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Evans' Eleven, Issue III Ohhhhh We're Halfway There
#1

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ready to grade - 959 words

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1. There is no shortage of topics to discuss this week, so let’s start with the Colorado management change. Mikke Laukkanen stepped down after 2 ½ seasons in the organization, opening the door for Emile Magique (presumably Alexandre Magique’s ugly brother) to elevate from Assistant General Manager to GM. Laukkanen’s impact on the Mammoths can’t be understated – the team had missed playoffs prior to his arrival and is now second in the league. Nonetheless, Magique’s hire should allow the team to maintain its forward momentum and carry on into the postseason.

2. Magique’s first order of business was hiring his own assistant, going with a surprise pick in Jason Visser. Visser’s name had never come up as an interested party for management positions, even when his alma mater St. Louis Scarecrows had previously had management openings, nor his SHL club, the Winnipeg Jets. However, my sources in Winnipeg *cough* suggest Visser has established plenty of managerial interest and acumen there, which should make him a strong choice in Colorado. If nothing else, Denver has lots of weed, so Visser should be right at home.

3. That wasn’t all for movement in the Centennial State. Also this week, the Mammoths acquired Colton Hagan – the new one – from Prince George in exchange for their first round pick in the Season 36 SMJHL Entry Draft. It’s a steep price to pay in what could very well be a shallow draft after the large Season 35 group, but it added a physical presence to the Mammoths forward corps. We won’t know for sure who wins this trade for at least a couple of seasons, but kudos to Colorado for pushing their chips in.

4. As for Prince George, they have heated up in Hagan’s absence. Some may have seen the trade as the Firebirds “tanking” to prepare for Season 36, but instead they are 7-2 since the trade. Of the seven wins, the most recent was a 5-2 spanking of the Mammoths in Denver. As it turns out, reports of Prince George’s demise were premature. With Dani Forsberg still putting together a season that should earn him MVP consideration, Artom Zhumbayev inserting himself in Corcoran Trophy talks, and Xander Green also playing well, the Firebirds are doing just fine.

5. In case there hadn’t been enough substantial changes this season, today Georgette Pel stepped down as Assistant General Manager of the Halifax Raiders. Many of the players within the Raiders organization sang Pel’s praises after the announcement, as it was clear she had energized that locker room despite what has been a disappointing season on the ice. It’s too early to tell who Matthew Leetch will select as her replacement, but respect to Pel for stepping away when she knew it was time rather than maintaining the role as an empty suit.

6. What the fuck has happened to Kelowna? It wasn’t that long ago the Knights were the dynasty of the SMJHL, with back-to-back Four Star Cups and a third appearance in the finals a season later. Now it appears they could miss the playoffs entirely after a 1-9-0 run in the last ten games. Sebastian Thompson’s performance has suffered, and they are struggling to find offense beyond veterans John Langabeer and (fan of the program) Mike Izzy. As it turns out, even the mighty Knights are not immune to the cyclical nature of the SMJHL.

7. Montreal suffered a tough blow this week, as Vesa Perhonen announced his retirement from hockey at the ripe old age of, what, 19? Now Montreal really has only one solid center option in Michael Walker entering the stretch run of the season. Kelowna’s struggles might keep the Militia in the playoffs, but things are looking grim for the Season 33 champions entering the playoffs.

8. As for the Season 34 champions, Mathias Victorsson has rebounded from a slow start to leap up to second in rookie scoring. With five goals and 16 assists, the Swedish winger is now second to Roddy Hawkins in team scoring for the Falcons. The season turned around for him on a 6-0 win against Prince George, when Victorsson assisted on five goals and scored the only other goal.

9. It goes without saying, but I’ve gone this far without mentioning St. Louis so … they’re playing well, guys. The Scarecrows appear to be on a warpath after losing to Detroit in last season’s Four Star Cup finals. The Crossfit Jesus-Matthew Auston connection has combined for 64 points in 30 games. Jimmy Wagner has been solid in net, and rookie Dominik Tretiak has been stellar when called upon in relief with a .905 save percentage. They are dominant in nearly every phase of the game, as evidenced by their 22-7-1 record. Can they carry it into the playoffs? We’ll see.

10. Zhumbayev’s hot performance has elevated him to a tie for first in save percentage, alongside another second-year netminder in Vancouver’s Carrick Murray. Murray also has four shutouts, putting him in the league lead in that category. It appears Zhumbayev and Murray (along with Jordin FourFour, Jr. and Aleksandr Aleksandrov) will constantly be up for debate for best goalie out of the S35 SHL Draft Class. Put me down as one person who would love to see a Vancouver-Prince George playoff series for this reason.

11. Lastly, let’s talk about Trucker Grogan. Yes, he is fourth in the league with 43 blocked shots. But more importantly for item number 11, he is the bonafide goon of the SMJHL this season. 56 penalty minutes put him just ahead of fellow Raider Dwayne Wyder on the league leaderboard. More importantly, Grogan boasts a perfect 3-0 record in fights this season. Can anyone take down the mighty Grogan before the end of the season?

Zach Evans[/b] | Player Page | Update Page
Nikolai Evans
| Player Page | Update Page


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#2

Another solid article from the evans 11! .. Although #9 was a rough read :facepalm:
I think you posted about an hour to early though... missed out on some big SMJHL info!

Keep up the good work!

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#3

Quote:Originally posted by Coach Biz@Jul 1 2017, 01:44 AM
Another solid article from the evans 11! .. Although #9 was a rough read&nbsp; :facepalm:&nbsp;
I think you posted about an hour to early though... missed out on some big SMJHL info!

Keep up the good work!

Yep, I posted this about 20 minutes before the big trade. Rest in peace.

Zach Evans[/b] | Player Page | Update Page
Nikolai Evans
| Player Page | Update Page


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