Simulation Hockey League

Another season. Another year where the West Kendall Platoon can be seen as a force in the SHL.

While its core was established through excellent drafting, some of its most important elements were acquired during free agency or with great trades. West Kendall is one of the most active teams in the league, with its three almost fully active lines, and roughly three active defensive pairs.

With more players updating than most other teams in the SHL, it's only a matter of time before results start to show, as most of the Platoon's players have yet to reach their full potential. If GMs Smirnov and Biscuit don't fuck up, the Platoon should be pretty close to winning their first Challenge Cup in over 20 seasons.

Let's have a closer look at its players.

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CURRENT LINES

Oliver Pettyfer (1319 TPE) - Zallerras Szlerchek (1666 TPE) - Niklas Stryker (979 TPE)
Roberts Birkavs (1081 TPE) - Slappy McDoodle (962 TPE) - Gil Lemar (1048 TPE)
Damien Wert (879 TPE) - Jonathan Lundberg (786 TPE) - Ray Pejonis (731 TPE)
Tony Flow (491 TPE) - Jonathan Lundberg - Ivo Willems (612 TPE)

Bojo Biscuit (1617 TPE) - Klaus Wagner (879 TPE)
Ales Smirnov (1231 TPE) - Maria Maximova (842 TPE)
Fife Gibbs (717 TPE) - Jed Hackert (671 TPE)

Colin Schmidt (1296 TPE)
Matt Lewis-Flood (433 TPE)



Roberts Birkavs

Drafted: S16 (15th overall)
SMJHL Team:
IHF Team:

Part of what I like to call the Platoon's dynamic trio, Birkavs is usually part of the Platoon's top 3 scorers. One of the team's veterans, his place as one of the Platoon's top 6 attackers is guaranteed and it is well deserved.

Last season, we saw Birkavs at the center of the second line. It should be different this time around, since the centerman will most definitely move to the wing permanently. For this reason, it's safe to assume he will move around on the team's first and second lines. The Latvian is more of a passer and helps any teammate he is paired with produce. Also an excellent skater, Birkavs has no trouble creating plays and make people around him look better. Birks is used everywhere by his GMs, both on the penalty killing and the powerplay, which makes him one of the most important piece of the Platoon's offense.

Bojo Biscuit

Drafted: S20 (2nd overall)
SMJHL Team: :impact:
IHF Team:

The hairy guy who happens to be the favourite to win the Turd Ferguson every year despite winning it only twice is in fact not just a goon but also one of the best defensemen in the League. Indeed, the Ginger Wonder is always a lock for a spot in the top 10 scorers among defensemen season after season. He's also quite the sniper, being one of the best on the powerplay.

Also worth noting that he dethroned our god and saviour Vidrik Onoprienko for the circle jerk award by excellence, the Damian Littleton Award, this season.

Bojo likes to be on the first defense pair so he's probably going to stay there. Like, forever.

Tony Flow

Drafted: S25 (31st overall)
SMJHL Team:

Tony Flow joined the league as a power forward. Knowing this, it's hard to believe that he was such a huge offensive threat for his last two seasons in the SMJHL. The most handsome man in the SHL was even the SMJHL's lead scorer, and the Raymond Lindsay Award winner in S26.

Flow won the Four Star Cup with Kelowna in S25, and will look for the same level of success with former teammates Jonathan Lundberg and Maria Maximova.

Look for him to play mostly on the fourth line, and perhaps sometimes on the PK. Not much is expected from the man who stayed in Kelowna three seasons, at his request, but the Platoon still hopes he will contribute to the scoresheet regularly, as he got used to do in the SMJHL.

Fife Gibbs

Drafted: S24 (26th overall)
SMJHL Team:
IHF Team:

While Fife Gibbs' offensive numbers are disappointing, no one can question his commitment to defense. Granted, the Scot had only 9 points during the season but his time on the penalty killing, his hit total, as well as his amount of shots blocked are all proof of his usefulness to the team. Gibbs was indeed fourth in PK minutes played, third in hits, and second in blocked shots on the team. He also kept an even +/- ratio, despite his low amount of points, showing once again his dedication to defense.

