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**Rich** · 02-23-2020, 12:07 AM

After hearing from some scouts, Lane made up his mind that he would forgo College hockey, and declare for the SMJHL draft. The draft class he was joining was a very strong class. Even in this strong class, Lane was won of the names mentioned as a possible first overall selection. Ultimately, he ended up being selected 4th by the Montreal Militia. The next two years were a whirlwind. Montreal had a bunch of picks in this draft, and they brought in a lot of talented players. The locker room was young and hungry. The entire draft class fit in really well together, and made for a great atmosphere in the locker room. The team ended up really coming together at the end of the season, resulting in a Four Star Cup win. Then, in the off-season, the team uprooted and moved to Carolina, to become the Kraken. They kicked off the franchises new identity with another great season and Cup win, again, led by this young group that Lane was a part of.

DollarAndADream · 02-23-2020, 05:31 AM

Mikael Choybuk's career in the SMJHL feels like so long ago now. I had a great time down there on the Halifax Raiders. Choybuk was never really a top scorer on any of those Halifax squads, but nonetheless I had a ton of fun. The locker room was the best part of the SMJHL for me, and I think a lot of people would agree with that. The juniors is a developmental league, so nobody really has their player playing at the level they want them to be. Builds aren't close to what people want yet and most attributes upgraded are just ones that anyone should do at that young stage of a career. Choybuk's final season in the SMJHL ended with 19 goals and 19 assists for the Raiders, leading the team. It was great to finally do what I wanted to do as an offensive player, and that's to be the top scoring threat on my team. My team, however, was unfortunately a bottom one.

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Leoben · 02-23-2020, 07:50 AM

Well my situation was a bit different as I wasn't drafted. I just showed up one day before the trade deadline. So I was already behind the curve for my class which is something I've been trying to come back from ever since. I had a few teams reach out to me. Montreal, Halifax, and either Vancouver or Colorado, I can't remember. But it was always going to be Halifax with the management they had at the time. I showed up and actually got a point in my first game but didn't do much else that first season. I was dealing with a lot of personal issues and ended up stepping away for a while and the first part of the next season. I was labeled a bust pretty early but managed to turn it around and actually put together a pretty damn good career in Juniors. Halifax itself had a lot of bad luck during my time but that wasn't because of the players on the team. There is just an aura that we couldn't shed when we were there. I still have great memories of my time there. Hopefully they have more success in the future.

*Katth* · 02-23-2020, 08:18 AM

Right before the SMJHL draft I had no real expectations. The season 45 draft class was so big that any hope of being drafted early as a somewhat unknown player was fading fast. In the end I was drafted 61st overall by the Kelowna Knights, in which later the GM told me, that they would have drafted anyone with a pulse really. Those were some promising words, but I couldn't have landed with a better team and the best GM you could ask for.

The Knights organisation was a very welcoming one, with a ton of alumni wanting to help us get started with the team and the league. In my 4 seasons with the Kelowna Knights we made it to the finals once and lost it in game 7 to the St. Louis Scarecrows. We came so close to winning that Four Star Cup. Now looking back on those days it made me the player who I am today and I've been very fortunate to be where I am today.

S50 Challenge Cup Finals Game 7
[Image: gNFVjT6.png]

TomHanks · 02-23-2020, 09:11 AM

When I entered into the SMJHL draft, I didn’t know what to expect. I had only picked up the sport recently, and even though I had made a name for myself in the fighting world, I was largely unknown in hockey social circles. Even still, measurables and physical talent were enough to propel me to a much earlier pick than expected, sending me to the Lethbridge Lions. Over the last 4 seasons with that team, 3 in Lethbridge and this most recent in Newfoundland, I’ve had a fantastic time with the team and the GMs and have been a force on the ice. This season in particular I have been laying down hits and blocking shots with the best of them. But what I am known for in Newfoundland isn’t hits or blocked shots. Hamr spends more time in the penalty box than all but 2 other players in the league. People know when they play Newfoundland that there is a tough son of a bitch ready to take them out by any means necessary.

