09-24-2024, 03:40 PM(This post was last modified: 09-24-2024, 04:14 PM by Mtstreaks04. Edited 2 times in total.)
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With the SMJHL season completed the Newfoundland Berserkers found themselves in an all to familiar spot in recent years finishing 12th out of 16 teams. However this season seemed different than the past couple in that there appears to be a bright future ahead for this very young team. The Berserkers have graduated Jason Warhawa and Connor McDusty and while they will be difficult shoes to fill and will need to replace the 105 points scored between them it seems like they have enough young players chomping at the bit for the opportunity.
In this article we will break down the strengths and weaknesses of this team and talk a bit on the outlook for the upcoming season.
Forwards
This group will be led by Jett Labyrinth and TheGreatOne and the team will look to lean on the veteran TheGreatOne as he is their only S77 player on the roster but will look for Jett to continue to lead by example. Lack of depth is not plaguing this team as it had in the past season and they seem to be loaded with youth and talent on offense. Hannah Crowder as a season 78 will need to take a step forward in her development but should be a key contributor and the rookies from last year will all look to take a large step forward in the upcoming campaign. Jason Bourne, Ima Noobie, Hamper Linthome and Jacob Marsh should all factor in even more than the rookie campaign where we saw all 4 post 41+ points on the year. It will be interesting to see how the former rookies continue to gel and if the Marsh, Linthome, Noobie line will stay together and build on the mild success from last year.
Defense
The Defense took a much larger hit from graduates to the SHL than the forwards and replacing Joe Degen and Turtle Bob will be a tough task as they anchored the blueline for multiple seasons. The Berserkers will look to Leo Finnegan and Weston Windsor to step up and play even bigger minutes in the coming season as the young players will look to them. Filling in behind them will be two players coming off solid seasons in Big Sweg and Ivan Ivanovitch but that is unfortunately where Newfoundland defensive depth ends. They will need to pick up 2 new players through the draft or signings to fill out this D corps.
Goalie
There is no sugar coating it, the Berserkers were in goalie hell at the beginning of the season taking a chance on rookie goalie Katharina Rosenthal to be their every day starter from day one. To nobody’s surprise the rookie had her share of ups and downs playing in 48 games behind a very young team. She has made impressive strides over the course of the year and soon may be the franchise tender they hoped for when making her an early pick the year before. There is no true backup pressing her for minutes so she will be in sink or swim mode again next season but should be up to the task.
Draft Needs
Defense, Defense, Defense. While they have their top 4 solidified for the next 2 years the cupboard is bare in behind them and spending a high priority pick on a D may be the best move for the franchise. Offense will be needed but with 6 strong players all locked in with Newfoundland for at least the next 2 years that can be put on the backburner. As for goalie a backup may be a luxury at this point as the team does seem convinced that Katharina Rosenthal can be the goalie to take this team deep into the playoffs over the next 3 years.
Outlook
This is a team on the way up. While they may not be in cup or bust territory next season it will likely be a disappointment if Newfoundland has no hardware to show over the next 2-3 years after the talent the GM has assembled. There will be growing pains but I expect the Berserkers to be highly competitive into the future.
1. For Fan Appreciation day the Malamutes are giving the first 2000 fans through the gates a Chuck Lumbermouth bobblehead. The bobblehead features Lumbermouth in his signature goal celebration pose, a t-pose. Just like real life the t-posing Lumbermouth spins in a circle when you press the button and he utters his signature catch phrase, “Chuck don’t need no puck luck, young buck” which fans of the Malamutes will recognize he screams menacingly at the opposing bench after every goal he scores.The bobblehead feature Chuck in the Malamutes home jersey and lists his Yukon rookie goals record of 33 at the bottom. (102 words, +2 TPE)
3. The Malamutes are always looking ahead for ways to gain a competitive edge. A recent modification to the rink has the visitors bench 6 inches higher than the home team, making getting on and off the ice an extremely awkward event. The hope is that every few games someone will wipe out stepping onto or off the ice, and that hopefully it will happen at a crucial moment in a game once or twice. We also shut off all hot water to the visitors showers, and cranked the heat all the way up. Sometimes the ice crew will sneak some rotting food into the vents in the visitors room as well, just to make it as uncomfortable as possible. As for gaining a direct advantage, the Malamutes have an unorthodox training routine. They are fairly secretive about the details, but lets just say it involves trapping a breeding colony of poisonous snakes inside a dome full of diseased rats for sustenance. Once the snake population begins to get out of control several families of bald eagles are introduced to try and get it under control. Containing the birds is illegal and they have to be removed and set free before anyone gets arrested, but these birds have ample food and do not want to leave. It's up to the Malamutes players to remove these eagles by any means necessary, and the methodology they use to do so is kept extremely secret by the organization, but they swear it gives their players a leg up on the competition. (257 words, +5 TPE)
12. Chuck Lumbermouth is a speedy left wing with size and a wicked shot to go with it. He has great vision offensively and a knack for finding the back of the net. Leading all SMJHL rookies in goals this season, he set the all-time Yukon record for goals scored by a rookie with 33. Chuck is strong with a big frame, but he is still learning how to use it defensively. He has good defensive instincts and uses his stick and reach well, but teams may want to see him add more of a physical edge to his game as he develops. Despite his natural gifts for goal scoring, Lumbermouth is a willing and capable passer as well, and teams should not be afraid to deploy him more generally. With 22 points on the powerplay this season Lumbermouth demonstrated a strong aptitude for driving play from the wing with the man advantage, adding 10 PP assists to go with 12 goals with the man advantage. All things considered, Chuck has a very good chance to develop into a high end scoring winger, with serious upside as a playmaker to boot. If he can learn to use his size a little better he could be useful in a 2-way role as well. (211 words, +4 TPE)
16. For Chuck Lumbermouth, I hope to turn him into an All-SHL level scoring left wing one day, and hopefully lead the league in goals at least once, if not multiple times. I'd like to get him to add championships at both the junior level and the SHL. As for myself, I hope to find myself in management sooner rather than later. I hope to contribute to a team's success as a Co-GM and hopefully one day a full GM of a team. Roster building thrills me and the opportunity to take a team from the ground up in a rebuild all the way to a championship excites me beyond words. (110 words, +2 TPE)
09-26-2024, 12:03 AM(This post was last modified: 09-29-2024, 05:22 PM by Valpix. Edited 1 time in total.)