Jed Hackert

Drafted: S20 (11th overall)
SMJHL Team:
IHF Team:

Jed Hackert already announced his retirement, and he will probably have a limited role for the Platoon's defense for his last season with the team. The Platoon's management seems comfortable with entrusting their younger defensemen with more icetime so Hackert will probably have his place on the third pairing. Should the team's performances be poor, Hackert still has enough talent to move around the defensive pairs and could help the team, especially on offense, with his good shot but don't expect to see much of him on the powerplay or on the penalty killing.

Gil Lemar

Drafted: S20 (18th overall)
SMJHL Team: :impact:
IHF Team:

Lemar played most of his career in Calgary before joining the Panthers organization and finally being traded to the West Kendall Platoon last season. He had a hard time adapting to the Platoon's style and had disappointing results after joining the team. His point total, however, made him the leader on his new team last season, with 51, and proves that, when the right linesmates will be found, he can be a huge offensive threat. During his last season in LA, the Irishman scored 5 game winning goals, and had an average of a point per game. What's even more impressive is that very few of his points came on the powerplay.

Gil Lemar already showed signs of adaptation during the Platoon's short playoff run, by racking up 4 points, and taking no less than 26 shots in 7 games. He also made quite the impression during the team's preseason. He will undoubtably bring more offense to the Platoon's second line and would be a good option for the first if the team's GMs want to play with the two first lines at some point.

Matt Lewis-Flood

Drafted: S27 (10th overall)
SMJHL Team: :impact:
IHF Team:

MLF will be looking to repeat his exploits from S27 for the Impa... Militia... this season. Indeed, Lewis-Flood led the Montréal Impact to a tough 7-game loss to the Colorado Mammoths in the finals of the Four Star Cup, but also allowed the Quebec-based team to win yet another President Cup.

The Latvian started 45 games for the Impact during the regular season, winning 34 and losing 5 in overtime. He would lose only 3 times in a 3 period game.

Matt Lewis-Flood will still be on back-up duty this season with the Platoon, since Colin Schmidt is at the height of his career. In the meantime, the young goalie can keep developing in the SMJHL and help the Platoon stay a dominant team in the East once Schmidt starts to slow down. The Latvian could prove to be one of the biggest steals of his draft class, being the second goalie drafted, at 10th overall.

Mikko Linna

Drafted: S28 (8th overall)
SMJHL Team:
IHF Team:

Linna was one of the prospects the Platoon was hoping to draft in the latest SHL entry draft. Many saw him go to New England, as he has ties to fellow Finnish player Mainio Mäkinen, but reports proved to be wrong. The Platoon was more than happy to draft him with their first round pick, at 8th overall.

Mikko Linna proved to be a standout rookie for the Knights. Disciplined, he took only 10 penalties during the season and was instrumental in the Knights' powerplay. The rookie was third in points on his team and third amongst rookies in the SMJHL, only three points behind the league leader.

Linna will spend one more year in the SMJHL and if he keeps developing at this pace, should move to the SHL the following season to bring even more depth to the Platoon's offense.

Jonathan Lundberg

Drafted: S25 (18th overall)
SMJHL Team:
IHF Team:

Three seasons after the S25 entry draft who saw him go 18th overall to the Calgary Dragons, it's finally this year that Jonathan Lundberg will play his first regular season match in the SHL. During the S25 Draft, the Platoon management, baffled to see him still on the board this far, was almost hoping to see him drop to their second pick of the night, at # 31. Things have come full circle when the Swedish forward had his rights traded to the Platoon, and then signed a two-year deal with the Miami based team.

The Göthenburg, Sweden native had an excellent season with the Knights in S27. His 55 points placed him second in scoring amongst centermen, and his impressive +/- of +21 was good for the 5th place in the League. With the Platoon's troubles on defense early last season, his abilities will be more than welcome.

