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'Russian Prince' Calls for One Final Season (+ Press Conference)
#1
(This post was last modified: 07-01-2020, 08:47 PM by ztevans.)

[Don't Grade Yet - Open for Questions - Initial Text = 515 words - total text 1,463 words]

As Texas Renegade players gathered for exit interviews following the conclusion of their season, defenseman Nikolai Evans shared with assembled media that Season 55 would be his final season in the Simulation Hockey League.

The first overall pick of the S46 SHL Draft acknowledged he would return for a final professional season but intended to walk away from the sport after the conclusion of S55, which will be his ninth season in the league.

“Obviously, I’ve been fortunate to enjoy a lengthy career in the SHL, and I’m glad I’ve had that opportunity,” said Evans.  “But I’m ready to move on with the next chapter of my life, whatever that may be, and I’m comfortable going into Season 55 knowing it will be my last.”

Evans said he wants one final season for personal closure, and doesn’t expect it to become a media spectacle.

“I haven’t been good enough for one of those sendoffs where you get tributes in every arena you go to, let’s be honest,” said Evans.  “That was my dad.  That isn’t me.  I just want to leave everything on the ice for one season and walk away.”

Evans’ father, Zach Evans, was a first-ballot SHL Hall of Famer after an extraordinary career with the Winnipeg Jets.  Over a 14-season career, the elder Evans scored 633 points, won two Challenge Cups and collected a laundry list of awards in Season 38, the best season of his career.

Nikolai was a highly-touted prospect, dubbed "The Russian Prince" as the son of both Zach Evans and former goaltender Ekaterina Rudnikova, a John McBride Trophy winner in her own right.  Nikolai did not reach those heights in his career, receiving just one controversial Scott Stevens Trophy nomination in Season 52.

Coincidentally, Rudnikova won her McBride Trophy in Texas, where she also spent the final two seasons of her career.

“It’s funny how that works, right?  I think, for most of my career, people have tried to compare me to dad,” said Nikolai.  “But here I am, finishing my career where mom finished hers.  Obviously it’s not something I planned, I was traded here, but when it happened, it just felt right.”

Evans was part of a resurgence for the Renegades, as they improved from a nine-win team in S53 to missing out on the playoffs in S54 due to a tiebreaker with the Calgary Dragons.  He hopes his final season will come with a trip to the playoffs.

“It would be great to finish my career with one last trip to the postseason.  That’s really the biggest thing bringing me back for one more year, knowing how close we were this year.  It was probably my best season as an all-around player, too, so I know I can still bring something to the table for the team.”

Feeling it was his best individual season, why is Evans walking away?

“When you know, you know,” he reasoned.  “My dad told me the same thing.  When he retired, a lot of people said he probably still had two or three seasons left in the tank, and they’re probably right.  But he was ready, and now I’m ready.”

06-26-2020, 11:07 AMbluesfan55 Wrote: hi evans
will there be any cookies

There will always be cookies.

06-26-2020, 11:09 AMluketd Wrote: will you restart the podcast you regret, or whatever the name was

I'll make a short story long on this one.

When I started The Podcast I Will Regret Making, it was intended to have rotating guests.  Of course, this was ... almost four years ago.  There were lots of people in the S31 class that were tossing around the idea of starting one, so I started mine with the hopes of bringing them in as guests, and if the muse struck after that, they could branch out and start their own.

The very first guest on episode two (I did the first one solo) was the voice of the Hamilton Steelhawks goal horn himself, @Waters.  There were others along the way, I can't possibly remember them all.  I'm pretty sure, out of them, only @JKortesi81 went on to make a consistent podcast, and the statute of limitations long expired before the birth of the JoeKast for me to take any credit for inspiring him.  There were also some non-S31 guests, like @dankoa, @Atlas and a certain former Russian federation head and Seattle Riot GM who shall remain nameless.  They weren't all home runs, guys.

That proved with time to be very cumbersome, lining up different guests each week and trying to mesh my schedule with theirs, so the show eventually became a solo job.  That became the PIWRM most people came to know and, well, accept as part of the podcast scene, probably not love.  There were occasional guests along the way, including a second appearance by arguably the show's best guest ever, @Avakael, but nothing permanent.

Near the end of Nikolai's run of activity, the solo podcast proved to be a grind.  I think, honestly and candidly, part of it had to do with burnout and part of it had to do with my own personal battles.  Nothing said "depressing" like talking to yourself for an hour about fake hockey because you didn't have a friend to do it with.  I exaggerate, of course, I consider several people here very good friends, and I hope that's reciprocated, but that's the kind of places your head goes when you are battling those kinds of demons.