hi
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2. Looking Towards the Future
As we near the end of S78, the SMJHL draft will be happening soon. Going into next season, what are your team's biggest needs and areas of strength? Do any holes need to be filled with call-ups? Do you have a position that is incredibly stacked? Give us all an overview of your team, from top to bottom.
For the Quebec City Citadelles, we've got a very young team with only one or two players jumping to the SHL. So really this next season is just going to be about having the talent already in the squad grow further. We had two rookie goalies, a defense that was very rookie heavy, and a forward group with only 1-2 players that were past their second season. Going into next season, the main gap is going to be on the blueline, as one of our few vets hasn't reached the J cap and Chungledown Bim is entering the J draft. Forwards should be pretty much set, and goalies are set too. (112 words)
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6. Team History
I know history isn't everyone's favorite thing to discuss, but a team's past can really define its identity, what its known for and who they are in the present. Tell us about your team's past! Have there been any franchise defining moments that are integral to your team or even SHL history? Conversely, is there some interesting tidbit that not many around the league know?
The Quebec City Citadelles, since their establishment in Season 55, have been one of the more competitive teams in the SMJHL from day one. The Owls have won three Four Star Cups and have been runners-up on a few other occasions. They even won three consecutive Laurifer Trophies as the best team in the regular season recently, showing that this winning mentality isn't just a playoff team, they can be consistent as hell too. There have been some bumpier seasons, usually after mass graduations, but those are often blips that are only down one year at most. In addition, the locker room has a very strong, very positive culture that produces plenty of SHL stars. In the J, you're not just here to win, you're here to develop...but we have our cake and eat it, too. There's no doubt in my mind that the crop we currently have can snag a fourth Four Star Cup. (157 words)
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7. Winner Winner Chicken
At the end of the day, what we all really strive for is the Four Star Cup. It takes everyone's best efforts, an unrelenting determination to win and hard work to be able to hoist the glorious trophy. Out of the 16 teams in playoffs, only one can win the 4 Star Cup. Who won and why? Were they the best team on these playoffs?
The Maine Timber won this season's Four Star Cup, defeating a resilient Kelowna Knights in six games. And with all due respect to the Knights, who gave them a scare or two, it took a lot for them to even get that far. The Timber were the best team in the regular season by a country mile. They finished with 51 wins and 106 points...no team was even within single digits of the win total, and second-place regular season side Anchorage was 23 points behind. Not to mention that said Armada were dumped out of the playoffs in round one. Maine only lost 5 games in their postseason run. The squad depth was just too much. In Doug Weight, May O'Naise, Anna Skovgaard, and and Stavros Kondos, they had 4 of the league's top 6 scorers. On the blueline, Jacppo Nummilavin finished second among defenders in total scoring, and Lucas Snyder led all blueliners in assists with 42. Throw in at least decent goalkeeping from Kris and Zsigmond Popovics (they didn't need to be incredible, they just needed to not be a complete liability), and you have a machine that proved basically impossible for any other team to break. Much respect to the Timber for the juggernaught and winning culture they built. (214 words)
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17. Feedback
For recreates, how was doing this new version of CW compared to the old one? Was the experience better, or worse? How were the PT changes? For first gens, you can also talk about your experiences with PTs in general too this season!
I feel like this question is a relic of a prior season's rework that just never got changed. But ah well, I'll answer it regardless. I honestly like the split CW that the SHL has, although I think there's probably something better that could be done than all-star week. I don't care about all-star games in real life, caring about them in the sim world....I respect them as status symbols, the 5 or 6 ASGs my last player hit were good for feeding my ego (which is the most important thing), but I just can't get into them. Especially now as a fed head when my offseason focus is the IIHF. As for postseason bonanza, I think it's fine because it's got that long window of time to do, but I did look at the amount of prompts and felt the color drain from my face a little. I feel like, much like SHL championship week, these could be divided into categories for visual purposes. That said, I've enjoyed the PTs the last few seasons, and getting to do some of these J ones that I'd previously never done (because my first player created late) was quite enjoyable! (201 words)
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18. Milestones
You will have the opportunity to cover up to 3/16 TPE with milestones relating to your player's performance/accolades during the season. Link your post in the Milestones thread and post your comment in your PSB reply to claim.
