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Jala · 08-29-2020, 05:26 PM

[Image: NevadaBattleBornFinalPrimary.png]

Nevada Battleborn - S55
50 GP - 10W - 36L - 4 OTL - 102 GF (12th in the SMJHL) - 210 GA (12th in the SMJHL)

The Nevada Battleborn entered the league in S55 as a newly created expansion team, alongside their Eastern Conference counterparts of the Quebec Citadelles. A fresh slate was put out for them and they've officially engraved their first regular season into it, albeit it not the most successful one in history. Expectations were low for the new franchise and while they reside in the basement this season, there's a lot of upsides to review over the year and the future looks bright for the team. Dead last in the standings is not unexpected for the team, but that means the only way to go is up.

Offense is where Nevada is a bit lacking at the moment but looking to the future they have some key pieces that look to be very exciting to follow as they improve and if this season was any indication they have a couple guys who could look to light the lamp quite a bit over the next few seasons. A lot of youngsters with a couple sophomore players who are all improving means the Battleborn should be able to field a more competitive top nine in S56 and have a highly competitive top six in S57.

Defense is a strength for the Battleborn despite five of their six blueliners being rookies this year. They have a very active back end and all the soon to be sophomores will be second year capped early into S56 which will help provide more assistance to Phillip Weaver and CK Supernaw between the pipes. Their point production should also go up as they improve and to have at least five capped defense for the next few seasons will help the Battleborn immensely. By the start of S57 it will be difficult to find a better equipped blue line in the SMJHL then the Battleborn and that will do wonders for their chances of a championship then. S55 was a good look at their young defense and a good step forward for their youngsters in finding their feet in the big leagues.

Goaltending is another strong point for Nevada. Having a very active starter in Phillip Weaver is a great start, but picking up another active back-up in CK Supernaw will allow them the luxury of not playing Weaver in the front part of the schedule and give them a rested starter and amazing goaltending tandem to work with. As with their defense, by S57 they will have at least a capped starter and a very reliable back-up which is invaluable in this league.

TPE Totals are from the last update before playoffs, don't @ me.

Forwards
Oskar Baldus – 191 TPE - 50GP - 4G-7A-11P - -17 - 29 Hits - 29 SOG
Baldus was a late addition to the team playing only half the season but did well to contribute up front in a bottom six position. A quiet guy in the locker room who missed some practices near the end of the season but re-emerged from his bender before the post-season and recommitted himself to improving himself and could definitely be an exciting prospect for next season.

Kenji Sugimoto – 208 TPE - 36GP - 1G-8A-9P - -22 - 29 Hits - 20 SOG
Sugimoto is another late add but has done well to commit to training and it's shown with his gains over the course of his shortened season. A solid bottom six guy for this season he could absolutely become a threat in the top six in another season or two and is a great add for the team's roster. In the locker room he has been a great presence and is active in discussions and constantly planning on how to improve himself as a player and teammate. A great free agent signing by Nevada.

Chad Danger – 241 TPE - 50GP - 9G-13A-22P - -21 - 39 Hits - 51 SOG
Danger truly was a danger this season for the opposition as he was tied for third in scoring on the Battleborn and was second on the team in shooting percentage. He's the type of player who doesn't just throw pucks on the net and hope to put one through a hole, no, he is patient with the puck and looks for an opening and is deliberate when he rips one on net. Off the ice Danger has been hitting the gym hard and is up on the top of TPE earned on the team, despite not making the draft cut off and joining Nevada as a free agent. In the locker room he has been a vocal guy and another one who is trying to be the best he can be and that's a huge plus to a team looking to bolster their offensive prowess. A great teammate and member for the organization, Danger will certainly be a go-to guy for the Battleborn next season.

Raivo Leminen – 261 TPE - 50GP - 13G-4A-17P - -15 - 59 Hits - 50 SOG
Leminen's agency has run into issues in the past but they've been a great add to the Battleborn and have been a positive influence around the locker room. He's also been committed to his training and is plugging away nicely on improving his training hours. On the ice Leminen was a scoring demon, leading the team in shooting percentage and second on the team in goals. While he's been fairly quiet in the locker room he is a pleasant guy and his quiet commitment to improving his craft only bodes well for Nevada, as long as he can keep his nose clean and not rack up any suspensions. Overall, a solid signing for the Battleborn.