I tried some different things to add some life to it.  The "driving" casts were convenient and helped pass the time of driving to and from places with work, but always felt underprepared without the ability to look things up or read the questions directly.  The live podcasts did well and helped bring that interaction I was looking for.  I'm glad to see other shows have adopted that format, either through inspiration or coincidence, but ultimately it didn't quite fill the void of actively talking to someone.

So in conclusion ... no, I wouldn't expect PIWRM to return immediately, or any time soon.  With that said, I'd be open to occasional podcasting, whether as a guest on an existing show or someone collaborating with me to start a two or three person show.  It's not something I'm going to put a lot of legwork into building right away, but it's a viable way I could see returning to podcasting without, frankly, talking to myself.

06-26-2020, 11:19 AMPremierBromanov Wrote: Can I interest you in going out with a whimper?

If Tampa hadn't traded me, it would have been a certainty :kappa:

Just kidding, TBB friends, you know how much I love y'all and the time I spent there. 

I don't think I'll have much control on how I go out, I'm sure once I recreate (since that is a thing that will be happening, at the appropriate time) I won't be adding TPE to Nikolai.  Hopefully dankoa and @puolivalmiste see to it that I don't go out with a whimper, though.

06-26-2020, 11:25 AMZ0REM Wrote: Will Nikolai make his children play the game?

I didn't do nearly as much character writing with Nikolai as I did with his old man, but in my head's canon, Nikolai has no children because, for most of his career, he was a narcissist who would never love another person as much as himself, and thus would never date, never mind procreate.  So thus ends the "legacy" of the Evans name in the SHL.

06-26-2020, 11:37 AMTheHockeyist Wrote: in character After retirement, you want to play a friendly game together or two?

With you, comrade, yes.  The O'Koivus can kick rocks though.


06-26-2020, 12:03 PMml002 Wrote: Nikolai, after years of taunting your father on social media for his career, do you expect retaliation now that you are hanging up the skates?

I think we can all say he got the last laugh.

06-26-2020, 12:12 PMEvok Wrote: Whos your next player, what position?

What I know:
Position - Winger
Nation - Not an IIHF affiliated nation (Not to say I won't eventually transfer to Russia, but I do want to leave my options open)
Player Type - Small, speedy winger
Render - Tomas Tatar
Partner in Crime - TBA  Hmm

What I don't know:
Player name (Yeah, I know, kind of important)
Nationality
Exact size
Whether or not he'll actually be good (probably not)

06-26-2020, 12:15 PMdankoa Wrote: Not a question but excited to have you play your final season with us in Texas, hopefully we’ll get Nikolai one last shot at the cup!

It'd be a hell of a way to go.

06-26-2020, 12:29 PMToeDragon84 Wrote: What do you mean, it only takes like 1/100th of a second to get someone pregnant.

It also takes a second person.

Zach Evans[/b] | Player Page | Update Page
Nikolai Evans
| Player Page | Update Page


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#2

hi evans
will there be any cookies

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#3

will you restart the podcast you regret, or whatever the name was

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#4

Can I interest you in going out with a whimper?

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#5

Will Nikolai make his children play the game?

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#6

in character After retirement, you want to play a friendly game together or two?

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S48 Four Star Cup Champion (Vancouver Whalers)
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#7

06-26-2020, 11:07 AMbluesfan55 Wrote: hi evans
will there be any cookies

There will always be cookies.

06-26-2020, 11:09 AMluketd Wrote: will you restart the podcast you regret, or whatever the name was

I'll make a short story long on this one.

When I started The Podcast I Will Regret Making, it was intended to have rotating guests.  Of course, this was ... almost four years ago.  There were lots of people in the S31 class that were tossing around the idea of starting one, so I started mine with the hopes of bringing them in as guests, and if the muse struck after that, they could branch out and start their own.

The very first guest on episode two (I did the first one solo) was the voice of the Hamilton Steelhawks goal horn himself, @Waters.  There were others along the way, I can't possibly remember them all.  I'm pretty sure, out of them, only @JKortesi81 went on to make a consistent podcast, and the statute of limitations long expired before the birth of the JoeKast for me to take any credit for inspiring him.  There were also some non-S31 guests, like @dankoa, @Atlas and a certain former Russian federation head and Seattle Riot GM who shall remain nameless.  They weren't all home runs, guys.

