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Jala · 09-11-2020, 09:18 PM

I had the pleasure of spending my first season back with a bunch of fellow rookies and it was a great time. There are so many great prospects here on the Battleborn and I wanted to give out some insider information from my experiences with them for SHL GMs to get a better idea of what they're like in the locker room and with their training. The order I'm putting them in is just off the roster and not by any means a ranking. I will not be listing TPE but I will include my observations on their training habits, as some of the guys started later in the season but their lower TPE doesn't reflect their commitment to improving.

C.K. Supernaw - G - @Wawazat
Supernaw joined us later in the season but is a recreate and a great addition to the team. Aside from the fact that we have a great tandem in net between him and Weaver, he was a great goalie for us and a phenomenal add in the locker room. Very vocal with us and chatting all the time in the locker room and a friendly guy in the locker room. He is constantly doing medias and they're wacky but funny and it's nice to see how he expresses himself. His training efforts are solid and he will absolutely be up to the rest of us in no time. Don't let the lower TPE fool you, he is training actively and has completed both Deep Dives and Championship Week tasks.

Oskar Baldus - C - @Neon
Baldus is another later add and unfortunately he is not as committed to training as a lot of the rest of the squad. He did do some PTs and most of his trainings/activity checks, but unfortunately did not complete his Deep Dives or Championship Week PT. Fairly quiet in the locker room. I hate to say it, but by my assessment he might be an inactive risk. If he can commit he could definitely be a solid bottom six guy and he did do really well for us in the post season.

Kenji Sugimoto - RW - @Huskies311
Huskies joined after the draft this season and had an issue with his last update where he made a mistake and did not have it corrected in time for the last round of updates, so that's why his TPE total is lower on his player page. Don't let that deter you, he has been training very well, completing his Championship Week PT and at least one Deep Dive along with all the PTs he's been eligible for. He has other sim league experience and is involved on them so he understands how they work and he's been great for us in Nevada. He is constantly chatting in the Discord and always looking for advice on how to improve his player. Do not sleep on this guy or you will regret it, because someone is going to get a steal.

Chad Danger - LW - @Arayvenn
Danger missed the draft but was a great signing for us and we're so happy to have him on the Battleborn. He has been an absolute delight in the Discord and is super active in it daily. Another friendly guy who brings a positive presence to the team and is always looking to improve himself. Obviously his TPE and training regiment don't bring any questions up as he is up there on the team with his TPE totals and has completed all his PTs including both Deep Dives and Championship Week. Danger I'm sure is already up there on people's lists but he is certainly a solid pick up and I'm really happy he's on the team with us for his attitude and player he's building.

Tanjiro Kamado - D/F(?) - @Andy
I will admit I can be biased about Andy because we were S20 together and we always got along back then when he has his amazing forward Ratzon. That aside, Andy has been a great leader for us this season with all the new guys and returning guys we have and really took the reins as a leader. He has been active in his dealings in the league and especially the last few days he's been in over drive trying to get his ear to the ground on where we're all going. Training and TPE aren't a questions, deep dives, championship week, PTs, trainings all done and he's pretty much maxed out. Throw in his announcement today that he would be willing to play as a forward, he has a lot of versatility. Where he really shines is in the locker room and his willingness and eagerness to take on scouting, leadership and generally just more then his player. Andy would absolutely be a great add simply because he would make a great coach or co-GM or at very least add a bit more leadership that could step in when needed to do some team tasks. Absolutely a strong candidate and will be one of the most vocal guys on your team. He brings a positive presence to your locker room and a great leader to your team.

Phillip Weaver - G - @W19eaver
Goalie is always a tough position to break into but Weaver is an exception to the rule. If you need a goalie at any point in future, Weaver is your guy. He is a first gen but picked up the league so quickly and has his editions of media that have been a constant through the season. I would always try to make sigs for new to the league guys and generally I try to pick ones that will stick around, and Weaver was one of the first ones I did and I think I made the right choice. I gush over this guy all the time but it's worth it. He's another very vocal guy in the locker room who's also genuinely nice and a positive influence. Training is the same boat as Andy where everything is done, deep dives, CW, etc. High TPE earner and a first gen who really likes the league and a guy who has shown interest in management aspects as he is one of the GMs for Team Canada WJC. I can see him being another first gen who takes the league by storm and will guaranteed be a top tier add to your squad.