Lundberg will be the team's only rookie player this season, and being so far ahead of his peers, it's difficult not to see him as the most serious candidate for the Ryan Jesster Award.

The Swede will probably start on the Platoon's third line but it wouldn't be surprising to see him on the second line at some point in the season.

Maria Maximova

Drafted: S25 (4th overall)
SMJHL Team:
IHF Team:

Following a great rookie campaign which saw her share the first rank in points amongst rookie defensemen with eternal rival Jasper Clayton, Maria Maximova had a difficult sophomore year and couldn't top her offensive performance, being 3 points short of her total from last season.

The Russian tried to compensate her lack of offense by being reliable at the other end of the ice, and delivered a lot more hits than usual. The team's difficulties on defense caught up to her, however, and her +/- dropped by over 10 points.

While her position on the third pairing was stable during her rookie season, Maximova was moved around by her GMs a bit in S27, and usually played with countryman Ales Smirnov on the second pairing. She also saw time on the powerplay but couldn't really contribute to her team's success in that department.

Despite her average season, the Platoon management have decided to keep her on the second pairing with Smirnov for the beginning of the season, as well as give her some time on the powerplay.

Slappy McDoodle

Drafted: S23 (18th overall)
SMJHL Team:
IHF Team:

Slappy McDoodle is one of the Platoon's most reliable players. Always in the middle of the pack for every statistic, he finds ways to help his team in every situation. Slappy doesn't excel at anything, but always has a positive impact on his linesmates.

The Czechoslovak had one of the team's best +/- in what proved to be a very difficult season defense wise. He was also one of its biggest hitters and played a similar amount of minutes on the powerplay as well as on the penalty killing, helping his team in both situations.

McDoodle will probably be at the center of the Platoon's second line and with the team's offensive depth, his numbers should be even better than what they were last season. It wouldn't be too surprising to see him switch with Lundberg on the third line if the team's results are disappointing, since we already established that he has a true talent to make everyone around him better.

Ray Pejonis

Drafted: S23 (23rd overall)
SMJHL Team:
IHF Team:

The bishlord of Miami, Pejonis has yet to discover his role in the SHL. After an impressive rookie season in Buffalo, where he had 27 points, the Latvian struggled for the past two seasons. His +/- is disastrous, and we can only hope that the additions of Lemar and Lundberg on offense, giving the team even more depth, will help him turn his career around.

Pejo is motivated and having Lundberg and Wert on his line will probably help him greatly this season. If anything, the Platoon will have him wear the mascot's costume.

Oliver Pettyfer

Drafted: S18 (5th overall)
SMJHL Team: :impact:
IHF Team:

The second piece of the Platoon's dynamic trio, Pettyfer is always one of the team's best scorer. He rarely contributes to other aspects of the game but when you need a big goal in the third period, he's the kind of guy you want to have on the ice. His 4 game winning goals, the highest total on the team, is proof of that.

Although he usually has more assists than goals, Petty can be considered as an equally talented scorer and passer. He also is an excellent skater, which makes him a threat no matter where he is on the ice. The Latvian winger no doubt has a place on the team's first line.

Taystee Poussey

Drafted: S26 (34th overall)
SMJHL Team:

When she's not busy distributing drugs via books in jail, Taystee Poussey plays hockey. And quite well, in fact. Not only did she rack an impressive amount of points but she also was top 2 in hits in the SMJHL last season. She led her team in that category by a huge margin, hitting players from other teams (other hits are not accounted for) 145 times. Her teammate who got the closest to that total is Alexander Wolff with 89 hits.

Taystee will stay one more season in the SMJHL and we can again expect great things from her. The season might be difficult for the Raiders as a team but Poussey will surely find a way to impress.

