From the Trade Deadline to the posting of the first task completable for TPE, whether that be the Interested Prospects Threads, Early Bird PT, Mock Draft, etc., DFAs will be able to complete weekly DFA Bounties. These Bounties will function practically identically to PTs, but with money instead of TPE, and will be posted in this part of the forums. By writing 250 words or completing a graphic for a certain prompt, DFAs will earn $500,000 for their bank accounts, with a cap of 4 completed bounties ($2,000,000).
Since the trade deadline was last Monday, I am pleased to bring you the first S72 DFA Bounty: Written Task: Only the best of the best make it into the SMJHL. Junior players from all over the world come to this league in the hopes of being drafted, becoming a successful SMJHL player and continuing that success in the SHL. But we all have a history too. What is your history? Where did you play? How did you do? How did your career look so far, and what aspects of your player in their pre-SMJHL career is going to make your player succeed? (250 word min.)
Graphic Task: Pictures say more than a thousand words. Show us a pic of the young you, playing hockey. Include your player name and a render of your younger self, and at least one statline.
Reward: $500,000
Only current SMJHL Draftable Free Agents (S73 SMJHL Draftees, SHL class of S74) are eligible for this bounty.
There is no need to claim this anywhere. After grading the money should pop up in your account 'automatically'.
So I did not come from a traditional hockey market in the slightest. I actually grew up not even knowing what hockey even was until I was. Hell I do not think I knew what anything was other than food, water, and my wheel. What little I do remember before the "event" was mostly that. But one day I remember a bright light and someone crying and then next thing I knew I was in another room and much much taller. I could walk upright, something I don't remember doing before then but again the memory is foggy. I woke up and saw a hockey game playing on the TV and it just looked so fascinating that I wanted to do it more than anything at that time. Well my speed was good enough to find a team pretty easily if I looked in the right country, which I ended up in the USA (not sure where I was born) and found a juniors team that wanted to bring me to see how I could do. I was in non traditional market in the south east so it wasn't hard to make the team from my skill. They did have some issues with my full body covered in hair and weirdly shaped face but they grew to love me in the end. I did well and won MVP one year but the team as a whole just wasn't amazing and we didn't win anything as a team unfortunately. I had a ton of fun though and it grew my passion to try my hand in the SMJHL and eventually the SHL if I am lucky. I hope in the end I get a shot just like a I did before, based on my speed and then I can show my 2 way game on the blue line to really find a new home.
On quiet L'Île-Dorval on the outskirts of Montreal, Yves D'Odeur, known as "Stinky," hailed from a family of renowned perfumers with a long history of olfactory excellence. Yves suffered an abusive childhood, expecting perfection in perfumery and enduring the stifling of his dreams. Despite the unavailability of ice time in his isolated life, Yves nurtured a hidden passion for hockey, goaltending in particular, by practicing in a pitch-black cave and using his keen sense of smell to continuously detect the precise location of vulcanized rubber in relation to himself. Eventually, he was able to sneak away and start playing some house league games as a backup under the guise of perfume deliveries to mainland Quebec, and one day he caught the eye of an amateur scout...
Yves' extraordinary ability to perfectly track the puck's location despite such an unpolished skillset intrigued the scout greatly. After a surreal interview, in which he discovered Stinky's schnoz and how it translated to the game, the scout convinced him to escape L'Île-Dorval a la Evgeni Malkin and pursue professional hockey. With a sense of optimism and a tinge of trepidation, he ran. Leaving his life of scented excellence behind, Yves entered a world that tested his determination and abilities. In spite of wide skepticism from both coaches and media, his unorthodox scent-based training methods propelled him past both development hurdles and opponents alike.
From a troubled artisan to a top goaltending prospect, Yves "Stinky" D'Odeur performed well through junior and eventually landed at the doorstep to the SMJHL, his skillset still seen largely as more of a myth than a reality. Will his unique talents translate to such a prestigious league? Who will take the bet on such an unorthodox goalie? Find out at the draft.
Only the best of the best make it into the SMJHL. Junior players from all over the world come to this league in the hopes of being drafted, becoming a successful SMJHL player and continuing that success in the SHL. But we all have a history too. What is your history? Where did you play? How did you do? How did your career look so far, and what aspects of your player in their pre-SMJHL career is going to make your player succeed? (250 word min.)
As a young legume on Mr. Carter's peanut farm, I lived a very sedentary life. Just laying around and growing larger by the day. One day though, strangely there was a strange glow in the field. Next thing I remember is that I had sprouted arms, legs, eyes and mouth. From then on I was shown around as this "larger than life" paradox. I tried to get into professional wrestling and decided to get "swole" but apparently there isn't a market for that where there's concern about cracking my shell, however it honestly is almost like a turtle shell. WWE told me to "get the shell" out of their office, pun intended obviously so I looked to the next best thing: hockey. I strapped on a pair of skates and learned to keep my balance and I grew to be pretty good at it. I can't shoot the puck very well, but my old coach...who's breath reeked of pickle juice, was able to get me working as a defenseman. Apparently having a shell for a body makes for good blocking and hip checking. Combine that with a very blase' bit of ruthless aggression and I'm the perfect setup to be a goalies best friend. Just don't stay in my way when I'm heading toward you. Hopefully the rest of the teams here in the SMJHL don't see me as some weird freak show. I've already heard stories about hot-dogs, otters and even pokemon being drafted so it shouldn't be far-fetched for a defensive peanut to get picked up. I hope that my size, agility and ability to bounce pucks off my body at weird angles will make me an appealing draft pick when it comes time.
When looking at Patey V2, his history is not one that very many want to talk about, not because he did anything bad, but basically because he was a no show. Patey V2 was born in Europe and mainly played in North America for longest time but then returned home. When looking back at his time in North America, this is where he was told that if he plays there, he has the best chance to be one of the top prospects in the world. When he started playing, he just did not see it, the competition was weak and he was not improving at all and just stagnating with his surroundings. He honestly felt like he regressed as his stats were going down and he was not as focused on his long term goals. Now looking at his current time in Europe, it is quite the opposite where the players skill levels are much higher and Patey has too work much harder. Patey V2 is no stranger to vanishing out of thin air, he's done it before, but he believes that if he works hard every day, he will be easily able to keep up with his current and future competition. Patey is certainly not a top prospect in the future draft, but he is a prospect that is going to put the work in to be able to prove himself once again. If Patey V2 is one thing, it's a grinder, which makes him special, and he will do nothing to be at the top of his class and to be the best player.