09-26-2024, 09:06 AM(This post was last modified: 09-26-2024, 04:53 PM by juke. Edited 2 times in total.)
2. The Battleborn went all in this past season, with great moves to acquire two 425 TPE players in Gina Pinard and Sam Volta. However, from the draft picks sent in this trade, and due to the team being in a contention window this past season and previous others, it looks like there is going to be a bit of a rebuild on the horizon in Nevada. For starters, a whooping 9 players have now aged out of the juniors from NBB, and will not be playing on the team next season. This essentially cuts the roster in half, and leaves the team with just 9 players on the roster. With only their 1st rounder in the upcoming draft as well, the team will have to make smart moves in FA and waivers to add some more depth.
Goalie will not be an issue moving forward at least. While Akira Suzuki won't be at his 425 cap to start the season, 325 TPE is a fine skill level for a goalie that has 2 years left of eligibility. Rookie backup Gregory Eriksson similarly has a good enough skill set for a backup, and will look to split time soon with 3 years left.
Defense unfortunately looks rough. With only the rookie pairing of Hip Hurts and Kiwi Söderberg-Snooks left on the roster, their highest defender will be 350 TPE next season. They may look to run this pair 30 minutes a night, or possibly split them up along the top 2 so that there aren't 2 full rookie defensive pairs. This also puts their current defensive TPE at 3rd last in the league, however that number will change with FA, draftees, and updates. The blue line looks grim, but luckily almost half the S80 creates are defensemen, with 3 over 200 TPE, so they will look to address this need in the draft.
Forwards look better, but only slightly. They have 5 left on the roster, spearheaded mainly by the two 425 aforementioned forwards from this past seasons trade. The average TPE among the group is 370, so they will be able to field 2 respectable F lines before needing to once again strike gold in the draft, waivers, or FA to fill out the last line. They can field a full 425 TPE top line if they want, or spread those players among the top 6 to pair with the 350 capped Slava Kasyanenko and the reigning rookie scoring leader Badher Hennessy. Unfortunately they will still end up in the bottle 5 for forward TPE heading into next season, but once again there's some hope in the draft, with already 5 S80 forwards above 200 TPE, and 9 more that are above 180 TPE.
(455 words, 9 TPE)
3. Despite finishing the season with the 4th most amount of points, the Battleborn were upset in round 1 of the playoffs by the 11 seed, so something has got to give. A normal, honest team might come up with new strategies, training regimes, and a strong draft plan to bounce back. But NBB is too tilted from their early playoff exit, so they're reaching for something a little more drastic. For starters, they're taking a page straight out of the Boston Garden playbook, and shutting off the AC to the visiting locker rooms. Take a look at some of the teams in this league; Anchorage, Newfoundland, Yukon, Great Falls, Maine, Quebec City. Almost half the teams play in Canada, and another 4 of the US teams play either just below or even above the Canadian border. These are teams that are not prepared or conditioned to deal with the frankly unlivable Vegas temperatures. In fact, the Battleborn are pretty unique in that regard, with only maybe the Kraken or Tidal being able to withstand those conditions. So the AC is off for the visitors, and going to be turned down in the building in general. This will secondly lead to some horrible ice conditions. Now, this will affect both teams playing, but NBB will have the advantage of 33 home games and infinite practices to get used to the ice conditions. So these cold weather teams will be used to practicing on immaculate ice and maybe even beautiful frozen ponds, but now they're coming to the desert and playing on puddles and slush.
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Darby Reznor had heard of the upcoming Fan Appreciation Day for the Maine Timber, and it seemed like the Timber were just going to give out a few foam fingers. He thought that was boring, so he gave out a new idea: doing something to allude to the Timber name, such as craving mini statues players past and present from wood to hand out to the fans. He even came up with the idea to have each statue hidden under the chairs of the fans in special boxes. The team loved this idea, and decided that it will be presented during opening night at the Maine Timber arena, where the banner of the S79 Four Star Cup championship will also be raised.
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Task 3:
For the Maine Timber, we know that we will have a big target on our back for the next season with our championship win. Because of this, we will have to have a new way to train and toughen for the upcoming season, and the top management of the Timber came up with this: having the team do a special practice session in the woods of Maine. For this, they have brought in a few Timber alum such as Sir Devoir to play as the opposing team for the practice, and with this they are hoping that having some practice against the old veterans will give us the experience needed to have an edge next season as we defend our title.
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Task 12:
Talking about upcoming prospects for the SHL draft, there has been some excited talk about Darby Reznor from the Maine Timber. As the player who scored the game winning goal to secure the Four Star Cup for the Maine Timber, he had been on the radar for quite a few GMs around the league. Standing an even 6 feet and weighing in at 200 pounds, at first glance nothing much stands out about him physically, but with 111 hits and 44 blocks throughout the season he is definitely not afraid to get physical despite his average size. He has 20 goals and 27 assists throughout the season for a point total of 47.
He certainly has a passion for talking, and can come off as laid back to most people and maybe even to a point of sounding lazy to some. But according to most people who talk to him about hockey, his knowledge and passion for the sport comes out pretty quickly. Some GMs may feel a bit weird about how outspoken he can be at times, and he's been known to throw trash talk around. However in this scouts humble opinion, that trash talk has never been to damaging and he seems to have a cool head on his shoulder
I do believe he is a first to second round talent overall, and I would be surprised if he fell to the third.
