It's been a long 25 seasons since the Renegades entered the SHL. Through ruts of occupying the bottom of the league, to reigning as the champions of the world, Texas has travelled far & wide throughout their long & storied history. This past season, the Renegades posted a 26-19-5 record for a respectable 57 points and barely squeezing by the Winnipeg Jets via tie-breaker to clinch the fourth & final spot in the Western Conference. Although they managed to make yet another post-season appearance, the top-seeded Calgary Dragons made quick work of the flailing Renegades, sending them home for the remainder of the season.
Texas had a fairly impressive showing throughout the majority of Season 35, remaining within a playoff spot for just about all of the season. Their roster was & still is loaded with many high-octance forward, leading them to a league-best 29% conversion rate on the power play. Lord Vader had a team-best 8 goals with the man advantage, with several others posting multiple goals & points. Their penalty kill ranked at 5th in the league, but still managed to be their downfall as they posted the most penalty minutes amongst all the teams. While their prospect pool in the SMJHL is all but empty, the young players that will pave the future for Texas already litter the active roster. With a unique combination of young talent mixed with aging veterans, complimented by one of the best young goaltenders in the world, the Renegades see a window of opportunity for a run at the Challenge Cup. Let's take a look at their top players & potential X-Factors for the upcoming season:
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FORWARDS
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Jack Durden
22G | 33A | 55P | +5 | 52HIT
Jack Durden, one of the two faces of the Texas franchise, had yet another fantastic season. Working the top line, Jack put together a team-high 55 points and potting the most goals at 22, just ahead of line mate Geoffrey Allen. Although already hitting regression, Jack still leads the team in TPE for the time being & is expected to lead the team again next season into a likely playoff appearance. If the Renegades stand any chance, Jack needs to continue his stellar play in clutch situations.
Geoffrey Allen
21G | 27A | 48P | +6 | 54HIT
Where there's Durden, an Allen is somewhere nearby. Geoffrey Allen continued his excellent career last season with a respectable 48 points, second only to Durden. Allen and Durden have become one of, if not THE premier one-two punch in the league and have carried that into regression. You wouldn't dare say Allen's success is based on how well Durden does this season, and vice-versa, but it'd be impossible to not notice they both have excellent seasons year after year. Expect Allen & Durden to be near the top of the league in top line production.
Adam Falk
15G | 31A | 46P | +3 | 41HIT
Another product of the storied S25 class, Adam Falk had one hell of a rebound year while taking a hiatus from the SHL. After barely clearing 30 points in S34, Falk dropped nearly 50 points this past season and earned a spot on the top line for the majority of the season. Also entering regression, the two-way forward is likely to take a significant dip in production and a demotion to the second line... but it all depends on what happens in the preseason and early on in the regular season.
Sven Karlsson
13G | 29A | 42P | +9 | 48HIT
The travelling center falls next on our list, Sven Karlsson led the second line this year to a cool 42 points. He's entering his first year of regression, and all indications point towards a large year for the veteran. To go along with a large number of talented wingers to fill his sides, many of the young players coming up on our list are nearing their prime, likely to assist Sven in his journey to remain in the 40-point club. Top lines don't win championships, the rest of the team does... and Sven could play a major part in that for S36.
Conklin Owen
18G | 14A | 32P | +8 | 14HIT
The sporty finesse skater falls next on our list, and tops my personal list of potential breakout stars for S36. Conklin Owen is still 4+ seasons from regression and has already passed the 1k TPE mark... does Texas have a future 2k TPE player on their hand? Shake the magic 8-ball and all signs point to yes. Owen has topped his career highs in all categories, once again, and depending on where he falls on the Texas depth chart he could be in for an award-winning season. With Falk likely to fall off top line minutes, the seat has Owen's name written all over it. Expect 'yuge' things from Conklin Owen this season.
Rick James
10G | 13A | 23P | +8 | 142HIT
He's Rick James, bitch. Rick finds himself at the tail end of his career, entering regression and playing middle-six minutes. Although being a player more concerned with the physical aspect of the game, you have to respect his ability to contribute on the score sheet as well. Not to mention his 200-foot game, noted by his +8... tied for the team lead. Nevertheless, he'll continue to be a part of this team into S36 and help the depth chart on the second & third lines.