Alexis Vermette – 251 TPE - 50GP - 8G-14A-22P - -27 - 37 Hits - 78 SOG
Vermette was taken in the draft by the Battleborn to bring his offensive touch to the desert and he did that this season as he was tied for third on the team in scoring in his rookie year. A great playmaker with a knack for scoring, Vermette is a threat anywhere in the offensive zone. Another guy who's bought into the training regime around the squad, Vermette is proving to be a great pick for Nevada. Flanked on the other wing by Zuntnere and Leminen centering them could be a very dangerous top line for Nevada next season.

Zelma Zuntnere – 366 TPE - 50GP - 18G-7A-25P - -17 - 37 Hits - 112 SOG
Zuntnere was the Battleborn's top offensive weapon this season leading in goals, power play goals and points and shots on goal. Third on the team in shooting percentage while taking all those shots shows the potency of her ability to score. While not lighting the world on fire with her training commitment, Zuntnere has slowly been improving and the numbers speak for themself on how that's working out for her. Zuntnere has her own dressing room and chooses not to attend team functions, so not much to say on the teammate front. A great sniper for the Battleborn and a good choice for them from the expansion draft.

James Kimanje – 298 TPE - 50GP - 1G-13A-14P - -24 - 36 Hits - 54 SOG
Kimanje quietly put together an effective season for himself as a pass first center. He led all forwards in ice-time and averaged over a minute and a half on both the power play and penalty kill, showing his versatility in the line-up. His lone goal of the campaign came on the man advantage and his effective shooting percentage was 1.85%. A responsible puck handler, he had less giveaways then he did takeaways and plays a very solid two way game on the ice. Off the ice he's been quietly logging the training hours and should be a solid player for Nevada next season. The interesting thing about Kimanje was he was draft eligible in S55 but was passed over, so he had a lot to prove this season in his second kick at the can at being drafted. Kimanje has been a vocal guy in the locker room and would be a nice addition for any SHL team looking for a responsible bottom six center.

Noah Johns II - 254 TPE - 50GP - 5G-12A-17P - -22 - 19 Hits - 46 SOG
Johns II was another guy who was flying under the radar but at the end of the season put up some good numbers. Not a physical guy in the least, he's most comfortable playing on the side boards or in the slot and put up a very good 17 points on this young squad. A third year veteran, Johns II looks to be a career SMJHLer but still holds a lot of value for a squad like Nevada.

Defense
Tanjiro Kamado - 259 TPE - 50GP - 4G-12A-16P - -17 - 72 Hits - 77 SB
Kamado was one of four rookie defensemen playing for the Battleborn this season and stepped up in a big way in his freshman campaign. He logged a lot of minutes, averaging 21:17 each night, with some time spent on both the power play and the penalty kill. A very respectable 16 points on the year put him second on the team in scoring amongst defense and he was in the top tier in other categories; third in hits with 72, second in dressed defensemen in +/- and third on the team in DGR with a 68. The Italian also had a big presence off the ice, being a key figure in the locker room in driving conversation and offering advice. His commitment to training was unquestionable as he was in the gym and in practice improving as much as any of the other youngsters. A great pick by the Battleborn who looks to only become more of an offensive threat as the team fleshes out as a whole.

Vili Afalava - 243 TPE - 50GP - 3G-6A-9P - -29 - 101 Hits - 95 SB
Afalava was a defensive demon this season as he took the body to the opposition or the puck every chance he got. Playing on the top pairing hurt his +/- numbers but the inaugural draft pick in the Nevada organization showed why he was worthy of the choice early on in the season with his actions off the ice. Wasty made team sigs for the entire team including our new signings and they are amazing. A veteran GM presence is always helpful to a young squad and Wasty provided that. On the ice he took the opposition to town over a hundred times and nearly blocked a hundred shots, all while playing a team leading 22:18 minutes a game. Add in the fact that he has only 21 giveaways to his 31 takeaways and Afalava is a responsible puck handler and asset in his own end. A defensive dynamo who can be paired nicely with either Zoidberg Jr. or Kamado for a potent two hundred foot pairing gives the Battleborn options for next season and have given them some solid production this year.