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Task 15:
Darby Reznor has partnered up with a Charity called Skating is for Everyone, which helps introduce various types of skating to kids who don't have the opportunity to try it out, whether it be ice skating or skateboarding or even snowboarding. As an ice skater and skateboarder who grew up in a slightly rough area in Seattle, Darby used skating as a way to escape his tough upbringing and he thinks this is a good opportunity to show other kids and teens how to do it too. To do this, for every goal he scores in the upcoming season, he will give 5,000 for his own money to the charity, and will all wear a patch referencing it.
1. Fan Appreciation Day
Tip Toasty signature Thunder Sticks are sure to drive the opposing team, and absolutely anyone else you come in contact with, crazy! These inflatable noise makers are designed to distract opponents in key moments of the game, and are particularly encouraged when Thunder Bay are on the penalty kill to help drown out communication on the power play. Fans can hit the Thunder Sticks together, but they are also encouraged to be creative in the ways they choose to make noise: hit the sticks on the back of the seat in front of you, hit the glass when our D throw a big check, or smack your neighbor’s big head to make the obnoxious sounds. If your neighbor does not like that, a quick fist fight might serve as an even more effective distraction to the players on the opposing team.
These sticks are team colors, inflatable, and easy to carry home after the big game. The Thunder Sticks are not just limited to the rink; you can use them for all sorts of situations. At home, get your kids in line with a thunderous clattering of Tip Toasty signature Thunder Sticks, or drive your parents crazy until they give in to your every demand. Get your next date’s attention with a boisterous showing of your fortitude by clanging these sexy sticks together. You can even take them to work, and let your boss know when it is time to end the never-ending meeting by making some thunder. Grab your Tip Toasty signature noise makers today.
(256 words)
2. Looking Towards the Future
The Thunder Bay Walleye finished the regular season in a dismal 15th place out of 16 teams. There were not many bright spots during the regular season, and that showed on both ends of the ice. Even with a proven goaltender in Grant Berd, the Walleye struggled with letting the puck in the net much too often. Defense is the biggest need for the Walleye going forward, both in terms of filling some gaps on the blue line, and necessary improvements from current players. The team as a whole had a miserable -86 goal differential during the regular season. The team’s most consistent defender, Red Panda Jr., had a -14 plus/minus, the highest in that stat for the entire team. At worst was second line D-man Thomas Harley with a -43. While no one player is to blame for this, consistent improvement from top to bottom on the roster is necessary to be competitive in the future.
The Walleye shocked the league when they swept number 2 seed Anchorage Armada in the first round of the playoffs*. During this round, the team’s defense picked up greatly and allowed the goaltender to show off his skills with a masterful 1.88 GAA aided by a strong defensive effort from all three D lines.
While defense was the weak point for Thunder Bay in Season 78, offense has plenty of room to improve in the future. Second-year center Jon Garfield, who recently moved into the center role after playing their rookie season as a winger, lead the team with 68 points, 27 of those coming by way of goals. Hades was next in line with 52 points, followed by rookies Puddles O’Duckling and Tip Toasty with 49 and 46 points respectively. There was no standout scorer over the season, and even those who started strong began to slow down as the season neared the playoffs. The Walleye need a goal scorer to take a big step forward if they want to move forward in coming seasons. With several rookie forwards who could all reasonably be first round picks in the upcoming SHL Draft, the Walleye have to expect offensive growth in Season 79
*it should be noted, the sweep occurred under a resim
(370 words)
3. Funtimes
Under Tip Toasty’s reign as designated Fun Director, The Thunder Bay Walleye will experience the joy of an old school drunken (or not) Halo LAN party. The team will set up an open bar with cocktails and mocktails. Teams of four will split off into separate rooms and take on a round robin tournament of original Halo. Winners receive trophies and bragging rights. The losers get hangovers.
(67 words)
09-26-2024, 03:30 PM(This post was last modified: 10-04-2024, 11:43 AM by FingolfinandRingil. Edited 10 times in total.)
6. The Vancouver Whalers have had a successful history with its most recent Four Star Cup coming in S77. Over half the team returned to S78 for a chance to go back-to-back, but were thwarted by Great Falls in the first round. Many of those players are moving on to the SHL, and Vancouver will look to its rookies for success in S79.
16. Levon Dojkic's first season in the SMJHL was the start of a long and successful career (hopefully), and coming out of the playoffs by Great Falls, he decided to make some goals to strive for in his remaining seasons in the SMJHL, and later the SHL: 1. Winning the Four Star Cup with Vancouver, or if he's traded, wherever he ends up. 2. 90 point season at some point in his career, either league.
3. Finishing on to any top ten, or being nominated for any award/trophy. 4. Having a grand old time no matter how it goes.
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7. The Maine Timber captured the Four Star Cup, and they completely deserved it, as I went over in my deep dive (TPE standings/ Whalers shallow dive) The Maine Timber were far and away the best team by TPE applied, over 1000 TPE ahead of the second place Vancouver Whalers. And their season reflected that perfectly, with them leading the league in the regular season, and ending victorious in the championship. With league leader in points Doug Weight front-running their forwards, and goaltender Kris who lost an incredible 8 games of the 40 they played, this was an easy run, and will be remembered for years to come.
