Login

***Pythonic*** · 02-27-2021, 08:45 PM

Hello once again to all you Whalers faithful out there, this is the Whalers Hockey Network (rebranded from the 'Whalers News Network' at the request of former Vancouver Whalers player and ex-captain Johnny Shuffleboard), coming back to you once again with an article that isn't related to the Simulation Major Junior Hockey League draft for once... though it is at the same time both an uplifting and depressing article, that's for sure.

Throughout the first few games of the season, the Vancouver Whalers have not been doing as well as they were expected to - by both fans and general managers (including Vancouver GMs Boom and Dextaria) alike, as they currently sit at a record of 13 wins, 16 losses, and 3 overtime losses in 32 games played with a points percentage of 45.3%. The light at the end of the tunnel, of course, is that at least the team will be making the Four Star Cup playoffs, but every other team will also be making it into the playoffs, so it really isn't that bright of a light. The team's point scorers have also fallen off of a cliff in terms of production, with the two leading players, KnockedOut ByOvechkin and Ako Zile, tying for first place in points scored on the team with 19 points each. Second place in points scored is tied by four players total, all of whom have 17 points each: Wile Coyote, Nikolaj Boyle, Alexis Saint-Michel, and the captain, Valtterri Kauppinen. Whether this shows that Vancouver is finally starting to rely on its top line less and finally getting equal production among every player is up to you. As for the rest of this article, we'd like to talk about one of the players tied for 2nd place in points scored for the team: Alexis Saint-Michel, the Whalers' highest draft pick at 9th overall in the recent Simulation Major Junior Hockey League draft.

Saint-Michel, who was Vancouver's first round pick in this season's draft, is currently sitting at a total of 21 points; with 13 goals and 8 assists in 32 games played. This actually put him in the first place position for points scored among players on the Vancouver Whalers, though he is tied with veteran Wile Coyote (who has 10 goals and 11 assists), but being significantly younger and having significantly less TPE than Coyote has Alexis Saint-Michel pinned in as a potential MVP candidate if he can keep up his scoring ways. Of course, that is assuming players like Nikolaj Boyle, KnockedOut ByOvechkin, and Valtterri Kauppinen are unable to snap out of their major current scoring funks and don't end up beating out Saint-Michel for the top spot on the Whalers' squad (which is very unlikely, considering all three players typically get more time on ice than Alexis and are also at a higher skill ceiling than him at the moment). Another player who might be able to take over the pair tied for first place in points scored is season 57 SMJHL draftee Ako Zile, who currently sits one point behind a three way tie for first place and also holds the second place ranking in goals for the Whalers.

Another thing to note of Alexis Saint-Michel is his recent performance against one team, the Colorado Raptors. In game 25 and game 26 of the season, Saint-Michel put up back to back hattricks against the Raptors. This is impressive in and of itself, and would be even if Alexis weren't a rookie. The achievement's incredibility is amplified by the fact that he is indeed a rookie, and one with less than 300 TPE at that. This is the kind of performance you'd expect from the Whalers' captain, Valtterri Kauppinen, not his rookie apprentice Alexis Saint-Michel. Though, maybe the captain did actually have a part in Saint-Michel's story of success as in a post-game interview with Alexis Saint-Michel, he said this:

"Captain Koopa and Manyhands have been taking me under their wing lately and Valtterri had been talking to me about not letting the cold streaks hamper my confidence. I really wanted to prove him right today, and I wanted to prove all of Vancouver right about my development. I'm very glad I got to here, and I will treasure this moment for my whole life. You never forget the moment when it happens: your first hattrick. The Whalers are a team that has been slowly developing over the season and we are almost ready to put everything together. Come playoff time, I will make sure to do whatever I can to make sure our Captain Koopa goes into the Simulation Hockey League a two time Four Star Cup champion."

When we asked the Whalers' captain his thoughts on Saint-Michel's development up to this point and his recent performance, he told us that:
"[Alexis Saint-Michel] is really something special. Every now and then, when he runs dry off the scoresheet for a few games at a time, he can tend to get a little bit down. Like he said himself, I tell him to not let it mess with his confidence. He's a good player, and he shouldn't doubt his ability as one simply because he gets denied a point or two. He has the ability to make an impact, and he has the potential to make even more of an impact as a future captain when I move up to the Simulation Hockey League with the Tampa Bay Barracuda next season. Narboza has taught him some defensive strategy, while I focus on instructing him on the front end of the ice with shooting and skating drills. It was simply awesome just seeing his hard work pay off in the end with the performance he had against the Raptors, and the smile on his face was something I'll never forget. It warms the heart to see kids like him making such an impact so early into their hockey careers. He better win something with the Whalers, or I'll have Manyhands pay a visit to somebody. That is a threat."

Truly inspiring stuff from Saint-Michel and his captain. You love to see it. We'll have to see where Alexis Saint-Michel ends up three seasons from now, and see if he's able to bring the Four Star Cup back to Vancouver like he says he wants to. That's it for now, thanks for reading, and have a good day, Vancouver (and people from other cities, I guess)!

mee · 02-28-2021, 12:41 AM

It would be former Whalers Captain and Legend Johnny Shuffleboard

Navigation

Extra Menu

About us