Knights' Mid-Season Player Review
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Alucard
Registered S28 Challenge Cup Champion
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Knight's Mid-Season Player Review After all the draft hype, preseason impatience, and early season excitement, we have once again reached the point where the end of the regular season is in sight. The midway point is behind us, and now it is all about securing a playoff spot. Of course, clinching the conference and a first round bye would be ideal, but for the Kelowna Knights that is a little way off right now. First on the agenda is to secure third spot above the Colorado Mammoths, and if they can reel in both the Prince George Firebirds and the Vancouver Whalers, all the better. In today's article we will leave the teams and their stats behind, and focus instead on the individual performances of every player on the Knights' roster. Goalies #1 Christoffer Björnsson GP: 27, W: 13, Save %: 0.864, GAA: 3.17 The Knights' rookie goaltender has had a solid start to his SMJHL career. As Kelowna's first selection in the S25 Entry Draft, Björnsson was drafted as a direct replacement for the outgoing Igor Ogorodnikov, and whilst it was always going to be a baptism of fire to throw a novice in front of the net, Björnsson has performed admirably as the Knights' only proven goaltender. Any doubters of the six foot five netminder might be interested to compare his mid-season stats against those of Falcons' goalie Austin Lemieux during his debut season. The two players numbers are startlingly similar; in his rookie season Lemieux played twenty-eight games (one more than Björnsson so far), and won thirteen of those. His save percentage of 0.868 is almost identical to Björnsson's, as is his 3.16 goals against average. Add to this the fact that Lemieux split goaltending duties during that season with Lee Bowden, and one begins to understand why those around Kelowna rate Björnsson so highly. Indeed, as the season progresses and he gets more and more games under his belt, the Knights' #1 pick in the S25 Entry Draft may prove to be an even more promising talent than Lemieux. #16 Carl Matson GP: 5, W: 1, Save %: 0.832, GAA: 3.429 At the opposite end of the spectrum from Björnsson we have the uninspiring story of Carl Matson. Where Björnsson was selected in the second round, Matson was drafted in the second to last; where Björnsson has been a resounding success, Matson has been an unadulterated failure. Matson has looked competent at best between the pipes, and perhaps less than that off the ice. Drafted as back-up to his fellow rookie, Matson never integrated into the Kelowna locker room as Björnsson did, and his work ethic during his rookie season has been harshly criticised by some. So concerned were the management team that the Knights snapped up another rookie goalie in Nicholas Hall, waiving Matson in the process. #42 Nicholas Hall GP: 1, W: 0, Save %: 0.889, GAA: 2.88 As the latest addition to the Kelowna family, Florida native Hall has had little time to show what he can do, but already he has shown more enthusiasm than the demoted Matson. His only on-ice appearance for the Knights thus far came in the 5–4 loss to the St. Louis Scarecrows earlier this week, where Hall replaced Christoffer Björnsson and stopped eight of nine shots over the course of the final period. How good he can be remains to be seen, but Knights fans should be pleased to have a more reliable back-up than the flaky Matson. Defencemen #9 Maria Maximova GP: 30, G: 2, A: 19, Pts: 21, +/-: 0 The number four overall selection in the S25 SHL Entry Draft has carried her rookie season form into S25, and is already close to surpassing her total assists from S24. If there has been a downside to Maxi's performances this season it must surely be her lack of goals. Having netted ten times in S24, the Russian defencewoman has hit the net just twice this campaign, but she is showing signs of improvement in other areas. Perhaps out of necessity (and slightly more ice-time, though Maxi saw plenty of that in S24), she has been carrying more of a physical presence this season. Both the number of hits she has dished out and the number of shots she has blocked have gone up, something which will no doubt please GM Biscuit as much as GM Sorenson. Maxi will have to carry a more physical presence when she makes the step up to the SHL, but she won't want to lose the slapshot that caused so much worry for so many opposing goaltenders in S24. Hopefully she'll be hitting the back of the net on a regular basis between now and the end of the season, but even if that doesn't come to pass there is no doubting the talent that Kelowna has on their hands. Only captain Randleman has more assists for the Knights in S25. #5 Stacker Pentecost GP: 30, G: 10, A: 17, Pts: 27, +/-: -2 It's been another impressive season for the Knights' assist leader in S24. In S24 Pentecost was the team's top-scoring blue liner, and that is again the case in S25. He has been consistent alongside Maximova, but he will have to continue his good form if he is to reach last season's