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StadiumGambler · 03-28-2019, 12:27 AM

(Word count is around 1350 plus a bit of research and effort and all that good stuff.)

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With the final fan votes cast, the rosters have been decided for the SMJHL All-Star Series, set to take place after the conclusion of the Four Star Cup Finals. Thousands of people campaigned and voted to fill the remaining 6 spots each for Team North America and Team World with their favourites, and the results were revealed via an online stream on YouTube from the Cory And Trevor Ltd. company channel. Without any further ado, here are the rosters and projected lineups.........

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FAN VOTE RESULTS HERE (IMAGE IS A LITTLE BIG THO, WARNING): https://imgur.com/a/ZdhzKww

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TEAM NORTH AMERICA ROSTERS / PROJECTED LINEUPS

Troy Reynolds-Borromini Cannellini-Matt Kholin
Cullen Gray-Ty Hoover-Nicolas Fleming
Collin Gibbles-Bobby Sharp-Dick Clapper

Leopold Lockhart-Chuck Crutchfield
Slip McScruff-Eric Vanderberg
Aaron F. Rome-Jax Duggan

Casimir Stevens
Vivian Leblanc

Dan Curry was the first to announce his lineups, and noted that unfortunately the committee-selected Osbert Whacker would not be on Team North America, due to a recent change in nationality filed with IIHF. Whacker is now on Team Japan after rumoured issues with USA Hockey brass, and Curry was quick to drop some snide remarks on Whacker for being a perceived "turncoat". Curry then loudly boasted that his team wouldn't need Whacker and said they took an extra defenseman from the fan vote to fill his spot. Jax Duggan and Aaron Freakin Rome were the top 2 in the fan vote, so Curry took the 3rd placed Eric Vanderberg as his 6th and final defenseman. Jax Duggan proved surprisingly popular in the fan vote, and was in the headlines for various antics over the course of the season, in particular having a war of words with the Halifax Raiders. North America will be looking to the Anchorage pairing of Lockhart and Crutchfield to eat minutes as the best players in a somewhat lesser defense core. Lockhart in particular will be a focus of the teams powerplay, as the dangerous Anchorage defenseman led the juniors with 21 points on the man advantage.

The backup goaltender job will go to Jets prospect and Kelowna Knights netminder Vivian Leblanc. Leblanc put up an .895 save percentage and 2.54 GAA with the Knights, earning a record of 22-12-4 for the first-place BC franchise. Leblanc was at times overshadowed by her backup Alexander Andersson-Grande but should still represent a solid option for Team North America, and is expected to start at least one game due to series rules.

The big surprise in the fan vote was at forward, as the Halifax social media bid to get both Matt Kholin and Joseph Laraque in fell slightly short. St Louis Scarecrows center Ty Hoover nipped Laraque and Anchorage forward Maxime Bouchard for the 3rd spot in the fan vote, while the steady Collin Gibbles took 2nd in fan voting. Gibbles is expected to contribute on the checking line with the dangerous Kelowna duo of Bobby Shapr and Dick Clapper, while Ty Hoover should pair with teammate Nicolas Fleming and the Vancouver rookie sensation Cullen Gray.

Curry clearly has big expectations for his first line, and for good reason, as Borromini Cannellini and Troy Reynolds both had excellent years for their J teams. Curry boastfully predicted that the duo would be the impact players of the All-Star Series. Curry then reiterated his prediction of North American victory, and finally signed off by thanking the fans watching at home for selecting 7 good players for his team, promising that he'd take good take of them until they could lift that trophy at the end.

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TEAM WORLD ROSTERS / PROJECTED LINEUPS

Parker Smeb-Knute Knurtsson-Michael Scarn
Hiro Fujikawa-Monkey D. Luffy-Petr Mikulak
Olivier Cloutier-Raino Kyllonen-Kristoffer Svensson

Guy Zheng-Cassius Darrow
Nikolai Evans-Kalevi Karhunen
Mathias Seger-Corey Kennedy

Patrice Nadeau
Peter Larson

Legendary Russian coach Anatoli Terrorov was on stream next to announce his rosters. Terrorov kept most of his remarks brief, starting by politely thanking the fans for their votes and said he would do his best to mould the lineup they gave him into an effective team.

The forward core is overflowing with talent, with scoring potential on every line. Its expected that the first line of Smeb-Knurtsson-Scarn will be the play for Team World due to their experience together as teammates on the Colorado Raptors and having a higher understanding of each others game compared to the other forwards. Smeb and Knurtsson were bright spots on a rough Raptors squad, with Knurtsson leading the league in assists and Smeb ranked second in the league in Points per 20 Minutes of play. Michael Scarn was a leading figure in the fan vote, although hes had a tough time with the Halifax Raiders, who acquired him at the deadline for a pair of second round picks but have yet to see him score through the latter part of the regular season and the first round of the playoffs. Scarn had a memorable performance in last year SHL Draftee Showcase for Terrorov however, and the coach is likely to keep faith in the Czech center.

