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crutch · 04-28-2018, 10:04 PM

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Elite Centerman Luke Fleming is showing he still has a lot to give, despite retiring from the SHL after this postseason.

"With A Bang"
Luke Fleming's Incredible Playoff Success

The SHL Playoffs is the time where SHL Players truly make their mark on the league. From young upstarts to grizzled veterans, everybody has a role to play in the playoffs in order to get their team closer to the Challenge Cup.

Standing out more than others this season to me is Winnipeg Jets Center Luke Fleming, who has accepted a diminished role within the team in order to make a bid to win the Challenge Cup -- however, not many people expected him to be tied for 3rd in the league for league scoring in the playoffs while playing an average of 16 minutes per game throughout the S40 playoffs thus far.

To put this in perspective, out of the top 20 playoff scorers currently, Fleming has the 2nd least amount of ice time, and is tied for 3rd in points. With only 1 goal coming on Special Teams. Those numbers are absolutely obscene. Fleming is 3rd in the league for Points/20 minutes, showing that despite his old age, he still has a lot left in the tank to give to the Winnipeg Jets' hope of capturing another Challenge Cup. With Fleming taking a depth role, it has allowed other players on the team, such as Crossfit Jesus and Corey Bearss to shine more than they had during the Regular Season (which is saying a lot, since both players were stellar during the Regular Season).

â€œFlemmyâ€™s been unreal. His play right now reminds me of the Luke Fleming that was the leagueâ€™s best player. He knows itâ€™s his last run at one more cup, and heâ€™s clearly dialled in. Just clutch performances all throughout the playoffs thus far. Weâ€™re so lucky to have him on our side."

- M.W. Hazard, Coach, Winnipeg Jets

Fleming was vital to the Jets' last Challenge Cup run, scoring 30 points in 18 games to secure the Championship in S37, and being named named one of the most valuable players in the playoffs that season.

Despite Fleming's 16 years in the league where he has seen a lot of talented players come and go, Fleming has remained in the conversation for an extremely valuable player throughout his career, and despite him leaving the SHL following this season, he is doing it on his terms and his terms are to leave everything out there on the ice.

Luke Fleming has been a postseason player since he got a shot in the playoffs, and is proving that the Challenge Cup victory in S37 was no fluke. With players like Luke Fleming playing on your third line, you're setting yourself up to win a Challenge Cup. Any other SHL team would dream of having Fleming on their 1st line, let alone their 3rd. His accomplishments this season are showing the true calibre of player that he is.

To many (including myself), Fleming is a 1st ballot Hall of Fame lock, and his playoff success thus far (79 points in 67 games as of right now) is showing that Fleming was a dominant force on the ice when it mattered most - in the postseason. Luke Fleming is going out with a bang, by showing the SHL exactly how good of a player he truly is.

Thank you, Luke Fleming.

<a href='index.php?showuser=1722' rel='nofollow' alt='profile link' class='user-tagged mgroup-13'>Nereus</a>
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