points total of forty-eight. The gigantic defenceman is always a threat going forward, and his size and defensive attributes offer good stability alongside his lighter defensive partner. The decrease in his checking and shot blocking statistics is something that cannot be too harshly criticised, bearing in mind that his partner is now more willing to dish out the hits. S24 saw the more experienced Pentecost provide valuable wisdom alongside the younger Maximova, but with the Russian now in her sophomore season the partnership of she and Pentecost has become a solid one, and one whose statistics can only improve as the season wears on, and as the man whose net they are protecting continues to improve. #69 Ivar Ogorodnikov GP: 30, G: 8, A: 11, Pts: 19, +/-: -3 With Igor gone, Ivar is now the sole Ogorodnikov on the Knights' roster. Alongside defensive partner Jukka-Emil Vanaja, Ogorodnikov is currently leading the team in shots blocked, and is on course to equal his S24 points tally of thirty-two. Line up changes have seen the top three on the second line shifted about somewhat this season, but the partnership of Ogorodnikov and Vanaja has not. Together they add grit and stability to a line that only now seems to be settling down in terms of personnel. #76 Jukka-Emil Vanaja GP: 30, G: 4, A: 11, Pts: 15, +/-: -3 Having plied his trade on the fourth line in S24, this season has been something of a breakout year for the big mean green. The Knights' Finnish defenceman is perhaps the only out and out defender amongst the top four, and fittingly the Oula native leads the team in hits with fifty-five. His development and pre-season work ethic have clearly impressed the management at Kelowna, and Vanaja has been rewarded with a large increase in the amount of time he is afforded on the ice, something he has been repaying with the same determination that earned him the spot alongside Ogorodnikov. #4 Sludge GP: 30, G: 2, A: 1, Pts: 3, +/-: 3 Signed after the draft, the man they call Sludge has been another solid addition to the Kelowna roster. Whilst the giant Slovenian may not offer much going forward, his size and strength have proven very valuable; Sludge performs the same duties on the third line as Vanaja does on the second. Playing alongside the more offensively minded Oduya, Sludge offers the grit and defensive resilience needed to provide balance to a line that has been successful all season long. In case you haven't been keeping track, he's the first player we've talked about who has a positive plus minus. #3 Brent Fuller GP: 30, G: 0, A: 2, Pts: 2, +/-: -1 Unfortunately for Kelowna, Fuller has been little more than filler this season. He has played just eighty-four minutes over the course of S25, but when he has played his numbers have not been bad. Taking his lack of ice time into account, his shots blocked per minute ratio is above par. However, he has failed to get a shot on net, and—more importantly—has proven himself to be a weak checker. It is unlikely that Fuller will see much more time on the ice than he is currently being allowed, and it is also unlikely that he will improve much beyond filler. #77 Dominik Fleet GP: 30, G: 0, A: 0, Pts: 0, +/-: -2 Dominik Fleet is another player that was picked up after the draft, and another who has received limited ice time. With no goals and no assists to his name, there may well be a reason for that. Like Carl Matson, Fleet has not shown the dedication and determination required to succeed in the SMJHL, and doesn't look as though he'll ever be more than filler. He'll do a job on the fourth line, but don't expect to see him moving up the roster unless he readjusts his head. Forwards #92 Randy Randleman GP: 30, G: 12, A: 24, Pts: 36, +/-: 2 There is little that can be said about Randleman that hasn't been said before, but here goes: he's still getting better. With the loss of Adam Abodobe after his sensational season in S24, it was never going to be enough for Koroviev, Vilhjalmsson, or Lundberg to step up and fill the role. Abo's performances last season often carried the Knights to victory on their own, and that is what Kelowna have required from their talismanic captain thus far this season. So far, Randleman has delivered. With thirty-six points to his name from just thirty games, RR is a fraction ahead of Abodobe's points per minute rating from last season. He leads the team in assists, and is certainly a contender for league MVP in what may well be his final season in the SMJHL. Given his performances this season—and the fact that he has often been lauded by his teammates and management as being a tremendous presence in the locker room—fans of the SHL's Dragons must be rubbing their hands in excitement at the prospect of Randleman skating out in Calgary red as opposed to Kelowna green. The Knights' captain has work to do before then, however, and will certainly be in with a shout for personal honours come the end of the season. #27 Ivan Koroviev GP: 30, G: 14, A: 16, Pts: 30, +/-: 3 Like Vanaja, Koro is another player enjoying a breakout season in S25. Touted by many as the natural replacement for the