A few ever have an opportunity to step between the pipes of an SHL goal and even fewer see consistent success season after season. What many forget is the constant toll a netminder's mental toughness takes night after night.
The one position on the ice that is dependent, yet at the peril of one's teammates play or lack thereof. A career can be defined by a GMs short comings or lifted by simple luck of a draft to an already strengthened line up.
Olli O'Koivu, former #3 pick of the S31 SHL Draft, has been one of those who has seen the latter of the two mentioned scenarios. Drafted by the Portland Admirals (now San Francisco Pride) were an up and coming team, brought together by aggressive trades and drafting.
In only O'Koivu's second season as starter, he would fail to get the final win, losing to the Toronto North Stars in the S35 Challenge Cup. Amidst, organizational turmoil, he would be given the McBride Award as the Best Goaltender of the S35 season before being suspended for the entirety of the S36 season.
"It was the biggest wake up call of my career. In the S34 season I electively took a back seat in order to bring in a more seasoned veteran, Mark Harter. We would end up losing 4-2 to Manhattan, but what that Finals run gave me was experience for my own run the following season. Was it enough, clearly not as we couldn't close the deal. But what wasn't foreseen was the impending implosion in Portland." O'Koivu explained.
Following the S35 SHL Season, Portland would be levied serious punishments and would only last one more season in the league before ultimately relocating under new management. A seemingly youthful, TPE earning machine... would be all but that, as the one thing that could defeat them in the West did... itself.
During suspension, O'Koivu was often seen still training, still readying for his next game. Many wondered where or when that would be, but following a release at the end of the S36 season it all became a much less foggy.
"What a dark time. Many say young players mature through years of experience. I think that season developed my weakest tool... mental toughness. Spending time with my kids, my wife... It brought much more into perspective. It was no longer about myself... If I wanted to win, it needed to be on me to make the changes needed for a family, whether mine at home or with the teammates in the locker room."
After accepting a backup role to the now retired, Robert Andersson, many wondered if this was more of a reality check for O'Koivu. A goalie entering his prime, after being to two SHL Finals... Why take a backup role? Why not be a featured starter? Had he lost the "zone"?
"Sparing details... It was a fit at the moment... A perfect one. I had a reputation that was tarnished, if not ruined. I really had marooned myself from many players a came out of the S31 SHL Draft with and former teammates. I really needed a reality check and <a href='index.php?showuser=1773' rel='nofollow' alt='profile link' class='user-tagged mgroup-13'>Baelor Swift</a> gave me that opportunity. I felt like I needed to prove myself... I needed to earn a spot back as I did with Portland."
After a early exit as backup in S37 and as the starter in S38, it was O'Koivu who stepped up in the S39 playoffs behind a team tailored for a deep run... a championship.
"Really a surreal experience. Couldn't ask for much more... I feel like I had found a level I hadn't reached, but what wasn't expected was the actual play of those players up and down the roster. It was fast... it was exciting... but most of all it was fun again. Not because I won that elusive championship, but because I was merely a piece to the puzzle."
While Minnesota looked to defend their S39 cup in S40, O'Koivu struggled throughout the season. Extra frames were in abundance, but when the pressure was on during the regular season the response in net was not. O'Koivu struggled and stats showed across the board as career lows were matched and/or exceeded since his rookie season in S33.
"What a tough season. Our aspirations were to repeat, but it came with enormous struggle as we continued to clamor to that 4th playoff spot most of the season. While we did make it, I just didn't feel that swagger we had in the prior season. We had a vulnerability, but it seemed to morph every night. Whether my play or not it was always something different."
While Minnesota would already have a Game 7 victory under their belt, they wouldn't come up with a second as Calgary would dispatch them in the Finals. As that chapter closed, the goaltender seemed upbeat and excited regardless.
"They left it all out there. Calgary is an amazing team, led by a surging group of both youth and veterans. We knew we weren't going to go in there and swing for the fences game after game. We needed to play smart and we needed to play our game. It worked on home ice, but we struggled on the road and that is where it was finished."
True to his words, Minnesota lost 7 of their final 8 playoff games on the road while winning 10 of 11 at home throughout the playoffs. A volatile up and down season saw O'Koivu play his best when it mattered but often saw him playing down in situations he consistently would deliver.