X-FACTOR #1
Zanarkand Abes
3G | 0A | 3P | -11 | 19HIT
Ok don't focus on the stat line, all you have to do is look at when he was drafted and the amount of TPE this clown already has. How Abes already has 700+ TPE is almost as confusing as it is to spell & say his name. Drafted just two seasons ago, Zanarkand is on pace to surpass Owen in terms of TPE and will almost certainly find himself higher on the depth chart this season. It wouldn't be abnormal to find him on the second line with elite players like Falk or Owen, which would give him an astronomical boost of value. Plus, on a team shorthanded in natural centers, Abes is already a rare commodity.
X-FACTOR #2
Vasily Horvat
4G | 2A | 6P | -5 | 86HIT
Nobody ever said stats had to actually matter, right? Horvat could be tossed in the same exact category as Abes, being a relatively new player & already hitting huge amounts of TPE so early in their SHL career. You could easily place Horvat in the second line role this upcoming season, to compliment the surplus of seasoned veterans this team has. There are almost too many active players to put them all in the top six, a problem more than welcomed for Texas management.
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DEFENSE
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Lord Vader
13G | 25A | 38P | +1 | 171HIT | 69SB
Where Durden can control the pace of an offensive game, Vader is there to control the blue line. Lord Vader is the clear cut #1 defender (since Lidstrom fell off) for the Renegades and is likely to stay that way until someone dethrones him. Not only does his offensive game supplement the forwards, he's an insane physical presence on both ends of the ice and can block shots with the best of him. You could compare him to Garbanzo in his ability to cover all sides of the game, and he's still in his prime. Expect another big season from the big defender, and Texas will need him to do so in order to keep pace with the talent-heavy Western Conference.
Winston Windsor
8G | 28A | 36P | +3 | 0HIT | 47SB
A travelling defender on the back-half of his career, Windsor finds himself in Texas helping to supplement an otherwise thin blue line in terms of elite talent. He's still able to contribute offensively, but nowhere near the defensive monster he was earlier in his career. If Texas plans on loaning significant ice time to Windsor this upcoming season, they'd better hope his number take a temporary spike or may want to test the market for a longer-term replacement.
Cody Black
8G | 27A | 35P | -1 | 108HIT | 54SB
Originally drafted by the Hamilton Steelhawks, Cody Black works the second unit for the Renegades. He'll be entering regression this season, which means he should be right in the middle of his prime with some gas left in the tank. Season 35 saw him post pretty suitable numbers, becoming a physical presence both on the body & for the puck, while lacking slightly on the defensive responsibility side. Regardless, he'll be a big of Texas' drive towards the cup this season.
Adam Kaiser
3G | 12A | 15P | -2 | 61HIT | 80SB
If the future holds any hope for the Renegades on defense, Adam holds that future. Kaiser was drafted just three short seasons ago and has rocketed up from the SMJHL and earned a spot into the top four for Texas' blueline, with a promotion likely on the way. Despite leading the team in shots blocked, Adam was able to chip in a little bit offensively as well & shows flashes of just how versatile he really is. Will Adam play a huge role for the Rene's next season? Absolutely, but time will tell just HOW huge of a role he will actually play... magic 8-ball tells me Vader might be fighting for his #1 job in the next season or two.
X-FACTOR #3
Vladimir Lidstrom
7G | 19A | 26P | -3 | 4HIT | 55SB
Can i get a WOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Way back in the day, Lidstrom was the go-to man on the Texas defense corps before he was dethroned by Lord Vader, but he's somehow crawled backwards on the depth chart and needs the door to get in & out of the bench. Come on, old man. While Vader, Kaiser, Black are all poised for pretty impressive seasons, there are more than three spots to occupy on the blue line. Lidstrom will have to take extra vitamins this off-season to help the Renegades push past the first & second rounds.
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GOALTENDER
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Georgette Pel
24W | 16L | 4OTL | .902SV% | 2.95GAA | 2SO
While the SHL may be swarming with young goaltenders, almost too many for each to become a starter, it's still a rare breed to find one as talented as the one Texas has. Georgette Pel is a fantastic young goaltender, years from regression and still growing at an alarming rate. To go along with a great SHL career, Georgette has already won a silver & bronze medal as starting goaltender for Norway's international team. It's no surprise here, that Pel is going to play a massive role for Texas' success in S36 and onwards. The question now is, will the defense provide the needed support to help propel Georgette into Vezina talks?
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SUMMARY
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While Texas boasts an enormous amount of talent on the front line of offensive, they seem to lack the defensive depth to secure them a spot deep within the playoffs. Their goaltending situation is one of the best in the league, having a young & driven player between the pipes. However, without the supporting cast of defensive prowess both by their seemingly endless forward pool or by their depleted defensive corps, they may fall short again with an early playoff exit. Only time will tell.
NJBadApple
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