necessarily how I feel about a certain issue. As you can see Bill Plaschke doesn't think I am a very good hockey player.

Quote:Originally posted by ArGarBarGar@Nov 28 2014, 03:05 PM


1. The panelists are meant to have more lopsided views one way or the other to be more entertaining and provide an easier way to create debates between one another.

2. I did mention the team you guys played against as a factor in you guys losing that series. But the main gripe was your goalie didn't play great in the sim and the team needed an elite performance in order to take that series. Not to mention I think I mentioned the small sample size in that part (at least I had it on my mind when doing the subject). Also I can't get into detail with every single stat just because it would take me twice as long to get the full context, so veterans will have to bear with me on some topics as I don't know quite enough yet.

By the way, the opinions made by the panelists are not necessarily how I feel about a certain issue. As you can see Bill Plaschke doesn't think I am a very good hockey player.

I've watched the show before, part of the reason I stopped was because all their panelists are usually hated in their markets for their editorial columns in each respected paper.

I just think if we are playing Texas, we are obviously in tough and expecting an elite performance from a goalie who isn't elite and then calling him not elite is somewhat silly. Its like me saying Ondrej Pavelec is not an elite goalie and then expecting an elite performance from him in a playoff series against the Blackhawks. When he doesn't deliver can you really sit there and blame him if he wasn't considered elite before?

These are quickly becoming my favorite Media posts! Keep them coming :D I love them

Well the question of whether or not your player is becoming elite was brought up by a member so I ran with it. And it wasn't like "he was the reason they lost" it was "he hasn't proven he is elite yet."

:ph34r: