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daBenchwarmer · 01-31-2017, 04:46 PM

<div align="center">PORTLAND SPORTS
A New Era Begins
With the departure of many veterans and old staff and the arrival of young, talented players, a the Portland Admirals are looking better and better everyday.
Written By: Ryan Langley

[Image: 110924_NSM_JOK-ILV_Teuvo_Teravainen.jpg]

[Image: 110924_NSM_JOK-ILV_Teuvo_Teravainen.jpg]

Prior to his time in the SMJHL, S33 1st Overall Pick, Veli Kaalinpaa split time with the KHL Helsinki Jokerit's U18 Team and their KHL squad. Kaalinpaa is expected to pan out to become a Top 2 defensive defenseman.</div>

Portland - The lights in a local Portland hockey rink are dimmed, the S33 SHL Pre-Season is still weeks away, yet the S33 1st Overall Pick, Veli Kaalinpaa, is busy at work, skating hard, practising his shots, stickhandling and stamina in preparation for the upcoming SHL season.

"It gets a bit lonely not having the guys around." Kaalinpaa joked when asked about his off-season training. "But this is for my own personal skills and development, just so I stay in shape."

A native of Finland, Kaalinpaa has been waiting for his opportunity to play in the SHL his entire life, and now his chance has come. Picked 1st Overall by the struggling Portland Admirals, Kaalinpaa is more than just a bonafide defenseman who can step in immediately, he's a symbol of Wahlters' Admirals: young, fiery and determined, willing to make key sacrifices in order for the team to progress towards the ultimate goal of the Challenge Cup.

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S33 6th Overall Pick Teemu Sirius pictured here during his time with the Prince George Firebirds. Sirius is projected to pan out as an elite offensive winger.</div>

For this to happen however, sacrifices were made by Wahlters. A notable change was the dismissal of 3-year Head Coach Sebastian Casmaar, who was replaced with Jakob Tanner. Picks were shuffled, trades were made, prospects came and went, but now the team looks poised to make a push for the playoffs. Many players who have been added to the Admirals are young, elite prospects who were already in the midst of making a name for themselves in the SMJHL.

Teemu Sirius, probably one of the most talented wingers in the recent S33 Draft, had the honour of having his name called when the Admirals drafted the Finn 6th Overall. While a few were skeptical about Sirius' capabilities, the scout reports say otherwise, many saying "Sirius possesses the potential to become an elite offensive winger, potentially more. His explosive skating and shot are something to behold, and his passing is a critical asset of his."

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S31 Draftee Reed Laing is expected to make an immediate impact on the Portland Roster as a dynamic two-way winger. Laing appears to be able to both put the puck in the back of the net and play defence, and will help shore up Portland's winger depth.</div>

Moving past the only two picks of the S33 Draft by the Admirals, it's time to look upon some familiar names, mainly the Halifax duo: Reed Laing and Alex Reed. Both of these players were a 1-2 punch combo back in the SMJHL and have great chemistry.

Laing is a two-way forward, who has held her own against the best of the SMJHL and is unmatched in her tenacity and ability to play a 200 foot game. Her natural ability on defence is only matched by her ability on offence, consistently putting the puck in the back of the net or setting fellow teammates up for goals. Potentially a groundbreaking winger for the Admirals, Laing will most likely slot on the 2nd Line immediately.

<div align="center"> [Image: vincent_dunn_gatineau_031114.jpg]

[Image: vincent_dunn_gatineau_031114.jpg]

S31 Alex Reed Draftee is a welcomed centre being added to Portland's immense but young centre depth. A strong two-way centre who specializes in face-offs, Reed looks to pan out as a Top 6 defensive centre.</div>

Alex Reed, originally projected in the SMJHL to have a meagre possibility of becoming a Middle 6 centre, has flourished in Halifax under the guidance of Valterri Bottas and his keen management of the Raiders. Many are unsure on how Reed evolved to become the player he is today, however the speculation is that his intense work in the face-off circle and superb natural hockey IQ. Deadly in the circle and on the backcheck, Reed led the Raiders in recoveries this past season with 71.

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S32 Max Weber may be undersized, but is probably one of the most underestimated defensive prospects Portland has in possession. He is expected to cap off as a Top 4 two-way defenseman.</div>

Max Weber and Kyle Wahlgren were two under-the-radar prospects that were treated with suspicion, mainly due to their physical size in a demanding position. Both however, have proved those suspicions wrong, as they have been fantastic with the St. Louis Scarecrows in the SMJHL.