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2. Going into S79, The Vancouver Whalers will need some major help up front, with several veterans leaving for the SHL. Dominic Enselmo and Levon Dojkic will be looked to for youth talent, and will play larger roles in upcoming seasons. The crease is their strongest position, with the young duo of Doom Guy and Cristobal Khabibulin both looking to leave a mark.
11. C Doug Weight The League leader in assists and points, he is the most obvious pick for this Timber all-star team RW May O'Nayse Doug Weight's main winger, finishing with 96 points and 41 goals C Anna Skovgaard Just behind May O'Naise in goals, but leads in assists LD Boofa Benson League leader in blocks, will be the main defensive anchor, and the most defensive mind of the skater. LD Jacppo Nummilavin Second in defensemen points and goals, probably best all-round defender G Kris League leader in wins, and top ten in SV% and GAA, arguably the best goalie in the SMJHL
This all-star team is the perfect mix to dominant at a high level, with the league leaders in scoring, and two solid defenders to help out one of the most distinguished goalies in the league. They're winners.
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3. Going into season S79, the Vancouver Whalers will try focus on strict training schedules to help increase player fitness and growth, with special rest days for focusing on the mental side of the game. They will also pair veterans with some of the younger players to try and encourage and guide them.
9. The SMJHL is full of incredible names, and I could list fun ones for a week, but these are some of my favorites: Doug Weight, throw back to the 90s. May O'Nayse who doesn't love mayo! Hockey Player simple and straight forward. Nathangus McExplosion enough said. Rock Solid he made the top ten for hits what a surprise! Max Hammer three fights won. Raw Cheese McPickle wow that's a tag. The Cod Father just beautiful. Lamelo Ball he plays hockey? Cristoforo Roccamontepiano arguably the best of them all. Spaceman Spiff great Calvin and Hobbes reference. Cyrus the Virus, too soon, too soon.
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8. If Levon Dojkic had never been signed by the Vancouver Whalers, there was a good chance that he would have gone to the Anchorage Armada, who did significantly better than Vancouver in the regular season, although they went out in four games against the Thunder Bay Walleye in the first round. Levon most likely would have performed slightly better in Anchorage, due to fewer rookies to limit time on ice. Beau Cook, who joined the SMJHL just after Levon finished with 21 points in 50 games, and Levon played more, so he would have likely out performed his inferior Vancouver self.
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1. During the final game of the regular season, the Vancouver Whalers will be giving away a signed hockey card every 500 fans, the lucky fan will reach into a hat to pull out the name of the card they will receive, with a lower chance of pulling a more valuable rookie card, though all cards are quite expensive. The most valuable card belongs to Doom Guy, as he was the best rookie on the team, and one of the best in the league. Robo Sven, Roman Jalopski , and NoNo Jo all have a rarer first line special card, that will be highly sought after.
Write a pre-draft scout report on your player from the perspective of a journalist covering the prospects of the S79 SHL draft class. What do possible SHL suitors have to be excited (or perhaps wary?) about when it comes to potentially drafting your player?
Aslak Hestnes is a defenseman entering the S79 SHL Draft. It’s difficult to surmise where Hestnes might fall in the draft, although very few scouting services are projecting him to be a first-round pick, and this evaluation shares that forecast. Still, we believe he could be a valuable diamond in the rough for teams later in the draft.
The negatives with Hestnes are obvious at first glance, and the reasons why he’s unlikely to be a first-rounder. He was a late arrival to the SMJHL during Season 38, missing the first 17 games of the season. This means less time for scouts to evaluate his performance on the ice, and less time for him to learn how to play at even the SMJHL level, never mind the ability to elevate that to an SHL capability.
Furthermore, in an era where hockey continues to become faster-paced with an emphasis on skill players, Hestnes is not that. Hestnes is a throwback, a true defensive defenseman looking to obstruct opposing teams. There is nothing about Hestnes’ game that is flashy or sexy, nor any reason to think his game could develop into even a competent two-way player.
Right off the bat, that limits which teams will even glance Hestnes’ direction. Some teams certainly still see value in a glue guy defenseman who will do the dirty work and shy away from the statistical spotlight, but others demand a higher level of offensive proficiency from all five players on the ice. It’s nothing personal against Hestnes – it’s merely a matter of philosophical approaches to the game. A more well-rounded skill set would make Hestnes far more desirable in this draft, especially considering the players already available in this impressive draft class.
Now that we’ve established the negatives, it’s time to point out the positives behind Hestnes and why he could be a steal in this draft. The first obvious thing is his size. At 6’4” and 220 pounds, there aren’t many players that are going to push around Hestnes. In fact, he uses that size to his advantage, working to keep opposing players out of the dirty areas and limit point-blank rebounds and scoring opportunities.
Despite missing a quarter of the regular season, Hestnes led the Citadelles in blocked shots with 128. Hestnes has a knack for getting in the way of shots and limiting the pressure his goalie faces. Again, it’s a debate in hockey circles how valuable this skill is, whether aggressive shot blockers aren’t sometimes a hindrance to their netminders. There’s no denying Hestnes is one of the best at the junior level in this regard, however.
There’s also something to be said about the character of someone willing to take on such an unglamorous role with the team. While his on-ice contributions may be questioned, there’s no arguing the importance of “glue guys” in a locker room who are willing to fly under the radar and do whatever it takes to help a hockey club. By all accounts, Hestnes fits that mold and is the kind of player that can be brought into an organization without any concern of him making waves.
