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Mammoths Maiden Voyage
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ShmyrboneRegistered Member
1293 Words
Ah, marriage. In most non-Kardashian cases, you never want them to end. The bliss of Colorado's maiden voyage into the SMJHL won't end abruptly, but the coming years of the Mammoth will no doubt see scrutiny of every matter on and off the ice. Finishing off the last half of their first year in the league, Colorado has followed a record of 11-12-3, a surprisingly strong showing for a team new to the SMJHL. A team basically operating on a second line, a third line, and two fourths, the club should find it in their best interests to draft well in the coming draft to have massive impacts on next year. Two free agent signing a quarter of the way into the year have proven near fruitless in aiding their teams, but the change is welcome. Carson Shmyr of Germany and Julian Lindgren of Sweden flew into Colorado not too long ago to join their teammates. Shmyr seemed to click in the dressing room right away, while Lindgren had to find his way first. The two offensive players have together achieved 4 points in 10 games, playing solid minutes on a low key third line for the Mammoth. Shmyr has posted only one point in the season thus far, dropping the expectations many set for him after his Midget AAA campaign last year. OFFENSE The Mammoth surprised many by sporting a few high scorers on the list of point getters. Charlie Conway has arisen as a top scorer in the league, potting 10 goals and 21 points in 26 games for his team. Not far behind, Don Pellegrino has also shoveled in 10 goals and 19 points in equal starts. Leading offensively from the blue line are B.J Subban (4 Goals, 17 Points) and Andris Bukss (4 Goals, 14 Points). Tony Pellegrino, Sergei Volchenkov, and Rick Chleb came together for a combined 157 hits, playing strong Power Forward games. Secondary scoring was supported by Potato Chips, Sum Ting Wong, and Kristoffer Ruud. Playing aggressive but without punishment, Chleb and Volchenkov lead the team in PIM's, with T. Pellegrino on the top 3 as well. DEFENSE Sporting a middle of the pack GA, the Mammoth have a lot of potential on their D corps. Headlined by star defensive scorer B.J Subban and supported by 3rd liner Bukss, the scoring is fairing well. Defensive first line right hander Sergei Volchenkov has been playing solidly, amassing tons of hits well having a low goals against well on the ice. Assistance is also coming from forward Carson Shmyr, who has been playing protectorate of goaltender Lee Bowden as of late. Volchenkov has a team high (23:44) ice time as well. GOALIES A definitive starter this year, No. 1 netminder Lee Bowden has posted less then definitive stats. A meer .862 Save Pct. going into the second half could prove destructive if the Mammoth have any hopes of making the playoffs. With 3.34 goals against average, some blame does have to be deflected to the defensive units. Back up Leo Mackinnon has five GP, and has recorded an OTL out of them. A Save Pct. of .960 shows a strong contender for the net next year depending on the location of Bowden. SPECIAL TEAMS 4 Players on the Mammoths roster have posted 3 PP goals this year, helping the team with their 16.67% powerplay markup. Despite the team having the second lowest, Sum Ting Wong has also posted 9 powerplay points this year. A 3rd place penalty killing unit with 82.61%, the team has performed wonderfully as of late, only allowing 20 goals against on the powerplay, ranking second in the league. Late bloomers Shmyr and Lindgren have seen small penalty kill and power play minutes, and hope to see more in the future. INTANGIBLES The teams speed and shooting accuracy are something co-general managers must exploit more. Heavy passer Shmyr is ready to set up goal scorers like Conway in the hopefully not to far off future, and were all ready to see it. Imagine the scoring prowess then. Volchenkov is a great player to use defensively, and his checking could prove immense given more minutes. Use of this could impact this team massively. ROOKIES Hyped late bloomers Shmyr and Lindgren have underachieved so far this year, but seem like good players in years to come. Subban has performed wonderfully as of late, really showing his huge rookie strides. X FACTOR A must have for the last half of Season 25 is consistency. Goaltending and goal scoring has been less then consistent in the past, and it's time for the team to take a big step up. More urgently, the Mammoth must assess their, easy to play against mode of taking penalties well dishing out hits that hurt themselves and their chances more than the other player. As well, they need to swing around their brutally low GF on the road of 30 if anything is going to change. DARK HORSES Carson Shmyr - Strong Passing forward who could see massive minutes and possible leadership roles in the future. Craig Wall - Low scoring key defensmen of the future. Usefull in all situations. Karl Jenkins - Hard hitter who can dish em' out wherever and whenever he wants too. DEPTH CHART Potato Chips Charlie Conway Tony Pellegrino Sum Ting Wong San Pellegrino Don Pellegrino Andrew Gilmore Julian Lindgren Carson Shmyr Potato Chips San Pellegrino Tony Pellegrino Sergei Volchenkov BJ Subban Rick Chleb Kristoffer Ruud Andris Bukss Craig Wall THE BOTTOM LINE The Mammoths are a team of the future. The time may be now, but it definitely seems brighter down the road. Give them a few years and we will see the rise of a great dynasty. You know what they say, Rome wasn't built in a day. ******* MEDIA SECTION (Post Presser questions for Shmyr down below) TSN side reporter Brandon Barkley had a few questions for some of the players. Carson Shmyr Presser How do you think your performance has been so far this season? There have been some gray areas, but I think I have been playing to the best of my abilities. It's a hard league, but nothing's gonna bring me down! What are some areas the team could improve in? I need to stop taking dumb penalties. I can tell it's hurting the team. Also, my keeping of the puck and not giving it away is something for practice to help. How are you bettering yourself on your off days? I spend my time on the rink, or working out in the gym. It's my personal policy that I put in four hours a day (At least) at the gym. They say that if you want to be gettin', you better get ready to give. We hear your GM's drive a hard ship. Is that true? Nawh, the guys are pretty chill. They can get a little pumped after a big loss, but nothing big. What's the atmosphere like in the dressing room after a big win? It's crazy. Winning games back in Germany was nothing like this. It's really fun being in the dressing room with the guys, but just don't ask about what exactly happens. How do you prepare before a game? I eat a healthy meal, usually something hearty like chicken (none of that deep-fried bullsh*t) and some vegetables. I'll show up at the rink a couple hours early to warm up before putting my stuff on. Where do you think your going to go in the upcoming draft? I can see myself going in the second or third round. I don't think I'm a top prospect, but I do see myself as an option if I put the time in. It's the good stuff that counts.
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