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KenitohMenara · 03-19-2020, 06:56 AM

**1116 words**

When you make it to the SMJHL, the expectation for you is to get your feet wet and compete. It is the same in every league as you try to make an impact as a rookie when facing up against older, more experienced players but in the SHL system, it's more important than anything else. There are thousands upon thousands of players who want your spot and are willing to throw everything at taking it from you. It’s like a lone soldier against an army of monsters. One false move or a couple of bad games can spell your doom. This comparison though… is only relevant for those who get drafted. To those who have to sit out the draft or fail to get drafted, the situation becomes even harder. Now if you are lucky enough to get a contract, you have to prove your worth from day 1 and never stop. It’s like climbing a mountain while being stabbed and shot, it can be a nightmare beyond comprehension. Out of the free agent class for Season 52, there were two players that not bore the brunt of that challenge but thrived because of it. Taylor Johansson (drafted by the Toronto North Stars) and Santtu Rasanen (drafted by the Manhattan Rage).

Santtu has now returned to Anchorage a very busy summer spending time at the Manhattan Rage development camp with his fellow draftees, Hiroshi Orika and Juuka Timonen. After training camp finished, both he and Juuka were off to World Juniors to represent their home nation of Finland. They would play well for their first ever experience with the IIHF but lost in heartbreaking fashion in the quarter finals to the UCORCAL team in overtime. Despite how hectic and heartbreaking his summer was in that regard, Santtu has been incredibly grateful just for the chance to play at the highest levels, especially after signing with the Armada as a free agent.

“A lot of pro pundits have said that ‘it truly doesn’t matter when you get drafted because it doesn’t account for work ethic’ when talking about me.” Santtu told us after landing back in Anchorage. “It was a tremendous honour to represent Finland at world juniors and to be with the Manhattan Rage at their training camp. In just under a year, I now have a pro team and a world juniors tournament under my belt. It’s funny how life turns out.”

However grateful for the Summer Santtu might be, he knows that there is a lot of hard work in front of him now. If the expectation last was to just keep up, this year now he needs to thrive and lead the Armada to victory. Anchorage lost in disappointing fashion in last year's playoffs to the Newfoundland Berserkers in 6 games. The Armada is also shedding key veterans, including former SMJHL MVP Daniel Bischoff from their roster due to call ups. It will now be up to Santtu and his fellow former rookies like Chris de Siren (drafted to the Calgary Dragons) and Danny White (drafted to the Los Angeles Panthers) to fill the holes those veterans left. It is a daunting task that they face but one that these three have prepared for ever since the draft. After all three got drafted in the second round, they left the forum to go celebrate at a local restaurant. While the conversation was light and merry first, all three came to realize what lay in head of them. They made a promise to themselves and each other, that they would return to Anchorage as different players from before. More mature, more refined, better than ever before so that they could take the SMJHL by storm and bring home another four star cup. In Santtu’s case, he needed to continue his development as a passer and to develop into a pace setting center. A lot of his time with Manhattan was spent on studying game film about reading plays, realizing what plays were developing and reacting to them. Thankfully, the Rage had a huge video library for him to work with so he spent a lot of time in the video room with head coach Sebastian Frost to better understand plays and improve his reaction times.

The results of his training camp became clear to his fellow players in Anchorage. GM Max Brannagan had allowed the players into the Sullivan Center for an informal practice, just to get back together after a long summer apart. It was clear that Santtu was not the same center that head left the Sullivan Center in disgrace during the playoffs. He was faster, leaner and far more observant than before. His new reaction times lead to his wingers getting better chances on plays and lead to him stopping offensive plays going the other way much more efficiently.

“We already knew he was talented but seeing his development from the playoffs is truly encouraging.” Brannagan said, “It’s like watching an entirely different player step on the ice. If he can translate what he has learned from the Rage and world juniors into the season, he and the rest of the forward core are going to have a very good year. We are entering this season with high hopes of returning to the finals and reaching for another four star cup.”

Nothing would please Santtu more than getting that four star cup. All of his hard work over the years had been validated on draft night when the Rage picked him up and when his home nation asked him to represent them at world juniors. Now a new goal has formed in Santtu’s mind. It’s a high goal for sure but with his new development he feels like he can reach it.

“I would like to try and be number one in assists this year.” Santtu said on his individual goal. “I’ve got a great winger by my side in Chris and he’s worked really hard this summer on improving his shot power and his aim. If we can click like we did down the stretch of last season, I think we can reach it together. I know he wants to lead the league in goals so we both have big goals for this year.”

With that though, Santtu has said that his overall goal is to get the Armada another cup. He wants to reach those finals and claim a championship for the team that took a chance on him when no one else would. These are huge targets and there will be huge obstacles in the way but for as outlandish as these dreams sound for the young center, his will and his drive make you… believe in him.

***Inf1d3l*** · 03-19-2020, 08:28 AM

#RageAgainst

***luke*** · 03-19-2020, 08:54 AM

#rageAgainst

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