Bane - 270 TPE - 50GP - 2G-6A-8P - -16 - 99 Hits - 87 SB
Bane was taken to be an intimidating force in front of Weaver and he did that this season as he used that big frame to throw bodies out of the way and pucks away from the net. Second on the team in hits and 87 blocked shots in just over 14 minutes a game shows he is another defensive anchor for the Battleborn and looks to only get better as he continues training. With a respectable 60 DGR and a staple on the second penalty kill unit, Bane is what a team is looking for in terms of responsible, reliable defending. Bane was also active in the locker room and as you can see from his training hours, one of the highest on the team in time spent improving. Proving himself to be a draft steal, Bane has room to improve with his offense as the team does as a whole, but on the defensive side you can't ask for much more from a defender then what he's given Nevada.

Grandmaster Funk - 251 TPE - 50GP - 3G-6A-9P - -20 - 55 Hits - 88 SB
Funk has been a versatile player and a great presence in the locker room. He played some time on the wing when Nevada was running seven defense and has been a mainstay on the penalty kill. One thing about Funk that is telling about his character is that he doesn't throw his body around as much as some of his teammates but he has no issue throwing his fists. GMF threw down the gloves five times this season with one of those being scored a victory in his favour; proving that Funk has no issues getting rough when the time calls for it. GMF is proving to be another absolute gem from the later rounds as his commitment to improving is top tier and he is in the gym as much as anyone else on the squad. His presence in the locker room is up there as one of the biggest leaders on the team and his media presence is no joke either. An exciting player to keep your eyes on heading into next season, Funk will absolutely be leaned on to help cement the Battleborn's blueline.

Sachimo Zoidberg III - 274 TPE - 50GP - 5G-14A-19P - -39 - 41 Hits - 127 SB
SZ3 was a later round pick for the Battleborn and that set a chip on his shoulder. That fueled him this season to improve at a quick rate and turned into a successful season for the young defender, including him having the highest training totals amongst the rookies on the team. He led the Battleborn's defenders in scoring and was just behind his partner Vili Afalava in ice time with over 22 minutes played on average, including a team leading 3:12 on the power play. He took his grandfather's lessons to heart and led the team in blocked shots with 127, which was good for third in the entire SMJHL. A positive start to the youngest Zoidberg's career and hopefully a good marker to beat for next season.

Leonids Balzams - 378 TPE - 50GP - 1G-10A-11P - -30 - 64 Hits - 55 SB
Balzams was brought in through the expansion draft and has proven to be a reliable defenseman. A veteran player compared to most of his linemates who helps bolster rookie Tanjiro Kamado on the second pairing. Balzams is a very steady eddy player for the Battleborn. Putting up some solid points, playing physically in around 20 minutes a game and contributing on the penalty kill. A quieter guy in the locker room, he does contribute and hopefully he continues to improve and can be a solid journeyman for Nevada next season.

Sammy Koa - 260 TPE - 14GP - 0G-0A-0P - -11 - 20 Hits - 20 SB
Koa is a third year junior player who was benched for most of the season due to missing practices and team functions. He recently re-committed to the league again at season's end so he could see some playing time in the post-season and Nevada will be looking to see if he can push forward with developing next season.

Goalies
Phillip Weaver - 261 TPE - 38GP - 8-28-2 - 4.13 GAA - .902SV% - 1 SO
Phillip Weaver broke into the SMJHL world as a first round pick for S55 and he lived up to the billing. Weaver was an absolute monster in the crease for the Battleborn and stole more then his fair share of games by standing on his head despite the team being outplayed in front of him. His stat line doesn't accurately portray his skill level, but a good indicator of his abilities is that he faced the most shots against in the league in fewer games then almost any other starter while maintaining a save percentage above .900. Weaver was very involved in his training and is tied for third on the team amongst the rookies for TPE earned. Aside from his efforts on the ice and in his training, Weaver has been a very active presence around the locker room and the league. There hasn't been a time where he would disappear from the conversation and his Battle Reports were very well presented and a convenient way to review the day's games. He has been a true leader on the squad and a huge reason the Battleborn has begun to mesh together as well as it has.

