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The New Englands Wolfpack Current and Future Outlook
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(This post was last modified: 08-03-2018, 05:08 PM by majesiu.)

Wolfpack The New Englands Wolfpack Current and Future Outlook  Wolfpack

Simulation Hockey League was the third league I joined - immediately after Pro Baseball Experience and National Simulation Football League. The journey started with keeping my streak alive of being always drafted in the first round (that is still alive, through 5 sim leagues drafts, I guess the first player that gets drafted later will have to be retired Smile ) when Montreal Militia selected me in the first round of the SMJHL Season 41 Draft with the 8th overall pick. I was in the sim leagues not even a month by that point, but already recognized a lot of familiar faces from other leagues, which certainly helped with keeping up my development and interest into the league, even though I'm not a big hockey fan myself and was kind of overwhelmed by the SHL size.

Not a lot of time later I was drafted by New England Wolfpack with the 3rd OA pick in SHL S42 Draft. This article will be more about Wolfpack, but while we are at it, there is one thing that I think is the key to getting drafted high - not only be an active and high earning player, but also be open-minded and talkative when talking with your potential General Managers and scouts. I certainly hate that particular attitude of wanting to end up on one single team, which is not only against the spirit of the competition and completely unrealistic mindset but also robs of you draft night excitement and in my opinion biggest sim league advantage - opportunity to meet and enjoy being teammates with vastly different and unknown at the start people.

New England Wolfpack when I was drafted by them entered the rebuilt phase - Raven Silwerwing was in the twilight of the career and dominance of the late twenties/early thirties seasons was well in the past. The departure of Jasper Clayton was the final sign that some tanking will ensue in upcoming seasons.

Though that is already in the past and the Wolfpack is set to get into dominance in next few seasons, since they have a lot of fresh blood that already demonstrated their prowess this season and even more talent still playing in the SMJHL.

Old Guard
Before we got that young blood I mentioned there is still a lot of players remembering glory days of 3 titles in 4 seasons, namely:

(S24) LW - Patrikov Bure
TPE: 778 - Playmaker
Old Guard section could only start with multiple Wolfpack record holder, including All-time Scorer of the New Englands team. 3 Challenge Cup Champion and S31 Playoffs MVP rejuvenated his scoring already as many goals as last year and one of the biggest questions for New Englands team will be whether he returns next season to improve those records to unimaginable heights.

(S26) LW - Mainio Mäkinen
TPE: 568 - Offensive Forward
Not only he led Wolfpack to glory as Bure did in a player role, but was also a co-GM during Gold Age of the Wolfpack. Father time is unforgiving though and this is likely very last season we will see Mäkinen on the rinks of SHL.

(S28) D - Mia Landvik
TPE: 1,426 - Defensive Defenseman
One of the Most Decorated Defenseman in the history of SHL, including 3-time Challenge Cup Champion and 1 gold, 2 silver and 2 bronze IIHF medals with the Team Norway is still going strong. I certainly look forward to playing with Mia, since I believe that while Puck Handling and flashiness might get you to the highlights reel it's the defence that wins you titles.

(S28) G - Mikke Laukkanen
TPE: 844 - Hybrid Goalie
As you can see Wolfpack is a place where loyalty is highly valuable and rewarded by both parties involved as we can see there is yet another player from the S30, S31 and S33 title run group. His time in the net is coming to an end though, with one of the young pups already taking backup duties.

(S28) RW - Dieter Dominique
TPE: 1,229 - Sniper
Surprise, surprise yet another multi-time champion, but he was a bit late to the party winning it "only" in S31 and S33. He also is decorated IIHF player winning it both in S32 and S36 and finishing with the silver medal in S31 and S34 while representing Germany. He is also still a very dangerous player, manning one of the top first lines in the SHL, currently with 15 goals and 13 assists. Hopefully, I'll be able to share at least a game on a line together with this legend!

(S30) RW - Jason Forbrook
TPE: 590 - Power Forward

Forbrook was a bit late to the but still was able to contribute to the S33 Title run. He came from Militia school and won the elusive S32 Kurtis Hunter Award for Most Valuable Player of the SMJHL. He peaked at that moment though and I think I'm already on his level, so he will be the first of the current pack that I plan to overtake.