Weber, despite being 5'11" on defence, has improved his defensive ability significantly. Being an S32 draftee, Weber is still eligible for another year in the SMJHL, though it may not be up to him. Despite this, with Weber passing veteran defenseman Shea Robinson on the depth chart, the possibility of seeing the Scarecrows' favourite defenseman in an Admirals jersey is a real possibility.

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[Image: blackwood-mackenzie-1.jpg?w=648]

S31 Kyle Wahlgren, while small in terms of goalies, is a very skilled and agile goaltender who looks to have an uncapped elite potential in net. He is able to make stops that only a superhuman would be capable of. While he is not expected to take over the crease this season, that may be the possibility if Wahlters has his way.</div>

Even though Wahlgren possesses a miniature 5'11" frame, he has been admirable in the SMJHL, performing quite well when the rest of the Scarecrows did not. Now, with the maximum amount of growth possible from the SMJHL, Wahlgren is prepared to hopefully tend the crease for the Admirals, although many suspect Wahlters will attempt to find a veteran goalie to help share the workload so Wahlgren is not fatigued with 50 starts in a row.

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Big Free Agent signing Jonathan Lundberg is expected to provide both a veteran presence to the youthful Admirals as well as lead them to greater heights. Lundberg is also expected to take over the #1 centre position for the Admirals.</div>

Lastly, the 28-year old Jonathan Lundberg free agency signing is possibly one of the biggest headlines throughout this entire off season. Lundberg, who is coming off of a 33 point season with the New England Wolfpack, is a mix of both veteran presence and an elite defensive presence for the young Admirals roster. Despite his meagre point totals for such a large contract with an AAV of $11 million, Lundberg brings a huge portion of intangibles and leadership with him, being part of the Wolfpack roster that had won back to back Challenge Cups.

When questioned about his decision to Portland, Lundberg was very blunt with his answer.

"I had a lot of great offers, but Portland was the team that really peaked my interest. When I look at what their management team is doing, the players and coaching staff theyâ€™ve brought in." Lundberg said. "They are a team that makes me excited for the future. Itâ€™s something I want to be a part of, and I think I can step in and make a difference right away. Iâ€™d like to be part of the movement that turns this team into one of the best in the Western Conference. Thatâ€™s why weâ€™re all here, after all. Iâ€™ll do whatever I can to help this team win, and make this team a contender."

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[Image: 20141116__20141117_BB4_SP17HKNFOPPAj2p1.jpg?w=654&h=487]

Ray Pejonis brings much needed winger depth, and helps to bring scoring and a new level of physicality to the Admirals. Pejonis was acquired in a three-way trade with the West Kendall Platoon and Minnesota Chiefs.</div>

How could we forget the 29-year old Ray Pejonis, coming off of a less than stellar 25-point season with the Platoon. While he lacks the scoring touch he had possessed last year, Pejonis is still a dominant physical presence and will look to help protect the younger players and to give a decisive leadership presence for the rest of the Admirals squad, hopefully guiding them into the playoffs.

The Portland Admirals folks, they're back and ready to contend. With those rebuilding, 7 wins, 40-something losses seasons behind them perhaps Portland can finally qualify for the elusive playoffs.

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daBenchwarmer · 01-31-2017, 04:50 PM

Tagging those mentioned:

<a href='index.php?showuser=1269' rel='nofollow' alt='profile link' class='user-tagged mgroup-8'>Tanner</a>
<a href='index.php?showuser=537' rel='nofollow' alt='profile link' class='user-tagged mgroup-8'>Schultzy</a>
<a href='index.php?showuser=2378' rel='nofollow' alt='profile link' class='user-tagged mgroup-13'>MWHazard</a>
<a href='index.php?showuser=32' rel='nofollow' alt='profile link' class='user-tagged mgroup-3'>GroupMeIsKindOfOkay</a>
<a href='index.php?showuser=2250' rel='nofollow' alt='profile link' class='user-tagged mgroup-23'>Alex Reed</a>
<a href='index.php?showuser=2236' rel='nofollow' alt='profile link' class='user-tagged mgroup-13'>Wally</a>
<a href='index.php?showuser=1855' rel='nofollow' alt='profile link' class='user-tagged mgroup-14'>Rich</a>
<a href='index.php?showuser=1576' rel='nofollow' alt='profile link' class='user-tagged mgroup-23'>LB.</a>