outgoing Abodobe, the Russian has stepped up to the plate and is on course to achieve his preseason goal of doubling his points tally of twenty from S24. His numbers may not be as impressive as those of Abodobe's, but thirty points from thirty games has been enough to propel him to joint seventh in the overall points rankings, and his fourteen goals is more than any other Kelowna player has managed this season. One of only four players to hit double figures in goals over the first half of S25, Koroviev has become a key player for the Knights, and has certainly justified his first round selection in the SHL Entry Draft. Like fellow Russian Maximova, he has added some physicality to his game this year, though this has seen him rack up thrice the amount of penalty minutes he accumulated over the course of S24. In fact, only Handsome Tony Flow has spent more minutes in the box this season than Koroviev. Nevertheless, S25 has already proven to be a resounding success for the winger, and hopefully will only get better as we head towards the post-season. #22 Kristján Vilhjalmsson GP: 30, G: 10, A: 17, Pts: 27, +/-: -2 After a slow start to the season, the Knights' very own viking has found the form that saw him rack up thirty-one assists in S24, just one less than assist leader Stacker Pentecost. So far in S25 we have seen Vilhjalmsson add goals to his game, and he looks set to top last season's points tally of thirty-seven. It's true that Vil didn't hit the ground running this year, and the vocal Icelander was the first to criticise his own performances. Perhaps a little residual disappointment or annoyance at missing the first round of the SHL Entry Draft was to blame, or perhaps it was just a matter of the centre finding his feet amidst the shifting early season lines; whatever it was, it's in the past now. A sudden burst of seven points in two games saw Vil explode back on to the scene, and since then he has not looked back. He's been keeping tabs with Koroviev as far as points go, and is now back where he would tell you he belongs: on the top line, alongside Randleman and Koroviev. Whatever the Knights' worries have been thus far this season, there is no team in the league that will relish the challenge of that line-up come the playoffs. #31 Jonathan Lundberg GP: 30, G: 7, A: 8, Pts: 15, +/-: 1 Kelowna's newest alternate captain has already doubled his output from S24, but he may be disappointed that he has not put up the same kind of numbers as fellow sophomores Koroviev and Vilhjalmsson. His teammates have spoken only glowingly of his influence in the locker room, but on the ice it just hasn't come together in the same way for Lundberg as it has for others. Nevertheless, there is little doubting his talent, and one feels that the Swede is only going to continue putting up bigger and bigger numbers. The faith shown in Lundberg when he was handed the captaincy by GM Sorenson reflects how highly regarded he is in Kelowna—especially amidst rumours that he was voted in by his fellow players—and he remains an important a piece of the puzzle at Kelowna Place. So far this season he has provided the Knights with a face-off win percentage greater than 50%, and has notched the team's only short-handed goal this season. He plays an important role on the penalty killing unit, and an even more important role in the locker room. If he can crack the thirty point margin he may also play a very important role in the playoffs. #13 Dr. Timeturner Whooves GP: 30, G: 8, A: 13, Pts: 21, +/-: -4 Whoovesie is another player that was expected to up her game in S25, and she has done so. She's not on course for a world-beating season by any means, but she has continued to do what she did in S24: consistently rack up points. Whilst fans will argue about which of the big four above should be played on which line, Whooves is a consistent #2. She may not grab all the headlines, but she can be relied upon to get the job done. Coming off the back of a thirty point season, the Gallifreyan is on course to beat that in S25. #55 Mainio Mäkinen GP: 30, G: 4, A: 5, Pts: 9, +/-: -4 The Maniac has been anything but maniacal in his rookie season; Kelowna's third round pick in the SMJHL Entry Draft has clocked up just eight minutes in the penalty box, and nobody who gets as much ice time as the Finn has shown such good discipline. Maniacal indeed. Even better news for Kelowna fans is the promise that Mäkinen has been showing. Whilst he hasn't put up huge numbers (remember that Koroviev had only nine or ten points at this time last season) he has shown sterling dedication, and has earned the respect of his fellow Knights. With personalities like captains Lundberg, Maximova, and Randleman around to offer advice and encouragement, Mäkinen could be another Kelowna star in the making. #17 Tony Flow GP: 30, G: 7, A: 11, Pts: 18, +/-: 7 Widely renowned as the most handsome man in the SMJHL, Handsome Tony Flow seems to have made a mission in S25 of proving that he is more than just a pretty face. Operating on the third line, Flow is on course to double his points tally from S24, and made no bones about filling