(S30) D - Cara Hohenberg
TPE: 563 - Offensive Defenseman

Cara Hohenberg very well might be the most decorated player if we only allowed the first four seasons of the career to count:
S30/S31 Laurifer Trophy - KEL, S31/32 Four Star Cup Champion - KEL, S31 Jared Hanson Trophy (SMJHL Points Leader), S31 Ronan O’Keefe Trophy (SMJHL Playoff Points Leader), S31 Quilha Agante Trophy (SMJHL Top Defenseman), S31 Ideen Fallah Trophy (SMJHL MVP), S31 Elias Armia Trophy (SMJHL Award in Excellence), S33 Challenge Cup Champion - NEW.
But after that career stalled and it's yet another trap in the process of building a legacy - the fall of complacency, that eventually led to the stop of development of once very promising Offensive Defenseman.

(S31) LW - Isaac Kaiser
TPE: 885 - Offensive Forward

The one I might not have the opportunity to play since he already announced his retirement. Still a loyal player and great locker room soul.

(S31) D - Toivo Kosonen
TPE: 1,525 - Offensive Defenseman

The last one of the old guard and still arguably the best player on the team. The last one on this list knowing the of Challenge Cup win and hopefully the one that will lead us back to glory soon, this time in GM role! Had also a stellar career in SMJHL including S30 Four Star Cup Championship, Ron Bolt (SMJHL Most Sportsmanlike) and Quilha Agante (SMJHL Top Defenseman) Trophies.

New alphas
Time for next group of current New England Wolfpack players namely those that are just entering their primes, that should be leading the pack to it's biggest successes ever.

(S34) C - Xander Green
TPE: 1330 - Playmaker

He is having a great season, reigning terror as the Top line with yet another alpha that I'll talk about soon. The playmaker in full sense of this word - currently third among forwards with 28 assists, and also third in total scoring with 45 points. He tends to take over games completely as evident by his 5 stars of the first category this season.

(S34) D - Cameron Dubois
TPE: 822 - Offensive Defenseman

Calling Australian D-man an alpha might be a bit of an overstatement, but he is still vital to the team success creating the second defence pairing for the pack. He especially nifty with his passing and puck handling abilities.

(S35) D - Spitfire
TPE: 1195 - Two Way Defenceman

The Co-GM and probably one of the most effective non maxed players in the league. His refined defence and skating should be able to keep him in the forefront of Pack defence for a long time.

(S36) LW - Oisin Fletcher
TPE: 1463 - Sniper

As mentioned before the final component of the amazing wolfpack top line and my personal frontrunner to the MVP award. Being second in the league in points, but also having positive +19 +/- while playing almost the same amount of power play and penalty kill minutes (which is similar to my role in Militia, and I very much respect that, instead of being a one-dimensional player, opportunistic on PP minutes). What's almost as impressive too is 3 shorthanded goals (the feat achieved last year in SMJHL by Piotr Czerkawski too, also on 6 shots). I won't lie here - an opportunity to play with Oisin Fletcher is one of my biggest motivation to develop into best player possible.

(S38) C - Artemi Berezin
TPE: 789 - Two-Way Forward

Artemi fits both here and in next category, but since he'll be most likely on the second line next season with Isaac Kaiser retirement, let's call him aspiring Alpha instead. He is so far really unlucky converting on just 2.35% shots, but I firmly believe he is going to be the force to be reckoned with as soon as next season. Drodger was also one of the new people I met on the SHL since I already kind of new people from other leagues.

Young Pups:
Time for most exciting part of the team, the one I'm part of namely prospect players that only just started wearing green or are yet to have their debut in the SHL happen.

(S39) G - Julian O'Sullivan
TPE: 570 - Hybrid Goalie

The successor to  Mikke Laukkanen just recently got the first win SHL and is leading off our class of young pups that should dominate SHL in upcoming years. So far, so good with 0.902 Save PCT and 2.95 GAA! Looking forward to playing with Julian on yet another sim league team!

(S39) D - Patrick Brumm Jr.
TPE: 480 - Offensive Defenseman

Yet another representant of S39 class, though he probably accepted his journeyman backup role, being proficient in what's he does best: defending and scoring.

(S40) RW - Manuel Gotze
TPE: 675 - Power Forward

One of my favourite players in the sim leagues that I'm looking yet again to join forces with, even though we share the same position, our playstyles are vastly different so I hope we will be able to share a top line together and dominate SHL just like our current 1st line does in the future. While he excels in scoring, I hope my passing and positioning game will be greatly coherent alongside our common focus on defence.