"I'm ready to look past S40, I feel it was a transitioning period for us in learning that being a defending champion doesn't mean that things are going to be handed to us. Now, we have to start from the bottom once again and I look forward to that challenge again."
While O'Koivu may be a bit conservative in "starting from the bottom," the statement is understandable from the standpoint of his career. The ebbs and flows of a successful career performance wise, has had its downturns with league management and it has been a clear effort on his behalf to really change many of the things that really clouded his off-ice issues throughout the league.
"Honestly I want to win with those who want the same. A good locker room... hard work mentality... and a fun environment. I want to be a piece of the puzzle and not a cog in the process. I feel that I'm entering the second half of my career and from where it goes at this point will be decided on that as retirement now begins as a possibility in the next six to seven seasons. I want to achieve that championship goal again."
O'Koivu, while achieving the S39 SHL Championship has been anything, but unsucessful when on the ice. What many don't realize is that while popping into the league in S33, O'Koivu has only been a starter in six seasons due to various reasons and has dealt a significant blow to any long term records he could have been chasing.
The Class of S31
What was perhaps one of the biggest goalie classes in league history, there were 11 goalies available in the draft. While not all were active, a good amount were and nearly all were drafted in various rounds.
R1 P3. Portland Admirals - Olli O'Koivu
R1 P4. Manhattan Rage - Jason Aittokallio
R1 P6. Los Angelese Panthers - Timo Haas
R2 P2. Hamilton Steelhawks - Ben Waters
R2 P7. Texas Renegades - Georgette Pel
R3 P4. Toronto North Stars - Jeff Kirkstone
R3 P14. Manhattan Rage - Ekaterina Rudnikova
R4 P5. Hamilton Steelhawks - Stephen Harris
R6 P3. Buffalo Stampede - Lorenzo Von Matterhorn
As history played out the awards continued to add up amongst the entire class and various players rose career statistical boards. While I'm not going to get into summarizing each category I will list numerous ones and awards per player.
SHL Games Played
Aittokallio - 394
Haas - 350
Kirkstone - 333
Pel - 267
Rudnikova - 229
O'Koivu - 225
Waters - 112
Harris - 11
Anderson - 6
Post Season Wins
O'Koivu - 41
Aittokallio - 33
Haas - 21
Pel - 20
Kirkstone - 13
INDIVIDUAL/TEAM ACCOLADES
Timo Haas
S31 - S39
S31 Presidents Trophey
S31 John McBride Nominee
S31 Ryan Jesster
S32 SHL Rookie Team
S34 Mike Honcho
S34 John McBride
S34 SHL 2nd Team
S35 SHL 3rd Team
S36 John McBride Nominee
S39 John McBride
S39 Anton Razov Nominee
S39 Cole Reinhart
S39 Sarmad Khan
S39 Ron Mexico
S39 SHL 1st Team
Jeff Kirkstone
Currently Active
S35 Challenge Cup
S35 Mathias Chouinard
S37 John McBride Nominee
S37 SHL 2nd Team
S38 President Trophy
S38 Mike Honcho
S38 John McBride
S38 Ron Mexico
S38 SHL 1st Team
Jason Aittokallio
Currently Active
S34 Challenge Cup
S34 Mathias Chouinard
S38 Challenge Cup
S38 Mathias Chouinard
S38 Anton Razov
Olli O'Koivu :admirals:
Currently Active
S33 SHL Rookie Team
S34 Cole Reinhart
S35 Mike Honcho
S35 John McBride
S35 Aiden Richan
S35 Anton Razov Nominee
S35 Cole Reinhart
S35 SHL 1st Team
S38 John McBride Nominee
S38 Ron Mexico Nominee
S38 SHL 2nd Team
S39 John McBride Nominee
S39 Mathias Chouinard
S39 Challenge Cup
S39 SHL 2nd Team
S40 Mathias Chouinard
Georgette Pel
S34 - S38
S34 SHL Rookie Team
S36 Challenge Cup
S36 Cole Reinhart
S38 John McBride Nominee
----
Here are some numbers that blow my mind:
Cumulatively the S31 Class logged...
... 5 Challenge Cups
... 9 Conference Championships
... 4 John McBrides with 6 more nominations
... 2 Ron Mexicos with 1 more nomination
and 11 All-Star Nominations.
