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***boom*** · 03-27-2022, 03:42 PM

With this new SMJHL draft class comes a lot of recreates, and one group that makes up a sizeable chunk of the class in particular is big-league GMs creating a new player. An incredible nine GMs are in this draft class, with eight of them being head GMs that will be taken by default at the end of the class. With that, let's go through and see who these players are, in order of the teams they'll be headed to and by conference.

Platoon

Baltimore Platoon: M'Baku Olubori (hhh81) Elk

Described as a "linebacker on skates", this 6'4", 230 lb monster of a winger was picked 4th overall in the SMJHL draft by the Regina Elk. His biggest strengths are in his size and power, as Olubori is almost impossible to move from the front of the net once he's established and he can make defensemen second-guess getting in his way. Olubori has had a bit of a limited offensive presence thus far, with only 3 goals and 6 points in 16 games while racking up 24 PIM, but once he develops his skills to catch up with his frame he could be unstoppable. Another tidbit is that this is the only player on the list who wasn't a GM at the time of creation but is now, with hhh jumping on an opportunity to run the elite Baltimore Platoon.

Hamilton Steelhawks: Wide Peepo Happy 3 Koivu (Hallsy)

Koivu is a classic defensive defenseman, with only 1 assist in 17 games for the Scarecrows. He's an imposing presence however, standing at 6'9", and can best be described as "lumbering". Koivu isn't the fastest player out there - in fact he's probably the slowest - but he's well suited to clearing players from the front of the net.

New England Wolfpack: Jayson Aittokallio (luke) Shl

The newest create of the bunch and the only one not currently on an SMJHL roster, Aittokallio was somewhat of a surprise to the scene. It's a bit unsure how he'll play into this season, but with a 6'5" frame he projects as a power centre. Early scouting reports suggest a strong affinity for reading plays in the offensive zone and getting open for scoring opportunities.

Stars

Toronto North Stars: Oleksander Olli O'Koivu (Wally) Elk

for now

O'Koivu is a player who projects as a two-way centre with good skill and power. He's able to make plays at both ends of the ice, having the vision to find teammates and the hockey IQ to break up plays in his own zone. Standing 6'2" and 215 lbs, he's got the power to be able to just take it to the net if he wants to and make defenders beat him physically. This player has recently made headlines off the ice though, being involved in a management snafu surrounding his contract.

Chicago Syndicate: Matsmith Söderberg-Tremblay (SDCore) Berserkers

Playing on the deepest team in the SMJHL, it's easy for a rookie to get lost in the shuffle, but Söderberg-Tremblay has been able to make a nice name for himself so far. The adopted son of Gunnar Söderberg and Jean-Uthred Söderberg-Tremblay projects as a power winger with strong offensive instincts and good two-way skills. While his speed and agility aren't the highest, he is able to win puck battles with his power and knock smaller players off the puck to get it himself. He's been able to parlay this into a strong start of 1 goal and 10 points in the first 17 games of the season.

Edmonton Blizzard: Sophie Bordeleau (boom) Citadelles

Bordeleau breaks the mold of pretty much everyone else on this list by projecting as an undersized finesse centre. She's been off to a very fast start with 17 points in 17 games, and has been able to dispel concerns about size by getting stronger on the puck. Bordeleau has excelled on a line with Rylie Versi, so it remains to be seen if she's just a product of his elite shooting, but she's been steadily improving her skills in her own right.

Los Angeles Panthers: Aleksi Kettu (FuzzSHL) Kraken

Kettu is another big offensive centre, which seems to be a trend this class, and is off to a good start with 8 points in 16 games. His strongest assets, like other forwards in this class, are in his physical skills and playmaking. A big centre with the hands to be a scoring threat is an invaluable part of a team, and Kettu looks like he will be that for Carolina.

Seattle Argonauts: C Jobin (reid) Falcons

The only co-GM of the bunch, Jobin should not be confused with the similarly named B Jobin on Vancouver, that is unless you are hosting a draft stream. Jobin boasts strong physical gifts, but is an all-around centre thus far, with no procllivity towards offense or defense in particular. Jobin hasn't played much for Detroit, with only around 9:30 of ice time per game, but he'll improve as he gets more experience using his size to his advantage.

Aurora

Winnipeg Aurora: Lord Farquaads (Ace) Outlaws

Fresh from being deposed by a green ogre and a donkey, this lord has decided to give hockey a go. He's very small, but boasts excellent puck skills and instincts. While Farquaads will never be the biggest physical threat, he will be an excellent puck-moving defenseman - a position that's always in demand - and a smart defensive defenseman with 31 blocked shots so far.

*CptSquall* · 03-29-2022, 10:50 PM

Approved, +5 TPE to @boom

Also loved the bit on Farquaads.

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