Quote:Written Option: Tell us about your player's rivalry with a rookie from another team. Do you actually have beef, or is it just media hype? And which of you is coming out on top so far? Must be 200 words and must include a comparison of at least 3 SIM stats for each player.

Several weeks prior to the draft, now-Scarecrows forward Nicholas Falk declared for the SMJHL and began his lengthy transition to North American ice. Meanwhile, fellow Scandinavian Rafe Ulrich also made his transition in preparation for the impending draft. Both prospects were highly touted and expected to go early in the first round, with Ulrich ultimately ending up with the Militia and Falk with the Scarecrows. While the score sheet might tell one story, a seasoned pair of eyes would take a deeper look at the peripheral statistics to see a different story.

Having played three more games, it's clear that Ulrich has the sizable advantage in all points categories. However, it's worth noting he's shooting at a blistering 17%, a pace that's all but likely to fall off... meanwhile, Falk is shooting at a lowly 9%, a polar opposite.

Furthermore, Ulrich has a clear advantage in the physical game with nearly three-times as many hits than Falk. Also, he spends five times more time in the penalty box than Falk, averaging a minor penalty every-other game. Falk has just 4 PIM on the season through 18 games.

Much like Falk, Ulrich also plays on his team's third line, accounting for nearly 24% of their offensive production. Nicholas spends a mere 13% of his time on the ice, yet only trails Rafe by one goal.

It's far too early to speculate which of these two European-powerhouses will emerge as the better at the SHL level, but the international team-mates are destined to be linked for the remainder of their young careers.

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