Grandmaster Funk - D - @funk
Funk is another first gen who got selected late in the SMJHL draft, but will go high in the SHL draft, much like my original player. Dude is a training monster, knocking out all the tasks available. Again, a great influence in the locker room and another leader who has really taken to helping people with their builds and is always active in the Discord. Like Weaver, a first gen with a lot of steam coming out of the gate and will be hungry to improve and be a positive addition to your squad. I would write more about him but I feel that most teams know enough of him to know he's a top ten pick in the draft.

Vili Afalava - D - @Wasty
I don't have much to say because of the news that broke last night so I'm not really sure what to say here. He's a known commodity but I'll leave the GMs to draw their conclusions.

Raivo Helminen - C - @jRuutu
Ruutu definitely has a coloured past and honestly I wasn't surprised to see him go undrafted into the SMJHL. He was brought in on a vouch with everyone ready to pull the cord if he got out of hand, but this has been one of the best acquisitions I've ever seen. I've been on teams with some guys who would promise to behave and they didn't, but Ruutu has been nothing but perfect with us. He has been training just as well as any of us doing his deep dives, Championship Week stuff, all PTs and training, as you can see by his TPE totals. He's fairly quiet in the locker room but when he does chime in it's a positive note and I'm really happy to have him on the squad with us. He does his job well and has been a great addition for us and I will say with certainty that he will be for a SHL team as well. Do not let him slide by, because he will be a good add to your team.

Alexis Vermette - RW - @treant
Vermette was a pretty quiet presence in the locker room for most of the season, but he would chime in here and there and lately has been more active. He completed all Deep Dives, Championship Week and all PTs and training available to him. A safe pick that will train and be a positive player on your squad.

Bane - D - @Winter is Coming
I remember when WiC joined the league and I know a lot of people have opinions on him, but for some of the newer GMs who aren't aware of him, he can be a positive player for you. He was more chatty in the start of the season and posts a lot of GIFs, but other then that quietly does what he needs to to succeed. He completed his Deep Dives, training, PTs, Championship Week, etc. High TPE earning, safe pick on the back end.

James Kimanje - RW - @VRTX L4S3R
Laser went undrafted last season, but he's come back this year and really put in the work to improve his stock and be a choice to go to a squad his second time around. He really put in the work into his training, doing all the PTs and training he could including Championship Week and he will be a great add to your team. Another active guy in the locker room who is really hungry to prove he's worth a look and I would absolutely look at him for your team.

And last but not least, me.

I am back after a long break and I am re-energized and fully committed to making a successful player. I have completed all the PTs I can, training every week and I know the league and what it takes to win. Some of you may remember me, and I know a lot don't know who I am but once upon a time I was very invested in the league. I'm back with that energy, but the knowledge to know how to keep myself from burning out and I am looking to be an elite defender in the league again. Those of you who remember me will know how much TPE I will rack up and I will be a positive, friendly presence on your team. I did my best to check into Discord as much as possible, but I know some of the guys like Andy, Funk, Danger and Weaver were more active in the discussion then I was. I attribute that to being away from a while and now that I'm back in the swing of things I've tried to get back into the role of helping out and trying to check and make sure everyone's gotten all their claims done and the like. I will be doing more medias as I get more acclimated to the teams and how the sim works, but I have almost 100m so I'm good for now.

Overall, all of our guys are good picks and we have a lot of potential picks. There is not a single player on this squad that I would say is a problem/cancer/project and everyone aside from Neon (I'm sorry) is a safe bet to stick around and build a solid to elite player for your team. They are all a joy to be in a locker room with and I feel so lucky to have back to a team like this. Even going into this season knowing we were going to be basement dwellers, no one ever got down and we all pushed each other to be better and that will carry on into the SHL. These guys never gave up on it, we all know that this coming season we will be better if we all put in the work and it's nice to have guys like that around you. Any of them will be a good pick for you and I can't wait to see where my Battleborn brothers end up.