UrsinZ · 02-23-2020, 09:56 AM

Ursin Zimmermann is currently still playing in the smjhl but is going up to the shl after this season. For Ursin the SMJHL at the begining was pretty intimidating. He had to leave his friends and family at home in Switzerland and also was put into a young team which all spoke other languages then him. At first Ursin was the pretty quiet guy but after a seson he started to get more talking with the guys and started to like it in Anaheim. The team allways helpd him everywhere if it was fr training or even just helping to find a flat or a good place to eat celliac free food.
Ursin tried to help the new guys as well to find into the league and make them more comfortable and not being nervous about the team and the league.
What also helpd Ursin a lot is the close contact to his swiss friends Kuster and Seger. Seger was a veteran guy which helpd ursin get around with the american living style.

Fitted2106 · 02-23-2020, 10:42 AM

It was a rough transition for me from midget to juniors playing on such a stacked squad made ice time hard to come by and made me put in way more work than I anticipated coming into the j. Even with my limited physical ability my teammates made the move easier for me working with me after practice on my skills and strength I was pretty weak when I first entered the j where I came from in finland was more of a finesse league so my game in terms of battling for loose pucks was pretty awful. Day by day however I got better all in due time my coaches would say, I had the skill just needed my body to catch up by my 3rd season I was finnaly seeing the results of my labor and scoring a good bit of the time. Aldo 2 cups later I've learned what it takes come playoff time alll in all it's been a dandy.

iOBESE · 02-23-2020, 11:06 AM

Danila moved to SMJHL from the Ukrainian league and although being very good there he was not ready for the SMJHL. Might have been the fact that he underestimated the difference that both leagues had, but it was a great learning lesson. His first eye opening was when he was drafted very low in both of the drafts. Second eye opening was the first season he played where he only managed to gain 13 points. After that he understood what was required from him and he set out the plan to reach the level he wanted. Second season in SMJHL showed a big progress in his game and you could tell that he has now on the way to become great player and he has finally realised the work he needs to put in. Third season which just ended just showed that there is still way to go and Danila is not about to stop now. The overall experience on the SMJHL for Danila so far has been very good and he is ready for the last season before he goes to the big league.

ImShiny · 02-23-2020, 11:09 AM

Being drafted by the Kelowna Knights was a huge time for Vent. He was super excited to come over and start working with his new team and getting to see his new surroundings for the next few years. Vent's first year was very disappointing. Hardly putting up any points and taking a lot of penalties did not sit well with him or his teammates at all. As the years went on Vent began to improve more and more as a defenseman. The team was able to make a run for the cup and even got the finals. However, sadly they weren't able to win the cup and fell in game 7. After that finals run Vent and Kelowna wouldn't make it close again in Vent's final years in Kelowna. During his last few years, Vent became one of the best defensemen for the Knights playing top-pairing minutes and being named an Alternative captain for the team as well. Vent was able to contribute both offensively and defensively for the knights and had come a long way from his first year being so horrible.

ErM · 02-23-2020, 01:20 PM

Jeez Tor Tuck does not remember much about his time in the Juniors because he is so old and it was so long ago. After coming into the professional ranks Tor Tuck was contacted by the Calgary Dragons and Tor Tuck was convinced he would have an opportunity to move to Calgary and play in the big leagues so the time he spent in the Juniors were not too wild. However this connection lead to Tor Tuck signing with the St. Louis Scarecrows due to their connection with Calgary at the time. The team did not have any wild success during Tor Tucks time there despite the Crows being a force in the Juniors before and after his time in the team. After a a season and a half in the Juniors Tor Tucks time there quietly came to an end without too much fanfare. To be honest Tor Tucks career did not have too much fanfare in the minors and his career really didn't become worth talking about until he had played several seasons in the big leagues.

