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Mack · 10-27-2018, 03:12 PM

Willy Mack Reflects On Draft

The day of each SHL draft is one of the best days on the site and something many players remember years later. Heading into this S44 SHL draft I was really excited because it was time for me to try out the big leagues and move on from my SMJHL career.

I had a pretty good idea I was going to the Edmonton Blizzard with the 9th overall pick but you never know what can happen. Leading up to the Edmonton draft I had 4 teams contact me who were potentially interested in drafting me. So I want to thank those other three organisations for scouting me because it is a lot of fun being scouted and even though they didn't take me it added to the excitement of the whole thing. Thank you to San Francisco, Manhattan and Buffalo for reaching out to me!

Edmonton was the team that was clearly the most interested and I spent most of my time talking to @Keygan. I met Keygan in the Montreal Militia locker room after the SMJHL draft and I loved him right away. He is a great dude who is always taking time to answer questions and help out anyone that asks. He let me know straight up that Edmonton wanted to take me 9th overall. The other teams that talked to me were mostly just asking questions but Edmonton was making it known they really wanted me. It felt great to know that someone wanted to take me in the top 10 as I know some could think I will retire early. I spoke to @karlssens and Keygan a few times in the days that lead up to the draft and assured them that I was all in for the SHL and needed a new challenge from the SMJHL. I was willing to do whatever it took for my SHL team to have success, I let them know I would change stats, positions or anything needed to be the best player for the Blizzard and help us win as soon as possible.

Draft day came and I was so excited to find out where I was going to end up. It seemed very obvious from all the mock drafts and conversations I had that I would be a member of the Blizzard but until it happened you never know for sure! When pick 9 came up and I saw my name called I was so pumped! I joined the Blizzard locker room on discord and everyone in there has been so great to me. A lot of the team play Blizzard video games and so do I so hopefully I can join them in some games soon but it's been a busy week! The buzz in the locker room is exciting as the team feels like we have a good shot this season to win it all. There has been many changes recently for the Blizzard and it feels like an awesome place to be!

Edmonton had 3 first round picks this year, all in the top 10 and picked up two stud players in Tauras Karazija and Bernard Freeman at 3rd and 4th overall. I feel like this draft class will be one to remember in Edmonton for years to come and the three of us can all become huge pieces for this team in a few seasons.

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I know some people have complained about the experience on this site recently but I must say I am having tons of fun. This SHL is what you make it. If you want to get caught up in the drama you can go right ahead but if you're looking for beautiful people who really care about others you will find them all over the place. Everyone from Montreal has treated me so well after drafting me 19th overall and I truly look forward to logging into Discord each day and seeing what everyone is up to. Now that I am a member of Edmonton I am just so excited to make a great player for this organisation and experience the big league for the first time. I should give a huge thank you to everyone in the SMJHL who makes that league tick. As some of you know I have made a few players in my time here and they all were career SMJHL players. I know that league isn't fun for some people but I truly love it.

So what's ahead for Willy Mack to look forward to now? Well this year should be a good one in Montreal. It will be my second year and I am already at the 350 cap before preseason starts. Last year was tough losing in round 2 to Vancouver but they were a stacked team and deserved to win. This season I would love to see Montreal win it all and think we have a great team that can do it. Edmonton looks like they will have a great year without me and I will be their biggest cheerleader this season. It would be amazing for them to win it all even if I am not a part of it yet. I hope to make my way to the SHL quickly this time around and don't want to spend too long in the SMJHL.

So in closing thank you to everyone on this site for helping be part of something so unique and entertaining. I love seeing everyone's creative talents on display here and love the very diverse mix of people we have. I have met some really amazing people on here and I honestly hope to stay friends with them forever. I have made my fair share of mistakes on here but I don't regret any of them. Every choice I made has gone into getting me to this point and here I am as a member of the Blizzard and the Militia and I couldn't be happier. Thank you to all my coaches and GM's I have had over the two years. Thank you for putting up with me even if I went inactive or retired. I love you all, even the shit heads because it's just more fun when not everyone plays a good guy.