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dandydoodle · 04-19-2017, 02:51 PM

With the SMJHL season only just under way some might say that it is a little bit too early to judge how many of this season's draftees are going to turn out. However, speculation, rankings, and ratings are the lifeblood of any good media article and so here we are - shamelessly judging the worth of our little virtual hockey players based on small sample sizes and random chance.

Let's take a look at how this season's batch of rookies have started off this season and compare it to their draft position. Who are Season 35's big risers and fallers. Note that these rankings are based on performance and not potential. Some of these players, though stumbling out of the gate, are destined to be stars.

All statistics are taken from just before the Day eighteen rest day.

45) D - Caleb Harding

[Image: Tonya-Harding_display_image.jpg]

[Image: Tonya-Harding_display_image.jpg]

A fourth round draft pick by the St Louis Scarecrows, Harding has not seen a game on the ice yet this season. It is unknown at this time whether he is struggling with injuries or perhaps having difficulties entering the country being that he comes from the known terrorist city called Vancouver, there is a question as to whether Harding's career is going to be over before it even begins. The Scarecrows are experiencing success this year but could still use Harding should he show up to a game or two.

44) D - Adrian Deckar

[Image: 3c903dbe013140f2a64cfc7ef622a02e.jpg]

[Image: 3c903dbe013140f2a64cfc7ef622a02e.jpg]

Yet another blueliner hailing from Vancouver, Canada, Deckar also has not seen a game this season for the Kelowna Knights. This time there can certainly be no issues with immigration as Trump does not control the borders in British Columbia, so it is curious as to why Deckar has not laced up the skates for Kelowna yet this season. Surely the team is hoping that hard checking, defensive stalwart will find his way onto the active roster at some point.

43) G - Aleksandr Aleksandrov

[Image: arno_breker_alexander_the_great_arno_bre...=400&h=560]

[Image: arno_breker_alexander_the_great_arno_bre...=400&h=560]

The third round pick from Russia was in a tight spot to see much playing time in Colorado this season and despite the fact that he has been working out and improving his game he has not seen the ice yet this year. Colorado still seems to be high on the goaltender for the future, but with no room between the pipes this year the Mammoths have had to help Aleksandrov focus on improving his game in other ways.

42) C - Dylan Peat

[Image: peat-moss2.jpg?t=1441387422]

Drafted really late by the Detroit Falcons, the centerman has played for the team, but seen very little ice time. At times some have commented that he has looked nearly invisible during games and his work ethic has been questioned by team management. There's a player there somewhere, lurking beneath the barely used jersey, but hope is fading that the player has the drive required to really train and make things happen for his future.

41) D - Thor Ljunggren

[Image: Thor-3.jpg]

Undrafted and recently signed by the Montreal Militia, the Swedish Offensive minded defenseman recently played his first game with the club, logging a decent amount of ice. Though his debut was forgettable (he took a penalty and was a minus two on the night, the fact that he's out there working hard bodes well for his future. Time will tell what the Militia really have in Thor, and much of his success depends on how hard he is willing to work to improve as a player down the road.

40) D - Bojo Storm

[Image: 537bc5f8a8df0.jpg]

An extremely late draft pick by the Scarecrows, Bojo Storm is a defensive minded blueliner who has logged a handful of games this season already for St Louis. Bojo's upside has always been immense but off ice issues caused his draft stock to plummet and his ice time with St Louis has been limited to nearly nothing. A plus one in five games shows that he is defensively responsible, but unless he can get his off ice life figured out there are big question marks as to whether he will ever live up to the heights that some think he is capable of.

39) RW - Jay Beagle Jr

[Image: file_23012_beagle-460x290.jpg]

Despite logging a solid amount of ice time and being a regular part of the Prince George Firebirds team, Jay Beagle Jr has struggled to really hit his stride on the ice. Pointless so far on the season, and with only six shots on goal thus far, the Firebirds have had to remain patient with the American as he works on his game and continues to try and improve. There is no doubt that Beagle is going to have a bright future in the league should he continue to work as hard as he has, and comments from the coach have been nothing but positive. At this point though he is a defensively responsible member of the team who could break out once he works through his current slump.

38) D - Khet Chupp

[Image: ketchup.jpg]

Scarecrows defender Khet Chupp entered the league with some fairly high expectations placed upon him. An extremely reliable defensive specimen, Chupp's witty British humour and charming good looks placed him high on many draft boards. Unfortunately he has not lived up to the hype thus far in his short career and though he has made his mark an incredibly physical player, with over a hit every game, his penchant for taking too many penalties has been a bit of a thorn in the side of his coach. Though he has came out of the gate slowly, St Louis sees a very high end defensive player working on his game and going through some of the usual growing pains that can happen with young stars, particularly ones coming over from another country to play.

37) C - Alexandre Lebeau

[Image: beau_bennett_pittsburgh.jpg]

Not a lot of teams send their scouts to Lyon France to look for up and coming talent, but the Kelowna Knights are an exception. Labeau was recently acquired by Kelowna and has suited up now for eight games with the club. Though he is pointless and sports a pretty dreadful minus six on the season, it's not for a lack of trying, as he has fired sixteen shots on goal through those eight games. Confidence is perhaps an issue for the young man and hopefully as he works through any language issues and cultural shifts, those shots will start to go in more often than they have so far.

36) RW - Louie Garrett

[Image: john-garrett-1982-46.jpg]

Hometown hero and local star Louie Garrett was drafted by St Louis fifth overall to much fanfare. A hard worker and highly touted draft pick, there is no doubt that Garrett is going to be a star one day in the league. Unfortunately, at this point, Louie ha struggled to translate his hard work into offense for the club, bringing just one goal and zero assists thus far. With a couple penalties, a minus two, and only putting abut nine shots on goal, he's struggling to really find his niche with the team out of the gate. Hopefully for St Louis, Garrett will be able to pull himself out of the early season funk sooner rather than later as the future of the team is likely to rely on his skills as a scorer down the road.

35) D - Jake Brosnan

[Image: pierce-brosnan-007-james-bond.jpg?w=670&h=377&crop=1]

[Image: pierce-brosnan-007-james-bond.jpg?w=670&h=377&crop=1]

Hailing from Buffalo, New York, the undrafted Brosnan managed to find his way to the Colorado Mammoth organization rather early on in the season and has certainly left his mark. Through eight games he has managed only one assist, seven hits, and four blocked shots. Unfortunately he has also racked up a stunning twenty-three penalty minutes over that same time period, giving the Mammoth a few headaches in the process. A well balanced player that is solid across the board, it would be interesting to see how his offense might translate if Colorado were to give him more ice time.

enigmatic · 04-19-2017, 03:45 PM

Louie Garrett and Khet Chupp are so good they're already playing for Seattle.

***DrunkenTeddy*** · 04-19-2017, 03:58 PM

Quote:Originally posted by enigmatic@Apr 19 2017, 11:45 AM
Louie Garrett and Khet Chupp are so good they're already playing for Seattle.

STL...

STLouis.... OR IS IS REALLY?

SeaTtLe?

<span style='font-family:Geneva'>Credit to <a href='index.php?showuser=2587' rel='nofollow' alt='profile link' class='user-tagged mgroup-3'>adamantium</a> for the joke Tongue

</span>

|

enigmatic · 04-19-2017, 03:59 PM

Quote:Originally posted by DrunkenTeddy@Apr 19 2017, 03:58 PM

STL...

STLouis.... OR IS IS REALLY?

[b]SeaTtLe?[/b]

TheKandyCinema · 04-19-2017, 06:50 PM

sick I made it to the SHL :D

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