Hope everyone enjoys it a bit. Always thankful to be part of such an amazing draft class and looking forward to see who's left closing out their careers in the future.
Great read, Wally. It's interesting to see how good Haas really was. I feel like I could have had a HoF career if I didn't retire. But whatcha gonna do. I wasn't feeling goalie anymore.
Quote:Originally posted by InciteHysteria@May 7 2018, 02:40 PM Great read, Wally. It's interesting to see how good Haas really was. I feel like I could have had a HoF career if I didn't retire. But whatcha gonna do. I wasn't feeling goalie anymore.
Time to make Luuk a HoF player.
This came up in a discussion the other day... and while I think a Cup would have solidified it for Haas, I still think he could definitely slide in on a third or fourth ballot. He was an amazing goaltender regardless of the length. Lots of stats to consider and I'd sure as hell argue a case for him.
That rookie season alone tho... damn. Never will forget that.
Quote:Originally posted by Wally@May 7 2018, 03:52 PM
This came up in a discussion the other day... and while I think a Cup would have solidified it for Haas, I still think he could definitely slide in on a third or fourth ballot. He was an amazing goaltender regardless of the length. Lots of stats to consider and I'd sure as hell argue a case for him.
That rookie season alone tho... damn. Never will forget that.
As the person on the other side of this convo <a href='index.php?showuser=2297' rel='nofollow' alt='profile link' class='user-tagged mgroup-10'>InciteHysteria</a> ... I actually took it one step further from looking at <a href='index.php?showuser=1352' rel='nofollow' alt='profile link' class='user-tagged mgroup-8'>ArGarBarGar</a>'s League of Extraordinary Players and said you are probably a top-three "Player Without a Challenge Cup" since Garbanzo got his in s39. Darian Schlerbluk's probably number one (Four Stevens Trophies wtf?) but Haas had an awesome career.
EDIT: Also had a similar conversation in the Falcons Discord, and I might end up doing a media about "Best Without a Cup" if I have some time later this week.
Quote:Originally posted by mel24@May 7 2018, 03:19 PM Nice read!! Fun to see how we're all still doing. Quite an impact overall, which is really cool to see looking back!
This came up in a discussion the other day... and while I think a Cup would have solidified it for Haas, I still think he could definitely slide in on a third or fourth ballot. He was an amazing goaltender regardless of the length. Lots of stats to consider and I'd sure as hell argue a case for him.
That rookie season alone tho... damn. Never will forget that.[/b]
<!--QuoteBegin-ztevans@May 7 2018, 03:10 PM
As the person on the other side of this convo <a href='index.php?showuser=2297' rel='nofollow' alt='profile link' class='user-tagged mgroup-10'>InciteHysteria</a> ... I actually took it one step further from looking at <a href='index.php?showuser=1352' rel='nofollow' alt='profile link' class='user-tagged mgroup-8'>ArGarBarGar</a>'s League of Extraordinary Players and said you are probably a top-three "Player Without a Challenge Cup" since Garbanzo got his in s39. Darian Schlerbluk's probably number one (Four Stevens Trophies wtf?) but Haas had an awesome career.
EDIT: Also had a similar conversation in the Falcons Discord, and I might end up doing a media about "Best Without a Cup" if I have some time later this week.[/quote]
I'm actually kind of flabbergasted. I honestly thought Haas had a pretty average career. I first noticed he was above average when Wasty said, "some goalies don't get those stats/awards in 15-17 year careers. So it's kinda hit me in the face he was actually pretty good. I wish I got that cup at the end of my career but it was still nice getting recognition.
Just awesome to be part of such a great goalie class. Even if I was one of the few that never got a cup. Love y'all. #S31
Quote:Originally posted by mel24@May 7 2018, 05:19 PM Nice read!! Fun to see how we're all still doing. Quite an impact overall, which is really cool to see looking back!
Hey mel! It's like a big ol reunion in here. Great article <a href='index.php?showuser=2236' rel='nofollow' alt='profile link' class='user-tagged mgroup-73'>Wally</a> cool to see that the one stat I always thought Kirkstone had going for him was sv% and he's tied for the draft class lead
Wally
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Glad to see you are around!
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