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bbp · 03-09-2014, 08:47 AM

The Arrival

[Image: TEXAS_Letters_Bumper_sticker.png]

Hello SportsFans! Update to come out of Texas tonight. The team might be lagging behind the competition in the west after an uncharacteristic slow start by GM Wadeâ€™s crew, but there is plenty to get excited about down in Renegade HQ.

The team was questioned, rightfully so, about who would step up with their big franchise player Armia retiring and other offensive powerhouses such as Bauer and Reinhart getting another year older. Luckily for Texas it seems like the young guns are not shooting duds anymore! While Lionel Byrde was no pushover last season netting 17 goals in 50 games his production this season is putting him in the stratosphere! The pride of Newfoundland already has 10 goals in only 12 games! This is record setting production coming out of a sophomore! While his numbers are inflated by a recent hat trick it does not change the fact that Byrde has become an unstoppable monster in the SHL.

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While Byrde might be the shining light of the Texas Renegades at the quarter mark there is depth in Texasâ€™s youth, which may come to a surprise given Wadeâ€™s possibly undeserving reputation of pick dealing. A player who possibly had the worst season of any rookie, Alexandre Daigle scored only one goal in over 50 games spanning into the playoffs after scoring twice in his career debut. He never even managed to pick up an assist in the entire regular season! Well Daigle has woken up. Maybe not scoring 10 goals like Byrde but he has already reached his goal total of last season, we will see if he will get his by another drought this year, but he has branched out his game and has managed to pick up 4 assists! Having 7 points this early is a good sign for Daigle and will surely give him the confidence he lacked last season. He has the shot. He just needs the confidence to use it!

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After Daigle there are the three new kids on the block in Chico Salmon, Slevin Kelevra, and Xavier Gauthier. Starting with the 1st Overall pick in the most recent draft Chico Salmon! Big things are expected of this star center and so far he hasnâ€™t disappointed. Off to a great start Salmon also has 7 points heading through the first quarter of the season, six of those being assists. His stellar decision making and poise have solidified a Texas offense which has really needed to put up the goals this season if they want to win! He is already looking like the dominant player everyone expects him to become. Not to be outdone the two other rookies on the Renegades roster have both managed to contribute as well! Kelevra has also thrown out six assists and Gauthier recently got his first career goal! Considering the time table normally given to defensemen Gauthier is looking great, likely going to become the a stud on the Texan blueline for years to come.

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With all this excitement and production from the youthâ€¦ why has Texas faired so poorly? Is it veteran production? Not really Bauer has dominated all season tied with Byrde for the team leading 17 points. Carlzner and Partlow are still putting up big numbers from the back end and Reinhart is looking at a point per game. The only issue with the vets is that Reinhart suffered an injury which took him out of 4 full games this season! During these games Wade was forced to move Daigle to center and a younger guy into the top six which was met with mixed results. This early set back is a part of the reason but the loses were not only in Reinhartâ€™s four game absence.

Depth? Seems funny to consider that a team with great vets and young players all producing would have an issue with depth, but while the top line is looking at + 9/8 the bottom line of Keith, Beast, and Abernathy are a complete liability on the ice being -6 each! With such awful results from the bottom line the coach is forced to playing the top six an astronomical amount of minutes which is going to hurt the younger guys who are not used to playing twenty minutes a night against the best the game has to offer.

But one bad line and an injury cannot entirely explain what seems like a decent club holding last place in the west for most of this season. The blame has to fall on someone and it has fallen on Goaltending stud Jordin FourFour. A man who played years in Vancouver of the NWJHL he has yet to really step up at the SHL level. This season is no different. FourFour at this point of his career should be dominating the competition and he has put the work in to get the results! He just is not getting them. Statistically backup Jonas Gustavo has outperformed FourFour, even if Gustavo did not get a win. With the offense clicking it is important for FourFour to step up and make it so Texas does not have to score four or five goals a night to win. The offense will not keep up this pace forever FourFour needs to pick it up or the teams season will end just as it started. Out of the playoffs.

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[Image: 1maple_leafs_bruins_hockey.jpg?w=630]

We managed to reach Sophomore Alexandre Daigle to ask him what he thought the issue was to this point.
â€œWell, we have started winning including winning two big games in a row out east against Toronto. So I think with the injury to Reinhart behind us we should be able to score a lot of goals and make up for the fact FourFour is Swiss Cheese. I mean he is a good guy and all but it would be awesome if poor Byrde did not have to break every goal record ever set just so we can win a damn game haha. No I kid FourFour has pulled his head out of his ass. Weâ€™ll make the playoffs and challenge for the cup as Texas always does.â€

And thatâ€™s all! Confidence and Humor from the young star! Weâ€™ll see what happens as the season unfolds!

Words: 1036
Pictures: 5ish

JNH · 03-09-2014, 05:21 PM

I don't like this, this isn't the bbp articles I know and love. Who are you? This is an imposter.

ByrdeMan · 03-09-2014, 06:35 PM

Beauty article! <3

Wadester · 03-09-2014, 06:59 PM

Wow BBP must have been completely sober when he wrote this. Tongue

Great read doe, slow start but we're coming on strong. Renegades

bbp · 03-09-2014, 07:31 PM

Quote:Originally posted by #WEAREWINTER@Mar 9 2014, 05:21 PM
I don't like this, this isn't the bbp articles I know and love.  Who are you?  This is an imposter.

im someone who is procrastinating studying by being "productive"

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