Other fan vote winners at Forward is the future Team Japan ace forward in Monkey D. Luffy (who formerly represented Canada and North America in the Draftee Showcase.), and Anchorage Armada winger Olivier Cloutier. Luffy is expected to team up with new countryman Hiro Fujikawa and Petr Mikulak to form an aggressive second line, while the 3rd line could see Cloutier with Kristoffer Svensson and Raino Kyllonen, who both were widely considered MVPs of their team. An imposing group, although one has to wonder if the offensive and defensive balance is right......... Forwards such as Kit Smeb, Jakub Novak, Nicolas Klaus, and Gordie Boomhover were unlucky to miss out on the fun.

The blueline saw veteran Cassius Darrow (who is widely expected to join the Buffalo Stampede for their playoff push soon), win the fan vote, with 1st overall draft pick Nikolai Evans coming in second. Dom Montgomery and Basil Magnicotta were seen as surprising misses by some analysts, but the two selected by fan vote certainly have talent to spare. Darrow is expected to be on the 1st pairing due to his experience, and should accompany the highly rated Kelowna defenseman Guy Zheng ont he first pairing, with Evans slotting alongside Anchorage's Kalevi Karhunen on pair 2. Rookie Corey Kennedy will likely be accompanied by his teammate Mathias Seger on the third pairing. The defense is certainly flush with depth and looks better on paper than North America's, which could be the tipping point in the series.

Team World goaltending will be handled by another Japanese convert in Patrice Nadeau. Nadeau will be backed up by the fan selected Dane Peter Larson from the Anchorage Armada. Larson put up adequate numbers for a strong Anchorage team, and will get the call in at least one game in the series due to the pre-determined rules stating that both goaltenders must get at least one start. The duo should be fairly well-protected and are expected to have good showings in the series.

Terrorov also mentioned that Anchorage defenseman Johnny Sins (who finished 4th in fan voting) will join Team World as a strength and conditioning coach and emergency spare player, a roe he fufilled during last season's SHL Draftee Showcase. Due to tournament rules however, Terrorov was not able to bring the aforementioned Japanese convert Osbert Whacker into the fold for Team World, an unfortunate miss for the defense core.

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All-in-all, both teams look stacked and ready for the fight, although once again Team World enters as the favourite due to superior depth and player availability. North America was hurt by several defections, despite assertions from NA coach Dan Curry to the contrary, and will be up against it facing the power World attack. Will we see an upset, another close series, or a total blowout? We will find out after the conclusion of the playoffs, in the start of another big offseason for the world of hockey.........

SecondSucks22 · 03-28-2019, 12:34 AM

Eyyy, Id like to thank literally everyone who voted for me, idk how the fuck i got 58% of the fan vote!

Flareon · 03-28-2019, 12:37 AM

Perry is happy

StadiumGambler · 03-28-2019, 12:43 AM

Corey Kennedy made it cause I wanted one rookie on each team and World didnt have a rookie forward that could make the team on merit like NA did. Defense is always a bit more ambiguous for stats and Kennedy had a decent year so i figured wynaut.

***SDCore*** · 03-28-2019, 12:44 AM

Ouch... Thanks Morgan..

*slothfacekilla* · 03-28-2019, 12:47 AM

I demand a recount

Flareon · 03-28-2019, 12:49 AM

03-28-2019, 12:44 AMSDCore Wrote: Ouch... Thanks Morgan..

Perry has a lot of love for his fellow D-man, sometimes it unleashes itself in the form of drunken twitter ramblings

Disclaimer: I have no issue with you being selected, It's just an RP thing

SecondSucks22 · 03-28-2019, 01:04 AM

03-28-2019, 12:49 AMFlareon4043 Wrote:
03-28-2019, 12:44 AMSDCore Wrote: Ouch... Thanks Morgan..

Perry has a lot of love for his fellow D-man, sometimes it unleashes itself in the form of drunken twitter ramblings

Disclaimer: I have no issue with you being selected, It's just an RP thing

How can you be mad at that man, look at that smile!

***SDCore*** · 03-28-2019, 01:07 AM

The less teeth the better??

SecondSucks22 · 03-28-2019, 01:28 AM

03-28-2019, 01:07 AMSDCore Wrote: The less teeth the better??

Listen im just saying, you watch any anaheim game, you see Kennedy get beat 3 times a game, and hes still on everyone allstar vote

Gray · 03-28-2019, 02:02 AM

03-28-2019, 01:28 AMSecondSucks22 Wrote:
03-28-2019, 01:07 AMSDCore Wrote: The less teeth the better??

Listen im just saying, you watch any anaheim game, you see Kennedy get beat 3 times a game, and hes still on everyone allstar vote

Hey, at least you have respect for him, right?

SecondSucks22 · 03-28-2019, 02:05 AM

03-28-2019, 02:02 AMGray Wrote:
03-28-2019, 01:28 AMSecondSucks22 Wrote: Listen im just saying, you watch any anaheim game, you see Kennedy get beat 3 times a game, and hes still on everyone allstar vote

Hey, at least you have respect for him, right?