*Buster* · 02-23-2020, 02:06 PM

Oliver Cleary's time in the SMJHL was definitely an interesting one. Cleary started the season with a bang. After being drafted 14th overall by the Montreal Militia, Cleary decided to go to the GM and demand a trade. Cleary felt disrespected because he dropped to the second round when he was a first round talent. Hindsight ended up being 20/20 because Cleary has become a better player than the player Montreal took in the 1st round. After a few days of looking for a buyer, Cleary was traded to the Detroit Falcons. He signed right away and got prepared for the regular season. Cleary had a good defensive season while providing a bit of offence and raised his profile for the SHL draft. Projected to be first overall, Cleary went 4th overall to the Los Angeles Panthers. They must have really believed in his talent because they called him up as a true rookie and ended Cleary's SMJHL time.

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Samsung virtual assistant · 02-23-2020, 02:32 PM

When Disisde hit the requierd age to be drafted into the SMJHL, scouts were very interested and came form far away to watch him skate on the small rink back home in Japan. No scout ever spoke to him though weirdly enough. Maybe it was the language barrier? Anyways he was drafted in the middle of the first round to the Lethbridge Lions together with his defensive countryman Akira Ren. He had a couple of good seasons in Lethbridge before they announced their relocation to Newfoundland to become the Berserkers. Moving there also meant some new team-structures, where Disisde was named the first ever Berserkers captain, which was really cool. Perhaps it would have been better to name a younger player captain though because this will be his last season down in the minor leagues before he is being called up to the big league and his SHL team Los Angeles Panthers. Lot's of fond memories on this team though, will miss it.

LairdButler · 02-23-2020, 03:00 PM

Stepping up into the J's was a big change for Stan Hanson. Gone were the days of playing on a team with guys that he'd known all his life. Gone was the familiar locker room that he had spent much of his youth in. Gone was the feel of the ice that he skated nearly every day. Gone was the roar of the 100 or so spectators that would crowd the tiny local rink. All of that was replaced by unfamiliar ice, bright lights, big crowds, and a bevy of new teammates who would soon come be as brothers to him. Stan Hanson is not usually one to get too nervous, but that first day on the ice with The Armada brought butterflies to his stomach. Stan knew he had a proud family legacy to live up to, so he mustered his courage, and dug down deep to find the grit and determination he has become known for. With one deep breath, Stan hit the ice and the first opposing player he could find.

MrStennett · 02-23-2020, 03:02 PM

Being in the SMJHL was a great experience for Barrett Blackwood. Ever since he signed his entry level contract with the St. Louis Scarecrows, he was incredibly thankful to have been on the team. He had great GMs and amazing teammates. Blackwood has always been incredibly grateful to have shared the ice with guys like Mika Kandinsky, Nicolaj Muller, and Lyle Odelein. These are all guys who were all-time players with the Scarecrows and are now tearing it up in the SHL proper. Having the experience of playing with so many premium players that early in his professional career was truly a blessing. To this day, Blackwood will still pop into the St. Louis locker room and checking in with the guys there. It has kind of always been a thing with the Scarecrows that the alumni hang out with the current players, and Barrett is happy to keep up that tradition. He even stops into the front office every once in awhile since the GMs he played for are still doing great things with the team.

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Mook · 02-23-2020, 03:02 PM

In Crellers SMJHL career, he had high hopes... that were completely shattered by his terrible motivation on the ice. His goal to sit ontop of the SMJHL leaderboards did not come to fruition and now he sits among 2nd liners and has beens in the leaderboards. As long as he can rally with the Kraken this season, then bringing the cup will solidify his season, otherwise it was a bad start to his career. Hopefully when he makes the jump to the SHL, thing's will brighten up under command of Wasty, the GM of the Panthers and the new FHM sim. Every Creller player has had eerily similar SMJHL careers, putting up respectable numbers but never really shining. Is this the start of another career that will fall short of the HoF? Or will Creller smarten up and set some new records as we enter a new era. We will find out after the offseason

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