In fact, those attributes are likely why he’ll already be making his IIHF debut for Norway this offseason after just one professional season. While it’s true the smaller nation has a defensive need, they clearly have enough trust in Hestnes as a rookie to fill that gap and contribute immediately.
Through four exhibition games ahead of this season’s IIHF tournament, Hestnes is a +1 with six blocked shots and five hits. It’s certainly not a club-leading statline, but Hestnes is clearly holding his own thus far against some of the top players in the world. That has to be a promising sight for evaluators, and Hestnes should only improve more as he learns how to play at the international level.
So where does this put Hestnes on the draft radar? Again, with his lack of polished skills on the puck, it is difficult to envision an SHL franchise putting the weight of a first-round pick behind him. There are frankly several better “defense-first” defenders like Kiwi Soderberg-Snooks or Dieter Fruhstuck for teams that have a need in that regard. It doesn’t help that this is a particularly strong draft class – perhaps another year Hestnes would have filled one of those first round needs.
Still, there’s a lot of promise behind the Norwegian and his willingness and ability to do the little things to make a hockey club better. I could see a team being very happy to take him in the second round. Even if he never reaches the levels of some of the other players available in this draft, there is always a need for players with Hestnes’ mindset. Now, he simply needs a good landing spot to coach him and mold him into a proper SHL player.
1. Fan Appreciation Day
Your team is giving back to their supporters by holding a fan appreciation day for one of their games, where the team will hand out a special commemorative item to show thanks for their continued support of the franchise. You have been tasked to design the product to be given out to the attendees (can be a rally towel, foam finger, bobble head, etc.) Write a blurb about the item, including details on during which game was / will be given out.
To celebrate our fans for our INAUGURAL season in the great city of Thunder Bay, the Thunder Bay Walleye hockey club will be distributing stuffed fish animals to every fan in attendance on fan appreciation night. That's right, you can get your very own stuffed walleye plush animal just by showing up to our final game! Every fan is guaranteed to get one stuffie so make sure you get your tickets now before they sell out! And that's not all! Our players will be in the outside plaza area three hours before puck drop to sign autographs and take pictures! How cool is that? You do NOT want to miss this great opportunity to come and feel appreciated!
(118 words, +2 TPE)
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6. Team History
I know history isn't everyone's favorite thing to discuss, but a team's past can really define its identity, what its known for and who they are in the present. Tell us about your team's past! Have there been any franchise defining moments that are integral to your team or even SHL history? Conversely, is there some interesting tidbit that not many around the league know?
The Thunder Bay Walleye were formerly known as the Regina Elk. They were introduced as an expansion side to the SMJHL around the start of the S60s, alongside the Great Falls Grizzlies. At some point in time, JURT took over as one of the GMs, and this was for quite a while. The franchise's main cultural defining point, I would say, was the implementation of PISS ICE. A staple of the Regina live sim tradition, PISS ICE became a rallying cry of this team's very fabric. Eventually Reno became head GM and appointed me as a co-GM and wow that was quite the decision. Eventually, after about a year of retooling around the idea, the Regina Elk were ultimately moved to Thunder Bay to become the Thunder Bay Walleye. I will add that some other key cities and branding ideas that made our shortlist was the Halifax/Cape Breton Beavers (we originally toyed around with a turtle themed team), the Tacoma Titans/Olympics (I actually was big on this branding concept), and also a team based in Reykjavik (World Serpents?) but that one got shot down really early in the relocation talks if I am not mistaken.
In the end, our shortlist was approved and we let the locker room decide. The Walleye were quite favored so we went along with it, and after some forum discussion on the colour scheme, we also made the decision to retain the now iconic Purple and Gold colour scheme from Regina as part of our current branding. Some notable players to come out of Regina in recent history include the likes of Mac Turner, Troy McClure IIII, Mary Hollywood, and many many more.
(280 Words, +5 TPE)
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16. Goals
Although your career may still be in its early stages, it's still a great time to think about the future. What are some goals you have for your career, or some personal goals for the site? Are you striving for a HOF induction? Getting a site job?
Well, I have to say that it helps that I've basically had one of the most fulfilling careers I can imagine with Vaseline Podcalzone. Indeed, recording 1000 points in a single franchise's sweater, all the while establishing franchise records and captaining the team to two (2) Challenge Cups back to back. You really can't have it much better than that. Being a lifer for one team helps for sure. It's a great feeling.
Goals this time around are honestly pretty lowkey. I would love to win an individual award, having been a finalist for a few awards several times with Podz. It would be rad to win the Darr as the best two way forward, and is all the more probable I hope given that I'm looking to build that defensive minded centre with Teddy Bloos. A HOF induction with Bloos would be nice, although first I'd like to see how things go with Podcalzone's chances once he gets onto the ballot. As I write this I know where I've ended up in the Season 79 SHL Draft (Tampa Bay), and it'll be exciting to start the fish to fish pipeline. I think I'm just going to enjoy the vibes and the experience of being in a new locker room and go from there.
(214 words, +4 TPE)
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18. Milestones
You will have the opportunity to cover up to 3/16 TPE with milestones relating to your player's performance/accolades during the season. Link your post in the Milestones thread and post your comment in your PSB reply to claim.
Quote:3. Secret Plans
It’s never too early to start thinking about how you’re going to gain a competitive edge next season! How is your team going to go the extra mile to get wins next season? Is it a secret training regimen? Sneaky equipment modifications? Booby trapping the visiting teams’ locker room? Anything goes.
