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Snuffalupagus · 07-22-2016, 01:39 AM

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Word count: 710~ + 1M for SMJHL Rookie Bonus thing! Ready for grading

Hello Lords and Ladies of the court -- haha, just kidding. You're all nothing to me. Just kidding, I love you all.

For this edition of A Look at Rooks, we'll be taking a sneak peek at some up and coming draftees. notably: two-way winger, a sweet Swede D-man, and a goalie who I am very excited to see play in the SMJHL.

Let's take a look at a forward with stunningly good looks and the skills to match. I guess that doesn't really narrow it down that much, but the rookie I'm speaking of is none other than Alex Kepka - an Arizona native.

<center> [Image: tumblr_nqmitrfc3j1rrl9fzo1_400.gif]

[Image: tumblr_nqmitrfc3j1rrl9fzo1_400.gif]

Alex Kepka</center>

In Alex Kepka, you find a very versatile two-way forward. He aligns at centre, but has the malleability to cover either wing. He has a wicked offensive mind and the shot to match. One thing to possibly work on for Alex would be his true centremanship. He could be a bit stronger on the puck and a bit quicker off the draw. Luckily this hasn't really hindered team play, but is more of a nitpicky subject. Otherwise, Kepka is a star in the making. Add to that that the boy is hefty - 6'3 and 220lbs. If you're facing off against him and he ties you up, you might never get to that puck. Look for Alex to make big waves if he keeps up the good work.

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Now let's take a look at a defenseman I'm truly excited about. When you step onto the ice and people fear of it breaking, you know you've gotta star on your hands. Coming in at a heavy 230lb and standing 6'5 tall, we have Swedish native, Brynjar Tusk.

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Brynjar Tusk</center>

Hailing from a wealthy family, Tusk has an advantage over a lot of the rookies in his class by having the wallet to back up his talents. Not to mention having a hockey-family-legacy. Tusk knows what it takes to make it in the big leagues and I'm sure it won't take him long to make it into the SHL. Tusk has the pedigree and foresight to make it big and make it fast. But first, let's take a look at his skills. As you can see from the image above, Tusk can become an incredible thorn in a team's side. He's a rough houser and he's not to be intimated. His physical side isn't all to be taking note of - he's also an extremely well put together defender; he's smart, has a strong stick, and knows when to move himself and the puck. Coaches should look to utilize this rookie on perhaps their first or second defensive pairings - endurance not really being an issue. I can't think of anything the Swede can do to improve. I look forward to his play in the Prospect Showcase as well as the SMJHL season.

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Finally, let's close our Rookie edition with a nice hard look at a goalie who is looking to make a big splash into the hockey scene, Finnish-born Kyle Wahlgren.

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Kyle Wahlgren</center>

His size might make GMs think twice about drafting him, but they need to look past that and check out this kid's speed. We're talking gloving pucks left and right. I saw some shootout practice with the boy and it didn't matter how much the team looked like they might catch him off-guard, Wahlgren had them beat. He is largely a hybrid goalie and likes has a good, solid stance. His career in Finland really developed his playstyle and makes him one of the first goalies that will likely be off the SMJHL draft board. He shows a lot of dedication to the game and is working hard to make his name heard. I advise junior GMs to take note of this kid - don't pass up on him due to his size, he can more than make up for it in other ways, you know, like saving a team! Look for improvement in the taking-up-the-net category to the best of his ability.

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And that's it for another edition of A Look At Rooks. Catch us next time when we delve into some fresh new rookies, including another hot-to-trot goalie, a top line offensive winger, and an assist-making right wing - meat's back on the menu, boys!

Wally · 07-22-2016, 09:01 AM

<a href='index.php?showuser=2179' rel='nofollow' alt='profile link' class='user-tagged mgroup-17'>Snuffalupagus</a> Thanks for the overview, can't wait to hit the new locker room come Tuesday!

ThatDamnWalrus · 07-22-2016, 02:32 PM

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