in in defence for a couple of weeks, even if it meant putting his good looks on the line. He has formed a formidable wing partnership with fellow sophomore Hugh Johnson, and between them the two have put up thirty-seven points so far this season. Flow currently leads the team in plus minus, and if he can maintain this kind of form he will not only provide his team with invaluable depth in the present campaign, but should go on to be a key player for Kelowna in S26. #18 Hugh Johnson GP: 30, G: 5, A: 14, Pts: 19, +/-: 0 Like Flow, Johnson has found a good home on the third line, but we shouldn't forget that this is a man who put up twenty-five points in his rookie season. He is on course to better that this season, and his versatility has proved useful to Kelowna as the centre has been shifted out to the wing without any drop in performance. Questions still linger over his long-term commitment, but for the time being at least Johnson is providing good depth at Kelowna Place. #19 Niall Brannan GP: 30, G: 2, A: 1, Pts: 3, +/-: 3 Selected in the fifth round of the SMJHL Entry Draft, the Knights' Irish recruit, Niall Brannan, looks to be another player with as yet untapped potential. Despite his inexperience and relative lack of ice-time, he would undoubtedly have been hoping to put up bigger numbers in his rookie season, but the good news for Knights fans is that he has integrated so quickly into the close-knit setup at Kelowna. He has received much praise for his dedication and work ethic, and those around Kelowna Place have expressed certainty that it is only a matter of time before Brannan makes his name known around the league. Whether or not he makes his mark in S25, fans should keep an eye on him in the coming seasons; along with Björnsson, he may well prove to be a future Kelowna captain. #44 Alphonse Oduya GP: 30, G: 2, A: 4, Pts: 6, +/-: 6 A right winger by trade, Oduya has most recently been deployed in defence. His numbers are decent, considering his youth and lack of ice-time (though he recently lined up on both the third and fourth lines), and his versatility is certainly proving useful, but one has to question whether or not he has the strength to effectively perform in a defensive role. Despite his lack of physicality, Oduya has shown good defensive awareness and a readiness to hit opposition players when needed, and it will be interesting to see if he can hold his own in defence. If he cannot, he may be a weak point that other teams will try to exploit. #14 Xander Mole GP: 30, G: 1, A: 0, Pts: 1, +/-: -1 Evergreen Xander Mole is still plying his trade on the Knights' bottom line. In S24 he racked up a grand total of one assist (albeit in just forty minutes of play), and so far this season—with two hundred and eighty-three minutes of play under his belt—he has upgraded that total to one goal. Mole is still what he always was: that guy you throw on because you haven't got a better option; that guy who keeps the bench warm for you; that special needs kid you just can't bring yourself to fire. He is the one, the only... the Mole. #28 Feta Fingers GP: 30, G: 0, A: 3, Pts: 3, +/-: -1 Fingers was the last of Kelowna's selections in the Entry Draft, and has endured a birthing spell on the fourth line that will be familiar to many of the SMJHL's late round picks. Fingers has done little to light the ice up in S25, but he is one for the future. Knights fans can only hope that he will develop into a useful weapon in S26. #97 Ezekiel Zunino Jr. GP: 20, G: 1, A: 1, Pts: 2, +/-: -1 Zunino Jr. joined Kelowna late in the season, but the deal was one that greatly pleased GM Sorenson and the player himself. Operating on the fourth line, he has thus far scored two points in twenty games, and racked up a remarkable twenty-two penalty minutes. He adds both to the depth of the roster in Kelowna, and to the depth of potential that they have amongst their ranks. Knights fans everywhere will be hoping that they have another Abodobe on their hands, and not another Xander Mole. (We love Moley, really... he's just such an easy mark.) </div> (Word count: 3,501 including stats; 3,291 without)
Rich
Moderators S30, S31, S39 Challenge Cup Champion
Really great write up!
Disappointed is exactly right. -_-
Alucard
Registered S28 Challenge Cup Champion Quote:Originally posted by Rich701@Sep 9 2015, 05:00 AMThanks dude! You know, if you sucked more then nobody—yourself included—would expect so much of you. Remember Homer Simpson's lesson: trying is the first step towards failure. The lesson is: never try.
enigmatic
Trading Card Team currently with big titles
Feta Fingers makes up for his lack of scoring with his awesome name. I giggle every time I read it.
Awesome article as usual my friend .
Alucard
Registered S28 Challenge Cup Champion Quote:Originally posted by enigmatic@Sep 9 2015, 05:26 AMSpasibo!
deknegt
Registered Senior Member Quote:Originally posted by Rich701@Sep 9 2015, 06:00 AM >:D< It's alright Lundy, we're here for you. I personally am ''pleased'' with 27 in 30, but man I want to be top 5, not top 15 in points. |
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