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+---- Thread: S67 SMJHL PT #2 - Season Preview (/showthread.php?tid=126683)
S67 SMJHL PT #2 - Season Preview - Jayba1t - 09-18-2022
The SMJHL season is about to start, after we all got a taste of juniors hockey with preseason. In the 7-game span of preseason, teams got a pretty good look into what to expect, and also who the key contributors are likely to be. How is your team looking ahead of this season, and who are gonna be the main pieces of your squads?
Written option: Talk about how your team is looking ahead of the coming season. Include at least 3 players who will be key to the success of the team, plus an explanation why they will be crucial. Must include 150 words.
Graphic option: Create a magazine cover style graphic with a headline for the team, plus a render for a key player on your team's squad. Make sure to identify which player the render is supposed to be in the graphic.
Reward
3 TPE for doing the thing. (Just one, not both.)
Only S67 SMJHL Rookies (S68 SHL Draftees) are eligible for this PT.
Link PBE, ISFL, or SSL submissions here to get credit for affiliate claims.
Do not claim this TPE until a post is made in the claim thread.
Deadline: Sunday, September 25th @ 11:59pm PST
RE: S67 SMJHL PT #2 - Season Preview - ACapitalChicago - 09-18-2022
I'm thinking that the Nevada Battleborn are looking good ahead of the season. After last season's Cup it could be easy for the champs to fall off, that's totally normal. But, I think that the Battleborn will be better than some might expect. First in their division? That might be tough, but overall with the consistent earning of their rookies and the leadership of their experienced players, they've got a good shot at the Cup again. Actually following through will matter a lot on their managers, but both have a good sense of the game and have the determination necessary to follow through. I think the rookies specifically of John Brown and Ragnar Lothbrok should be a good dynamic duo for the team to find success in, as well as the specific leadership of people like Seamus O'Slapahan doing their best to help carry the team to victory. Overall, I like our chances. Just can't get cocky.
RE: S67 SMJHL PT #2 - Season Preview - SecondSucks22 - 09-18-2022
I hate to copy my team mate here, but i also feel as though The Nevada Battleborn look pretty strong going into the season. A lot of teams win a championship and go into rebuild mode, especially in a league with as much player turnover as the SMJHL, but the didnt really lose too many key players to callups, and their strong players from last season are only getting stronger. Case in point is their playoff MVP and rookie of the year Paul Peterson @TheDangaZone who is poised to continue his hot streak into a possible repeat year. The other two players to watch will be John Brown @ACapitalChicago and Ragnar Lothbrok who will play complimentary roles on the backline. Brown is looking to be the shutdown defencemen of the future, and Lothbrok the fast flying points getting that will pair so well. While Brown didnt get much play time in the preseason due to scheduling errors, Lothbrok ended the campaign with an impressive 6 points in 7 games. While that pace surely cant be maintained as he was getting 23 minutes a night, that duo is poised to terrorize the league for seasons.
RE: S67 SMJHL PT #2 - Season Preview - jlutz14 - 09-19-2022
Ahead of the upcoming season, the Kelowna Knights are in a difficult position. Following up a season in which they finished last in the SMJHL, expectations are certainly not very high, but that could be a positive thing for an up-and-coming team. Strengthened by many new prospects in the S67 SMJHL entry draft, the Knights likely will only continue to perform at a higher level as the season goes on. It is expected that there will be a lot of growing pains for the young team, especially early in the season. In particular, I expect a few 2nd-year players to make strong jumps while the performances of new rookies should help the team as the year continues. Captain and 2nd-year star Jacques Hammer will be a key cog in the lineup, providing a strong shot and leadership abilities in his co-role as GM. 1st-round pick Pete Aleman also will be key to the Knights' performance as a rugged, physical defender who should round out a solid top four. Finally, rookie goalie Sjoforsvaret will also use a 6'11", 300-pound frame to try to keep the puck out of the net. As a rookie starter thrown into the fire, it will be a tough task for the goalie, but could greatly alter the success (or lack thereof) of the team.
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RE: S67 SMJHL PT #2 - Season Preview - mystick - 09-19-2022
Looking at how the Newfoundland Berserkers preseason went, lets just say we have many places improvements can be made. Scoring nine goals in seven games is rough, conceding thirty-two in the same span is tougher to look at. I knew being drafted by this team we are a work in progress, and I believe with the group of players we have in our room we will be become a force in the near future, just maybe not this season. Pope Cowski Jr is going to be leaned on a lot to put up the points this year, and his line mates will be up to the last. Between the pipes Samuel Picard is going to have to be a solid presence, who can hopefully steal us a few games and keep it close in others. I also put a lot of pressure on myself, Lester Oiduser to be a solid addition on the back end and shut down the opposition. It should be a good year of growth, and I am looking forward to it!
