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mee · 06-07-2020, 07:49 PM

Sven Yxskaft has been traded to Carolina for a first round pick. The Whalers have seemingly given up on this season, trading away their captain who is due to graduate to the SHL for S55.
The Whalers have not had the start of season they were hoping for. A late season collapse combined with a surge for Colorado left the Whalers out of the post season for S53. But S54 looked to be different. Almost no players moving on, the Whalers were hoping to compete. They brought in a strong rookie class, and expected Name Redacted to take another step forward at the goaltender position. Redacted has been solid with a .913, right around his .914 from last season, but the scoring has not come easy for the Whalers. The Whalers have scored just 37 goals in 20 games, a full 12 goals behind Detroit for the least in the league (in 20 games, Maine in 22 has 50 goals, we'd expect the Falcons to pass them).
What is the issue with the Whalers offense, and how can they look to solve it, both for this season and next?
One of the biggest needs for this team coming into the season was center. However, this draft did not have a highly promising young center, with none being taken in the first round. The first center selected was Cody Spinka taken in the second round at 15, the Whalers picked 3 and 12 selecting Johnny Shuffleboard (D) and Devin Basher(RW). Spinka has just a 1-3-4 line, hard to say the Whalers went wrong there. The Whalers finally took a center with Daniil Nikiforov(2-5-7) in the third round and Wile Coyote(2-1-3) in the fourth. We expect them to look there again in the upcoming drafts. The lack of talent in the middle hurt the Whalers coming into this season without a question.
As far as their current team, they have a lack of high-end scorers. There only all-star, William Hartmann has just 15 points (6-9) and their second scorer is a defenseman, the third overall pick Johnny Shuffleboard with 11 (2-9). There are five players tied at 7, including the now Kraken, Yxskaft. The Whalers will need to add some top-end scoring if they want to be successful. Will Shuffleboard take another step with an increased role with Yxskaft departed? Perhaps it will be Slimey Snail also likely to see his role increased, one of the players tied with 7 points? Will Daniil Nikiforov be a major player next season? Whaler fans hope one or more of these players can step up.
The Whalers and their fans did not see this season coming. A 4-15-1 start seems to have buried them in the West, and they are already making moves for next season. Their core is still young, with their top players Redacted, Sato and Hartmann all S54 draftees, and the S55 crew is coming on strong. Their window expected a playoff appearance this year, that seems out of the cards now. But S55 and S56 are calling to what can be a great team.
-Vancouver, Canada
Whalers

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512 words in Word

DELIRIVM · 06-10-2020, 04:04 AM

But they had a top end center fall into their lap in the 2nd round. So don't worry. 7 points as a rookie playing a lot of minutes on the third line until recently. No time on the powerplay on the worst scoring SMJHL. Just wait baby.

***sve7en*** · 06-10-2020, 09:08 AM

As someone who helped organize the same thing in Carolina last season, the reward is well worth it and next season will be way more fun Smile

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