Big Sweg has a plan, listen closely kids. All you can eat buffets. Yes you heard me right! All you can eat buffets. Big Swegs secret weapon will be to have all the opponents eat way too much food so they become fat and slow. Big Swegs metabolism is already so strong so he wont be affected, his powerful frame of pure muscles uses up enough calories every day so it doesn't matter how much he eats, it all turns into muscles or is burned away if it were to even think the thought of becoming fat. Since he was a baby he almost sucked his mother dry of milk every single day, she had to constantly eat all you can eat buffet, all day every day for the first 5 years he was breast feeding. Yes you heard me correctly he was breast feeding until 5. That is when he switched over to ALL YOU CAN EAT BUFFET. What did he eat at the all you can eat buffet? Thank you for asking. EVERYTHING.
So by placing ALL YOU CAN EAT BUFFETS everywhere, the opposing team would HAVE to eat from at least one of them. Got a taste for chinese? Boom its in the south east corner of the visiting locker room. Soup dumplings with soup made from pure fat will be addicting. Mexican? BOOM, South West corner. Prepped with imodium+ so you wont get the runs and actually keep all those calories inside of you. You want a traditional swedish SMÖRGÅSBORD? kaBOOOM it's in the North west corner. No surströmming though as that would give the opposite effect. Dopp i grytan will be FORCED down your throat. Whats in the North east corner you ask? Well of course its the CHOCOLATE buffet. But none of that dark chocolate shit, only MILK CHOCOLATE. Imagine trying to NOT eat any of that! Impossible.
But wait, it doesn't stop there. Did you really think it would be sufficient to only tempt the opposing team in the locker room? oh no no no you are underestimating BIG SWEG. Big Sweg will OBVIOUSLY bribe the equipment guys of the opposing teams as well. When the plane takes off for the away games at the other side of the country? Shazaza ZAM! ALL YOU CAN EAT BUFFET. What kind? Pizza of course. And we aren't talking about the slim cheese on those suckers, EXTRA FATTY CHEESE for the soon to be extra fatty boys and girls. "noo I don't want any more pleeease i'm full". Hahaha "No trust me it is good for you, I won't tell the coach". When the plane lands? BAZINGA, All you can eat KOREAN BBQ waiting for them at the landing strip. You need to eat at least 3 servings before you can leave the airport. Get on the bus to the hotel? ALL YOU CAN EAT BUFFET. EXTRA CALORIE SMOOTHIES. Finished your glass? No baby you need to finish AT LEAST 3 before you get off.
Get to the hotel. Whats in the lobby? Say it with me now. ALL YOU CAN EAT BUFFET. What is it this time? OOOOH SAY CAN YOUUU SEEEEE! American of course. Mac n Cheese with that extra super fatty cheese and extra carb pasta. Fried chicken? CHECK. Ribs? PUT SOME OF THAT SAAAUUUUCA on there. Epic mealtime style. Try walking out of it without eating at least 13000 calories I dare you. If you don't comply I have already bribed the hotel to keep you awake with screaming babies all night. Also the cleaners will come and "accidently" open your door and start cleaning every 15 minutes. Better eat those turkey legs if you want to sleep!
Wake up in the morning like FUCK P DIDDY! It's a new day boys and girls, time for the.. ALL YOU CAN EAT BREAKFAST BUFFET. Ooooooh lord, Look at those pancakes slathered with syrup. And we're talking about that 93% sugar syrup, it's almost a solid no matter how much you heat it up. Can you feel the crunch just thinking about it? I certainly hope so. You want eggs benedict? Oh believe me these eggs are no ordinary eggs, It's the kobe beef of Africa, from Ostriches that lives purely on fat and sugary foods. They only lay eggs that contain 5 times the amount of calories compared to the already massive 2000 calories eggs the species already lay.
So Big Sweg, why will this plan succeed? Well, with the speed these players will become fat they will have a hard time finding the right size for their equipment. Have you ever skated in skates that were too small? Good luck performing at your best bubba.
Quote:783 words
Quote:18. Milestones
You will have the opportunity to cover up to 3/16 TPE with milestones relating to your player's performance/accolades during the season. Link your post in the Milestones thread and post your comment in your PSB reply to claim.
1.
The fifth home game for Anchorage Armada happens to be on the same day as the team's biggest and most loyal fan, Bob, celebrates his 110th birthday. Something that the team and whole town think is worth the biggest appreciation party. All day the arena is open for visitors, they get to look at the teams every facility. Everything from the gym to the wife section. Every visitor gets a free T-shirt that has Bob's face emerged with the Armada logo and the text going: 110 years of cheering. above that the first 10 visitors get their favorite player's jersey, with the autographs. The next 150 visitors get a big hat in the shape of a boat. The next 500 visitors get a scarf. And the next 700 visitors gets a foam finger holding up two fingers.
In the break between the second and third period there is a competition. Everybody who has visited the arena sometime during the day gets the opportunity to buy a specially designed puck, with the same print as on the T-shirt. Each puck got a unique number on one side. Those who want to and have bought (and kept the receipt) a puck can participate in the competition.