That proved with time to be very cumbersome, lining up different guests each week and trying to mesh my schedule with theirs, so the show eventually became a solo job.  That became the PIWRM most people came to know and, well, accept as part of the podcast scene, probably not love.  There were occasional guests along the way, including a second appearance by arguably the show's best guest ever, @Avakael, but nothing permanent.

Near the end of Nikolai's run of activity, the solo podcast proved to be a grind.  I think, honestly and candidly, part of it had to do with burnout and part of it had to do with my own personal battles.  Nothing said "depressing" like talking to yourself for an hour about fake hockey because you didn't have a friend to do it with.  I exaggerate, of course, I consider several people here very good friends, and I hope that's reciprocated, but that's the kind of places your head goes when you are battling those kinds of demons.

I tried some different things to add some life to it.  The "driving" casts were convenient and helped pass the time of driving to and from places with work, but always felt underprepared without the ability to look things up or read the questions directly.  The live podcasts did well and helped bring that interaction I was looking for.  I'm glad to see other shows have adopted that format, either through inspiration or coincidence, but ultimately it didn't quite fill the void of actively talking to someone.

So in conclusion ... no, I wouldn't expect PIWRM to return immediately, or any time soon.  With that said, I'd be open to occasional podcasting, whether as a guest on an existing show or someone collaborating with me to start a two or three person show.  It's not something I'm going to put a lot of legwork into building right away, but it's a viable way I could see returning to podcasting without, frankly, talking to myself.

06-26-2020, 11:19 AMPremierBromanov Wrote: Can I interest you in going out with a whimper?

If Tampa hadn't traded me, it would have been a certainty :kappa:

Just kidding, TBB friends, you know how much I love y'all and the time I spent there. 

I don't think I'll have much control on how I go out, I'm sure once I recreate (since that is a thing that will be happening, at the appropriate time) I won't be adding TPE to Nikolai.  Hopefully dankoa and @puolivalmiste see to it that I don't go out with a whimper, though.

06-26-2020, 11:25 AMZ0REM Wrote: Will Nikolai make his children play the game?

I didn't do nearly as much character writing with Nikolai as I did with his old man, but in my head's canon, Nikolai has no children because, for most of his career, he was a narcissist who would never love another person as much as himself, and thus would never date, never mind procreate. So thus ends the "legacy" of the Evans name in the SHL.

06-26-2020, 11:37 AMTheHockeyist Wrote: in character After retirement, you want to play a friendly game together or two?

With you, comrade, yes. The O'Koivus can kick rocks though.

Zach Evans[/b] | Player Page | Update Page
Nikolai Evans
| Player Page | Update Page


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#8

Nikolai, after years of taunting your father on social media for his career, do you expect retaliation now that you are hanging up the skates?

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#9

Whos your next player, what position?

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#10

Not a question but excited to have you play your final season with us in Texas, hopefully we’ll get Nikolai one last shot at the cup!

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#11

06-26-2020, 11:59 AMztevans Wrote: Nikolai has no children because, for most of his career, he was a narcissist who would never love another person as much as himself, and thus would never date, never mind procreate. So thus ends the "legacy" of the Evans name in the SHL

What do you mean, it only takes like 1/100th of a second to get someone pregnant.

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#12

Nikolai must have thousands of children with intradimensional beings also.

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#13

rip Nikolai

[Image: 3.png]

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#14

06-26-2020, 12:03 PMml002 Wrote: Nikolai, after years of taunting your father on social media for his career, do you expect retaliation now that you are hanging up the skates?

I think we can all say he got the last laugh.

06-26-2020, 12:12 PMEvok Wrote: Whos your next player, what position?

What I know:
Position - Winger
Nation - Not an IIHF affiliated nation (Not to say I won't eventually transfer to Russia, but I do want to leave my options open)
Player Type - Small, speedy winger
Render - Tomas Tatar
Partner in Crime - TBA Hmm

What I don't know:
Player name (Yeah, I know, kind of important)
Nationality
Exact size
Whether or not he'll actually be good (probably not)

06-26-2020, 12:15 PMdankoa Wrote: Not a question but excited to have you play your final season with us in Texas, hopefully we’ll get Nikolai one last shot at the cup!

It'd be a hell of a way to go.

06-26-2020, 12:29 PMToeDragon84 Wrote: What do you mean, it only takes like 1/100th of a second to get someone pregnant.

It also takes a second person.

Zach Evans[/b] | Player Page | Update Page
Nikolai Evans
| Player Page | Update Page


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#15

06-26-2020, 04:21 PMztevans Wrote: Partner in Crime - TBA  Hmm

my recreate next off season, ez

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