RE: S67 SMJHL PT #2 - Season Preview - lore - 09-19-2022
After making it all the way to the finals only to fall short, the Québec City Citadelles have a fresh batch of owlets ready and eager to help the team make another run. Whether our sheer enthusiasm will translate into success remains to be seen, but the optimism is running high in the locker room. No team can make a case for their strength as a group without starting first between the goalposts: Caleb Hayden is stepping up as the team's starting goaltender this year. And while he's got some pretty big shoes/skates to fill, it didn't take very many games at all this preseason for me to have 100% faith in him. My hope is that we can all make the job easier for him by elevating our performances this year. I know for a fact that Sophie Bordeleau is going to lead the way in that respect. Watching her from the bench has made me feel like I got drafted a year or three too early, which kind of sounds terrible, but I don't see any downside to learning from the best. Along with our solid group of returning players, rookie right winger Seamus Weaver came streaking out of the tunnel and rocked the preseason. Assuming he keeps the momentum going, he is definitely a key piece going forward this season. I also plan on being pretty awesome, fingers crossed. No matter what, it's going to be a hoot.
RE: S67 SMJHL PT #2 - Season Preview - bluesfan55 - 09-19-2022
Anchorage are looking to build off of the positive momentum of last season, where they finished ninth in the standings but ultimately lost in the first round of the playoffs.
- Improved goaltending will be key, as August von Hecht's record of 29-25-5 belied poor stats (.895 save percentage, 3.3 GAA). If preseason is anything to go by, von Hecht is going to be the answer between the pipes that the Boats need in order to make a deep playoff run.
- Replacing the production of callups Lord Zomp and Ricky Koivu will be hard, so the team needs their second-year forwards and lone rookie to step up. Bruno Tooyo, after a 13 point preseason, looks like he could be the guy, as the first line of him, Connor McKeil, and Edward Elric looks likely to be one of the best in the SMJHL. Rookie center Sebastien Regazzoni likely won't get a lot of playing time, but as a rookie he needs to show that he can slot into the lineup easily and provide scoring depth.
- The Otasrob brothers look likely to play key roles straight away. Lazos, the team's first round pick, slots in as a first pairing defenseman straight away and if all goes right should contend for Rookie of the Year. Brother Davos also has an important role as a depth blueliner.
RE: S67 SMJHL PT #2 - Season Preview - liebolda - 09-19-2022
This season the Kelowna Knights are going to have an uphill battle to fight from the start. There are a lot of talented players in the SMJHL this season and the preseason games just solidified that. We are going to need a tremendous showing from out defense this season to hold off the never-ending onslaught of the offensively talented league. Key players in the Kelowna D-zone are going to be Finn Brandt and John Bell. Jon Lead the team in blocked shots, a trend he will need to keep up for the season. Another key player we are expecting big things from this season is Pete Aleman, he is expected to add some great depth to the back end of the team. One thing the Knights struggled with during the preseason that they will need to turn around is the goal scoring. The Knights were shut out multiple games, they are hoping to get some scoring help from their rookies Adam Liebold and James Lutz. They will also need a strong showing from their Vets including Captain Jacques Hammer and Rikkert Biemans
RE: S67 SMJHL PT #2 - Season Preview - JR95 - 09-19-2022
The pre season is wrapped up and we now have somewhat of an idea as to how teams are looking heading into the regular season. One thing is for sure with Yukon, their youth injection is surely going to help, but needs some development to really catch up to the rest of the team. There are quite a few stars you already know, but the progress made by rookies Robinson, Heeler, Molinek, Kaldberg and Benning will really decide how deep this team is come playoffs. This isnt an insignificant amount of rookies and given that they are just starting there’s bound to be a bit of a learning curve. If all 5 can keep progressing at an appropriate pace, we could be looking at a team with virtually no roster holes heading into the post season. Thats a big “if”, but even if one or two were to fall off, 3-4 studs can be a huge difference maker for a team in the SMJHL. Only time will tell, but Yukon surely seems poised for a progressively impressive season.
RE: S67 SMJHL PT #2 - Season Preview - NYR73 - 09-19-2022
The Raptors are in a position to make a serious playoff run, I think they will be one of the top contenders this season. Their offense will be led by Jolmi Koivu. The first line winger led the team in points in the preseason, and was tied for fifth in the league in points. His offensive contributions will be crucial. The blue line is led by captain Isaac Forty-One, and his play on defense will be key. During the preseason, he led the league in blocked shots, and was tied for second in assists among defenseman. He will be vital, both on the ice and in the locker room, as he prepares for his first season wearing the "C". The backbone of the team of course, is the netminder Shiny Shuckle. He won the Cedric Robinson award as the top goalie, and the Raptors will get nothing but the best from him. The offseason brought in two rookies, Adrian O'Rugg and Erik Bergmark, and their contributions to the team's offense could be gamechanging. This team is built for the playoffs, and I'm excited to see where they go.