Colin Schmidt

Drafted: S19 (5th overall)
SMJHL Team:
IHF Team:

Seen by some as one of the best goaltender in the league, Schmidt has yet to win a championship. Last season, the reason for this lack of success can in part be explained by the fact that his teammates rarely gave him more than 2 goals during the playoffs.

The past two seasons have been tough during the playoffs but it's difficult to fault Schmidt for his team's early exits. The Canadian indeed proved that he could carry his team in spite of their poor performances, especially last season. The Platoon was leading in shots for, but was also trailing in shots against. The fact that they were one of the most punished teams in the League also did not help. At one point during the season, the Platoon was out of the playoffs but their goalie played a huge part in helping them qualify for a third year in a row.

With the addition of many important players to the roster, the Platoon's offense should be able to give their goaltender more comfortable leads to work with. Although S27 was disappointing for Schmidt, he remains one of the most talented goaltenders in the League.

sludge

Drafted: S26 (35th overall)
SMJHL Team:
IHF Team:

A two-time Four Star Cup champion, sludge might be a little far from his SHL debut, but the Platoon management have faith he will develop in a useful piece of their team's line-up.

sludge's abilities lie mostly in his physicality and stellar defense. He actually led the Mammoths in +/- but also was one of the leaders in shots blocked. He kept helping his team during the playoffs, being top 3 in shots blocked and an important piece of his team's PK. He had only 5 assists during the Mammoth's road to the championship but his other statistics show how useful sludge can be in other aspects of the game.

For now, the Slovene is an important asset of the Mammoths' defensive core, and will look to help the team win its second Four Star Cup in as many seasons.

Ales Smirnov

Drafted: S22 (12th overall)
SMJHL Team:
IHF Team:

One of the most well respected players of the organization, Ales Smirnov has been moving around quite a bit on the roster during his career. First drafted as a forward and playing as such at the beginning of his career with the Platoon, Smirnov was moved to defense for the past two seasons. This change hasn't stopped him from contributing to the team. His point total hasn't changed much in fact.

We can expect to see Ales either on the first or second pairing, depending on the team's performance. The defenseman has shown he was able to adapt in every situation and is often the go-to person when the team needs a spark so it's a given he will move around the roster, in all situations.

Niklas Stryker

Drafted: S16 (6th overall)
SMJHL Team:
IHF Team:

Able to play as both a defenseman and a winger, Niklas Stryker will be playing on the wing for his first season in Miami. After signing for two seasons in Buffalo, Stryker was shipped to West Kendall immediately. With a strong core of young players, the Platoon gave up three draft picks to bring the german defenseman/winger to sunny Florida.

Niklas Stryker is a player who is committed to play well on both ends of the ice. Not only was he the best scorer in Buffalo last season but he also spent a lot of time both on the powerplay and the penalty killing. The Platoon will probably experiment with him on different lines but for now, he'll be on the team's first line.

Alaina/Julius Sylvia

Drafted: Who cares?
SMJHL Team: dunno lol

I have no clue who they are and the fact that I used stock pictures to represent them should tell you how little I care. I mean, that's the ultimate insult.

Zallerras Szlerchek

Drafted: S19 (3rd overall)
SMJHL Team:
IHF Team:

The last member of the dynamic trio, the czechoslovak centerman is also the one of the three who delivers the most hits. He, in fact, had more hits last season than Bojo Biscuit, AKA the man who didn't win the Turd Ferguson and made us all lose 1 TPE.

Also used pretty much everywhere on the ice, Szlercheck is perhaps one of the most balanced players on the roster. We already covered his impressive number of hits but he also has more shots blocked than teammates Birkavs and Pettyfer.

Big Z's place on the first line is almost guaranteed, with his standout abilities and especially his talent on the dot.

Downey Townington

Drafted: S21 (41st overall)
SMJHL Team:

He was added for monetary purposes only. So there he is. He sucks. The end.
And yes the selection of Ryan O'Byrne for the picture was intentional.

