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***Scrufdaddy*** · 04-15-2019, 03:24 PM

Slip McScruff, a look back and a look forward
by S.D for the Sim Herald

S.D. here from the Sim Herald. For me, covering Slip McScruff is usually a chore, but this article is a little different. It's a bittersweet off season for the veteran SMJHL Defender as he prepares for his first SHL season, so I think it's appropriate to take this article a little more seriously.

The three time Four Star Cup Champion is graduating from the greatest team in the SMJHL to become a core D man for the Winnipeg Jets. After winning his first Four Star Cup with the St. Louis Scarecrows in S44, Winnipeg traded up to the 13OA pick to snag Slip. After captaining the Scarecrows to their second back to back Four Star Cup in S45, Slip decided to stall his SHL career by one more season to join the Crows in their bid for the elusive three-peat. As a first gen hockey player, he recognized the growth experience that comes with filling those captain boots, so he stepped down from the role to let someone else have the same experience. From there, Michael Fox took the team to Game 7 of the S46 Four Star Cup finals, where they stole the series from Kelowna and secured his spot in the St. Louis history books right next to the previous captains Nicholas Williams and Slip.

I got hold of Slip for one last SMJHL interview to talk about the history and future of the St. Louis Scarecrows blue line.

SD: Ok Slip, let's do this one last time in the J. How are you doing today?
SM: I'm uh... I'm doing well, except someone keeps cutting onions in my condo which is the reason my eyes are watery.
SD: Sure, I'll let you have that one for your pride.
SM: Thanks.
Interview

SD: So let's get right into it. With you moving up to the SHL, you're leaving behind a Slip sized hole in the St. Louis blue line. Before we talk about how St. Louis will deal with that going forward, I want to start with the history of that blue line since you've been there. You weren't around to know the team in S43, but what was it like going from S44 to S45 and from S45 to S46?
SM: Lots to unpack there, I'm not sure where to start.
SD: Come on dude, start with literally the question that I asked.
SM: Oh, yeah, I guess that makes sense. When I joined in S44, there were two of us rookies on that blue line, myself and Samuel Jalopski. He had a better rookie season than myself, more points, better rating, more shot blocks. At that point, Kiko Rytmeyr and Helmuts Akmenlauks ran the show, but Gordie Maple was also a huge producer and I got to share the line with him through the playoffs.
SM: When S45 came, we did not lose anyone to call ups, but we had to make some healthy scratches of players who just didn't show up to practice anymore. That included my old partner Gordie Maple, so when I moved up to the top pair, they put me with Adam Taylor. Jalopski also kept improving, so when they shuffled down the previous top pair, they kept Jalopski on the second pair with Kiko. That meant Helmuts dropped all the way to the third pair to play with our S45 rookie, Basil Magnicotta.
SM: The transition to S46 was a bit bigger. Jalopski and Helmuts moved up to the big leagues and we injected three rookies into the line up. Now, Basil stepped up in a huge way to join me on the top pair in his sophomore year. I think we were the second best pair in the league, behind Kelowna's 2nd pair of Guy Zheng and David Vent. It certainly helped make up for our blue line losses when Charlie Serpe crashed onto the scene with a bang, breaking even on the goal differential, tying myself on shot blocks, and putting up 20 points.
Interview

SD: Wow, ok so that's a whole history you got for me, but now let's talk about the future. We know that you are leaving, but it looks like Kiko Rytmeyr was also a pillar on the blue line, so there are four shoes to fill.
SM: Yeah, look, Ryan and Joe made a really solid blue line, and I think Ryan and Nick have all the pieces they need to carry on that legacy now that Joe has moved on to NOLA. We survived, even thrived, when Jalopski and Helmuts left a void on the blue line, so I believe that everyone will be able to step up to the same challenge next season.
SM: Basil needs to be the pillar for them, and then they'll need to lean on the sophomores to fill in. Charlie Serpe had a fantastic rookie season, so I would expect him to play a large role in the coming season. So where does that leave them? Any of the other defenders currently on the roster could surprise me, but I think they'll need to pick up at least one Defenseman in the draft, if not two, to keep the waves rolling into the next seasons.
SM: If you weren't paying attention, we did win the Four Star Cup again, so they'll have to look for sleeper picks that might fall deep into the draft. Based off the prospect showcase and a little of my own secret sauce, I think I'd put Piotr Horvat at the top of my list, which naturally means he probably won't fall to the 10th pick. Piotr caught my eye with his league leading 45 shots blocked. He's a defensive defenseman that has a clear cut set of skills to match that style, from what I've seen, he's the ideal candidate to fill a Slip sized hole in the Scarecrows blue line.
SM: To be honest, any of the defensemen that are playing on that Stingrays line up would be a good pickup. Kaspars Claude and Lyle Odelein III are both putting up similar performances, Claude leaning more defensive and Odelein leaning more offensive. Both of them are first generation skaters, so while Horvat might be a safer pick with his league history, St. Louis would be a great place for these new skaters to make their mark in the league (speaking as a first generation skater myself). It's a high risk, high reward choice to grab players like this, but with the 10th and 29th picks, the decision might be made for them as players get snagged off their draft board.
SM: Besides the Stingrays, the Vipers also have a solid D core of prospects. David Hines and Simon LeBlanc both played really well, balancing defensive responsibility with offensive chances. However, I think Victor Toeman could be a great candidate for the sleeper pick they need to replace Kiko. Kiko brought a very focused offensive skill set, and I see shades of that in Victor Toeman. He also has some ancient ties to the league back in the early S30's, so he isn't as much of a flight risk as a fresh first gen. I call him a sleeper pick because he's a bit overshadowed by LeBlanc and Hines, but I don't know him so some of the older league members might already have their eyes on him.
Interview

SD: Wow ok, you actually have enough brain cells left to form some real opinions on the league, huh?
SM: Yup, I've got my trusty thinker in there telling me how to uh... think about hockey.
SD: Ok, don't ruin the illusion.
SM: We're doing magic now?
SD: Nevermind... Any last words before you say goodbye to the J?
SM: Yeah actually. I want to thank everyone who uh... taught me how to fit in to this league and made this first gen experience fantastic. I'm sad to hang up my hay filled skates, but I'm excited to take what you've taught me into the big leagues. That being said, I'm not going to pull any punches when I'm skating against my crow boys in different colored uniforms. To all the rookies that end up in St. Louis, it's a great place and you're in capable hands.
SM: Also, fuck Detroit.
Interview

Well, that's it folks, the last words of Slip McScruff in the SMJHL. If you want more of his stupidity, you'll need to turn your tv sets to the SHL where he'll be laced up in Winnipeg. Off camera, he told me that he'll always be a Crow, so you can probably find him in the stands when the Crows are in the next five to ten Four Star Cup finals.
See ya later SMJHL, yours truly,
SD

2x Draft Media, Word Count ~1475

TML99 · 04-15-2019, 03:30 PM

going to miss having you on the team!

Wawazat · 04-15-2019, 04:35 PM

Sruffy,
I wish you success and a long career.

Nictox · 04-15-2019, 05:30 PM

Good luck in Winnipeg Scruff!

RIP Dangel #AD26 | RIP TDZ

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