C.K. Supernaw - 207 TPE - 12GP - 2-8-2 - 3.64 GAA - .914SV% - 0 SO
Supernaw broke into the league as a free agent after the start of the season and has been plugging along nicely with his improvement. He was given the reigns as the starter in the back end of the season and did his best considering the team in front of him. His stat line looks better at first look then Weaver's, but his starts came late in the season when the team had improved as a whole. C.K. is a character on and off the ice and fits into the eccentric goaltender mold to a point. He's also planning for his future off the ice as he's tried his hand at breaking into the advertising team for the Battleborn with some commercial propositions. Nothing really panning out on that front, but he's got a long career ahead of him and lots of time to refine his netminding and advertising skills.

Management
The expansion process is a long and arduous journey and Jearim and Nokazoa went through it well. Obviously an expansion team is going to have growing pains as there's so many things to have to put into place from the ground up, but overall the experience for the team was very smooth and rewarding. Both GMs were very welcoming and active in discussions and offering tips on how we could all improve and that was a helpful thing with so many players being new to the league or having been gone for an extended period and not knowing how to build for the FHM engine. As a whole we remained positive but also realistic on what the season would hold and from the GMs down we all took the journey together, but they certainly helped us temper our expectations and reassure us that this is a process and we will reap the rewards some day. They helped us take joy in the small victories and kept our spirits up in the big losses. They took flak early on in the season from ill informed members of the league, but looking back at the season they took some great players in the drafts and ended up collecting some really promising first gens that will help Nevada become a contender very soon.

Nokazoa · 08-29-2020, 05:36 PM

Snubbed

Jala · 08-29-2020, 05:37 PM

08-29-2020, 05:36 PMNokazoa Wrote: Snubbed

Check again :p

Nokazoa · 08-29-2020, 05:48 PM

not snubbed

funk · 08-29-2020, 05:54 PM

This was a fantastic read! SHLBux well earned with this one.

Thanks for the glowing review, by the way Wink

Wawazat · 08-29-2020, 06:43 PM

@Jala

Great read, thanks for this. ..

W19eaver · 08-29-2020, 07:08 PM

Great read jala! Can definitely tell the effort put into this great job

Andy · 08-29-2020, 09:33 PM

I love the yellow headers! Great read

Jala · 08-30-2020, 03:42 AM

08-29-2020, 05:54 PMfunk Wrote: This was a fantastic read! SHLBux well earned with this one.

Thanks for the glowing review, by the way

Thanks man! You were a great pick and super happy to be on a team with you.

Jala · 08-30-2020, 03:43 AM

08-29-2020, 06:43 PMWawazat Wrote: @Jala

Great read, thanks for this. ..

Thanks man, looking forward to seeing how strong our net presence is next season with you and Weaver.

Jala · 08-30-2020, 03:43 AM

08-29-2020, 07:08 PMW19eaver Wrote: Great read jala! Can definitely tell the effort put into this great job

Thanks man, you set the bar high, had to try and do something to match that.

Jala · 08-30-2020, 03:43 AM

08-29-2020, 09:33 PMAndy Wrote: I love the yellow headers! Great read

Thanks! I tried to use the team colours.

jRuutu · 08-30-2020, 06:57 AM

Thanks for the kind words! Hopefully I'm able to keep on scoring next year as well! Battleborn

Huskies311 · 08-30-2020, 10:20 AM

Great read. I really think Nevada has a good foundation

Arayvenn · 09-02-2020, 02:41 PM

Great read! We have a seriously great active core and I think we're on our way to exceeding everyone's expectations. We're definitely gonna be the most improved J team next year.

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