RE: S67 SMJHL PT #2 - Season Preview - AlexisTexasRanger - 09-19-2022
It's about to be Hockey Night in Regina and the fans are buzzing about the season ahead. On defence the team is lead by Lord Farquad, who despite being just 5'6 is a menacing shutdown defenceman that can out work you - and out puckhandle you - around the ice. Lining up to his left is none other than Angry Gilmore, a two-way defenceman who knows exactly when to join the rush. With a preseason fight win you can expect Angry to be brining the energy from puckdrop on opening night against Colorado. Up front we roll two lines, with the likes of M'Baku Olubori and David-Arturri Donskoi powering their way up the ice. Kezia MacKenzie and Ralph Ryan will ensure that everyone is defensively responsible and Hodor will come in to protect their rookie goalie's crease. Alexis Texas was already seen thanking the aforementioned defencemen (along with Oleksander Olli O’Koivu, Rod Cocker, and Brendan Laroux) for their incredible help in keeping shots away from the net during the preseason. Things in Saskatchewan are shaking up to be very exciting, as this elk herd is deep!
GO ELK
RE: S67 SMJHL PT #2 - Season Preview - eddiesnothere - 09-19-2022
The Great Falls Grizzlies look to build on their lean-year retooling, and hope to get more out of their stars while new acquisitions from the draft look to establish themselves as contributors. Rookies like Loosh O'Sullivan and Hai Nam Hoang look to become offensive threats in their own right throughout the lineup, Chris Valentine looks to provide some young stability on the blue line, Along with the rookies, Bobby McGinnis and Manny Calavera hope to build on their strong previous seasons, while depth contributors like Awcrap Ihavethepuck and John Manganelli look to build on strong showings last season. In net, Alvin Towne and Andrew Kiehl hope to bounce back after rough showings last season, and with defenders like Nino Di Giuseppe and Neal Newland, Great Falls looks to put out a good hockey club that can put fans back in their seats and a trophy back in the hands of the Grizzlies.
RE: S67 SMJHL PT #2 - Season Preview - SimmiZ - 09-19-2022
With a preseason feeling like a roller coaster, the crows will try to bring back the train on track for the start of the season, in what could be a last attempt to take the champiomship to St-Louis, before the inevitable rebuilding. In the offseason, St-louis got Matsmith Soderberg-Tremblay. No doubt that this acquisition will pay off short term, has Tremblay got a strong offensive mind that can bring the crows to the next level. On the offense again, we still have Ben Waters Jr, and this guy, is probably the masterpiece of St-Louis, he can find everyone on the ice, his passing game is one of the better in the SMJHL. Finally, in this day and age, you cant have a cup winning team without a great goalie, and St-Louis have that check out with Anthony Dionne. He got some rocky start in this preseason, but I have no doubt that he will be more then ready for the chllenge to come this season. He got a great glove, and can repair the mistake from his defensemen.
RE: S67 SMJHL PT #2 - Season Preview - Frenchie - 09-20-2022
The Carolina Kraken have been in very transparent with both their fans and their team as to their status as a rebuilding team. With notable departures such as Base Pack between the pipes, the new round of rookies from the S67 SMJHL Entry Draft would prove to be a crucial steping stone for the Kraken in renewing with past glory and improving their chance to win a championship. Preseason showed signs of improvement and glimmers of hope despite a single win to show for their efforts. That being said, chemistry was building and second round pick Liam Logger was a surprise for the team with 2 goals and 3 assists for 5 points, one to look for during the regular season. The high profile 4OA pick, Derek Martin, took a slower approach to the pre-season, with a respectable 3 points (1G, 2A) and a +3 despite Carolina's loosing record, a promising sign for his development. Also important to look out for veterans Rush Justice and Axel Kirby who are looking to build off of excellent S66 seasons and S67 preseason, joining forces with newly appointed captain Adam Prpich in providing veteran presence and leadership. This season may smell quite fishy for the Kraken, but a bright future awaits, and it starts with S67 as a building block for the future!
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RE: S67 SMJHL PT #2 - Season Preview - SloppyPainter - 09-20-2022
This season looks as if it could be the upswing for the Carolina Kraken, after a massive draft and leadership being put in place, the Kraken look to be on the upswing. However, for the Kraken to truly have a crack at being competitors, a few members have to step up in large ways this season, mainly their new draftees; Marton Diehm, Derek Martin, and Liam Logger. It will be invaluable for the team to have these three step up to fill in the bottom six to truly push them into being competitive, with the veterans solidly in place, the rookies will have to get better to support them. Diehm getting better with his passing and playmaking ability to set up his line mate Rush Justice for clutch goals in the third period, and Logger and Martin developing chemistry along with team captain Adam Prpich to hold down the third line and create support and chances for the rest of the team.