Klaus Wagner

Drafted: S24 (19th overall)
SMJHL Team: :impact:
IHF Team:

After two somewhat disappointing seasons in the SHL, Klaus Wagner finally had his breakout season in S27. The German defenseman scored a career high of 24 points, and blocked an impressive amount of shots - 59.

The Impact alumni got used to a huge offensive contribution in his junior career but his development has been slower since he joined the Platoon. He can be proud of his most recent season, being third in points for defensemen on his team, behind Bojo Biscuit and Ales Smirnov.

Wagner is committed and a true team player. He is often moved around on the roster, but it seems Bojo Biscuit, another Impact alumni, took him under his wing, so it is more than likely that Wagner will start the season on the first pairing.

Damien Wert

Drafted: S24 (2nd overall)
SMJHL Team:
IHF Team:

The canadian forward is undoubtedly one the Platoon players who improved the most last season. He indeed finally contributed to more than 30 points for the first time in his career in S27, proving that he was not a bust after being selected second overall in the S24 draft. Wert was indeed one of the most sought after players of a great draft class, being drafted way ahead of teammates Wagner and Gibbs, but he had yet to make a big impact on his team.

Damien Wert finished S27 on the team's first line but with the acquisitions of Niklas Stryker and Gil Lemar, he was moved to the third line for the time being. Even if he was to stay on this line for the entire season, which seems unlikely, the winger will probably find a way to contribute to the scoresheet significantly again with Lundberg and Pejonis as his linesmates... mostly Lundberg anyway.

Dr. Timeturner Whooves

Drafted: S23 (15th overall)
SMJHL Team:

Whooves was a promising prospect who unfortunately lost her will to improve. She helped her junior team, the Knights, for many seasons and is now little more than a bench warmer for the Platoon.

Ivo Willems

Drafted: S10 (2nd overall)
SMJHL Team:
IHF Team:

Drafted by the defunct Hartford Hydras over 15 seasons ago, Ivo Willems will play his last season in the SHL this year. As much an icon of the West Kendall Platoon as the eagle on their logo, Willems have been a central piece to the team's offense for many seasons. The veteran is also the only current member of the Platoon to win a Challenge Cup, which he did in Season 15 with the Edmonton Blizzard.

The Dutch forward will probably stay on the fourth line for most of this season. Even though he is not the player he once was, his numbers from last season remain impressive and he can help the Platoon offensively without any doubt.

Although motivation is never lacking in the Platoon's locker room, the team will do its best to help Ivo win a second title in his great career.

In Summary

x 14* x 3 x1* x 1 x1 x1 x 1

*does not include the Sylvias, Townington and Whooves because they're just roster fillers.

x 8 :impact: x 5 x 3 x 3 x 3 x 1 x 1

x 4 x 3 x 3 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 1 x 1

x 14 x 8 x 5

Basically if you're an American, a Norwegian or an Austrian who played his junior hockey in Prince George, there's a 0% chance you'll join our team. I'm sorry.</div>

Hot damn, this is amazing.

Maxi always raising the bar!
Amazing article !

<3 .

Edit: also I love the picture used for green lol .

This pleases me

The SHL needs more articles like this. =D>

Crazy article!

:D

Great work!!! Love seeing articles like this around the site

You da you da best

biiiiiiiiiiiish :-x

I'm so happy to have you as our captain in


This article kicks ass!!! :D

Quote:Basically if you're an American, a Norwegian or an Austrian who played his junior hockey in Prince George, there's a 0% chance you'll join our team. I'm sorry.

tbh you should just feel sorry that they had to play for PGF.

Quote:Originally posted by Eggy216@Mar 20 2016, 07:39 PM
tbh you should just feel sorry that they had to play for PGF.

I heard that once you go Mac you don't go back.

This is excellent!

Quote:Originally posted by Eggy216@Mar 20 2016, 07:39 PM
tbh you should just feel sorry that they had to play for PGF.

if we did we'd draft them so they'd know what it feels like to be great. :ph34r:

Thanks for the positive reactions guys