(S40) D - Viktor Valentine
TPE: 363 - Defensive Defenseman

There is still hope for Valentine to kickstart his development in his last year of SMJHL eligibility, but I dread we won't have the opportunity to share ice in SHL together, as I was very much hoped once I saw his face in Montreal Militia Locker Room.

(S41) C - Alex Andani
TPE: 484 - Playmaker

I think it's safe to say Andani likely will be my career centre partner in the forward line. We were drafted in back to back picks in the S41 draft (him with that 2nd tough Smile ) and he is an excellent player and user. His playmaking prowess should fit well with my skill set and hopefully, sniper minded other forward slotted into our line.

(S41) RW - Kristaps Ball
TPE: 410 - Sniper

Speaking of Latvians and snipers we have yet another draftee from S41 in Right Winger that should fit seamlessly into line featuring also me. We very well might see an only S41 line, which should be quite amazing on its own!

(S41) RW - Piotr Czerkawski
TPE: 553 - Offensive Forward

The very first polish player (currently representing Czechoslovakia, though the dream of Polish NT is dormant, but still alive and worth trying out in the future) in the SHL is looking forward for next challenge, after spending almost three years already in Montreal including incredible 22 points, 19 games run last season that ultimately fell short in Game 7 of the finals against Kelowna Knights.
I looked up the questionnaire that I answered to drodger at the start of my SHL career and the answers are still as valid as ever -
My plans: "Hard work and constant improvement - I plan to develop into one of the best wingers SMJHL and SHL have ever seen."
Expectations of the rookie season: "I want to incorporate myself into the team seamlessly, I'm not necessarily after individual accolades, but nonetheless it would be great to compete for right of the bat.  We have a talented team so I really hope we put a fight in the league and I'm going to be one of the effective cogs that will have a big part in it."

(S41) RW - Doug Dimmadome
TPE: 343 - Playmaker

One more fellow S41 draftee, that will probably have to spend a little more time developing in the system, nonetheless, I'm really looking forward to the day he gets called up!

(S42) RW - Pingy Pingu
TPE: 237 - Offensive Forward

One of the less known players in the system, but still yielding quite a good potential and brightening our mood whenever he shows up in the locker room!

(S42) LW - Rafe Ulrich
TPE: 403 - Power Forward

The Star Reborn and the last of the players I will talk in detail here since for sure it's not the last draftee (looking at you amazing S43 class!) that I plan to play within the Wolfpack Uniform. We already play together in SMJHL representing Militia and I've got to say it's quite a combo, where Rafe smashes opponents having 125 to 31 hit ratio, making a lot of room for Czerkawski to operate. Looking forward to the continuation of this cooperation in the SHL!

After some tough rebuilding years, you can clearly see the tide changing in the New England and with similarities of the strong young core to the one that won multiple championships not so long ago. I very much hope for such a scenario to happen once again!

Some of you may wonder why the timing of such article - while my call-up this season is still up in the air I'm sure if not now, then next season I'll finally join the SHL ranks in my fourth year, really looking forward to it and big thanks to Militia organization for amazing 3 seasons down in the SMJHL!

As a bonus few graphs to show how bright the future looks in the New England! Go Wolfpack!

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TPE Sheet

Awoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

Wolfpack  Wolfpack  Wolfpack


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#2

Very lovely read <3 lets go pack ! Wolfpack

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#3

Let's GOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Wolfpack Great article, maj.

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sigs by sulovilen, slothfacekilla, Flareon
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Current: Wolfpack raiders Uk | Alumni: Inferno pride Knights Germany
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#4

Amazing piece Majesiu! Always fun to read about your team/player, and especially when it's executed so well. Go Woofpack! Wolfpack

Reed Kobo - Winger - #33
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Elijah Jones - Winger - #33 Retired
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Toivo Kosonen - Defenseman - #33 Retired
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#5

I don't knowuch about the Wolfpack, but this was a really interesting read.

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#6

Krzysztof Kowalski was the shl's first polish player

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#8

Beauty of an article.

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Falcons
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#9

Good read maj

Shout out to ml002, schultzy, slashacm, tedward!
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09-05-2018, 10:04 PMBeaver Wrote: Wow look what the PT affiliation has done to our pristine league.
12-19-2018, 12:31 AMBeaver Wrote: I personally blame the PT affiliation for handing out massive amounts of free TPE to all these players, inflating the TPE they're at when they get called up.
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#10

nice article maj <3 looking forward to playing with you! awooooooooooooo

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