The goal is to throw the puck onto the ice and the puck that lands, glides and stays closest to the faceoff spot in the middle wins a 10 000 cash prize to donate to any goodwill of their choice. The audience only got 30 seconds to throw. Anyone who throws too early or too late is automatically out of the competition. And of course everybody gets their puck back when they show their receipts after the game.
The restaurants in the arena also serves one piece of birthday cake to anyone who wants to eat a little snack at any point during the game. (309 words, 6 TPE)
4.
As the official fun director of the Anchorage Armadas Abbe Wass has made plans for a whole weekend.
The fun starts with a pretty long bus ride. The team, and their families will travel to a castle that stands alone on a cliffside in the middle of the forest.
There are four buses that travel in a caravan. And everyone may choose what bus they want. because there are different themes going on inside.
Bus number one is where the boardgame-geeks will thrive. This bus is not an ordinary bus with seats in rows to fit as many as possible. Oh no. This bus is a double decker and there are tables. Some tables have room for 4 seats and some have sofas with seats for six to eight people. depending on the people's ass-size.
And there is as you probably understand by now loads of board games in the bus. There is literally something for the whole family. There is also a reading corner in the bus.
In bus number two, that is also a double decker there are loads and loads of video games. VR, Packman, PS5, and so on.
Bus number three is for the wifes. It's a children's free spa bus. there is of course no available water. but massage rooms, relaxing heated rooms and a fruit buffé.
Of course this bus is also a double decker. and on the top floor there is something that can only be described as a movie theater. There is a popcorn machine, fridges full of drinks and anything you might like. There is one big screen in the front that most seats are pointed at. but in the back there are a few seats that have their own screen. In the case that not all want to watch what's on the bigger screen.
The fourth and last bus is an ordinary bus, not multiple floors.
And this bus is the party bus. At the front there is a bartender and a whole bunch of different drinks. And as it's called the party bus you may think that it's also kid free but no. on this bus kids are allowed. The party bus is only moderate on the party front. You, as did all other bus riders, have a concern about having to be on a bus that they may not want to be on due to a max amount of possible seats. but Abbe Wass is a Fair Fun Director. Halfway to the destination there is a lunch stop. And everyone will get off and when they get back on they can't choose the same bus, unless it really has empty seats.
The lunch stop is by the way a regular roadside burger joint. Much like the famous Stöde Grillen.
When the caravan finally arrives at the castle the whole weekend goes on in the same kind of way as the busride. There are a whole lot of different activities that people get to choose among and after every lunch and dinner break you change your activity.
The dinner on Saturday is however a real thing. 4 dishes. Entertainment in the form of a comedian. And after the dinner there is a live band playing both danceable hits, karaoke and just regular lounge music.
The way home is to everybody's happiness a short flight. (555 words, 7 TPE)
2. Yes the Smjhl draft is coming ! I'm eager to welcome the new guys to the Maine LR. I'll be helping the GMs this year with the scouting so I'm excited to ''have a say'' in the decisions of our team. As the reigning champions of the Four star Cup, our team was pretty stacked. Sadly we had a couple of really important pieces that left the team due to graduating to the big leagues. Shoutout to all the veterans of that championship run. But the thing that helps us is the depth. My player as well as pretty much all the other S79 draftees are really close if not already to the 350 TPE limit for our sophomore season. We're really committed to be good for as long as possible. Our goalies will keep on getting better and better also with Kris being only a S78 player. So we don't really have a hole anywhere and we're pretty stacked everywhere again. The new guys will fill the 3rd lines and the team should look like last year team which is a good sign. I'm really confident also with the offensive fire power as the reigning top scorer of the league last year, Doug Weight, is still going to lead the charge. Lucas Snyder, who should be considered for Rookie of the year, will also lead the defense. This next season looks to be really cool with another great team and another chance at the championship. We're not stopping at one championship, we want the back to back now ! (258 words) +5 TPE
7. As a player on the team that just won the Four star Cup, I'll gladly be answering these questions. It is well said in the beginning that in order to win a championship, the team needs the best effort and relentless determination from everyone in the team. It starts up top with the managers and it goes all the way down to the players on the bottom lines. That's the beauty of it, no matter who you are and what you didi, you were a reason why we won the championship. As a player on the bottom lines, I was loving how we could be of great help to the big cannons up front and how we could limit the damages of the other teams best lines in away games. The Maine Timber won because everyone worked hard and were focused on making sure we're at our best. We steamrolled the playoffs with a staggering 16-5 record because all the role players played their role. The big cannons were insane offensively. We had 4 players over the pt/game mark which is very very good in the playoffs. I really do think that we were the best team in the playoffs by a margin. We never looked weak or not in control. It was really a continuation of the insanely good regular season. What an honour it was to be apart of this team. And like I said previously, we're not stopping at 1 championship, we're going for the back to back and more ! (254 words) +5 TPE
12. Anthony Louchard is about to be drafted in the SHL after a very good rookie season in the SMJHL. He was very satisfied with his on ice performance while having a lot of fun in the Maine LR. He finished 2nd in rookie scoring with 60 pts in 66 games playing 3rd lines minutes and barely any PP time. He hopes that all these numbers will turn heads for the scouts but that will like him even more with his attitude and commitment. If he could assure something is that any team that draft him will get a player that wants to get better and that is committed to try and win as much as possible. As a SHL team, you can be excited for a point-producing playmaker center with great defensive attributes. And I think he showed that really well in his rookie season even though he was a great team. (152 words ) +3 TPE
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