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PSUwithBigBlue · 09-26-2023, 06:43 AM

DENVER, CO - (Denver Post) With the S73 SHMJL Draft now wrapped up, we can officially set our sights on the beginning of the new season. In this Post-Draft breakdown, we take a look at the Colorado Raptors, the picks they made, and how they will factor into this rebuilt team.

The S72 Colorado Raptors
[Image: nkIxlV4.png]

In the list above, we can see the players that played last season for the Colorado Raptors. Those highlighted in red are the ones who are no longer on the team for S73. Out of the 21 players on the squad last year, only 8 are returning. None of which who are still on the team are goalies nor centers. With only having 22 wins in 66 games last season, both of the GMs are looking to right the ship heading into S73 and beyond by using the draft as a spring board. They selected 8 players in this years draft, 5 of which were in the first 3 round. They are also expecting a fantastic season from their the only player who cracked the top-100 in the SHMJL rankings, left defenseman, David Anderson. Now that we know what Colorado had in the cupboards, we can now take a deeper dive into the players they selected to restock those cupboards.

Round 1, Pick 3 (3rd Overall) - LW, Nick Kodiak

The first and second picks of this year's draft seemed like locks heading in, which left all eyes on Colorado at number three. No one was exactly sure who they were going to select with the third overall pick of the draft, and ultimately, they became the wildcard of the draft which left the other GMs searching for Plan B and Plan C. When they were on the clock, they had announced the pick of Nick Kodiak, a left wing from Hershey, PA.

"I was surprised, and honored." Nick Kodiak said about being drafted by Colorado early into the night. Just as Colorado was the wildcard of the draft, so was Kodiak. He appeared to have interest heading into the draft, but his stock really rose in the days before.

"There were rumblings of me being an early-to-mid second round pick, but I know I caught a lot of attention from the teams at the combine. I am looking forward to proving Colorado right in drafting me this high, and hoping that I can help them reach success."

Kodiak is a defensive-minded, two-way winger who plays a 200 foot game. He is not afraid to get to the dirty areas, and is known to backcheck just as hard as he can forecheck. Nick has shown that he has the intangibles to be a solid player, and is also pretty good at reading the game and knowing how plays will develop. While Kodiak is not known for his scoring, that doesn't mean he can't put the puck in the net, even when it's not from a rebound.

Current S73 Projection: A middle-six winger, who should be getting plenty of penalty killing time. Something the Raptors sorely need, as they finished next-to-last penalty killing percentage last season.

Round 2, Pick 3 (17th Overall) - RD, Oranj Konhe

After taking a two-way forward in the first round, the Raptors selected another two-way player. This time on defense. Last season, Colorado had drafted four right handed defensemen, but they saw something in Konhe that made them want to select another. We had decided to ask him ourselves, what he felt he could offer this team that the four others didn't, but he wouldn't answer our questions. We're unsure ourselves what the Colorado GMs saw in him, but he seemed very cold and ignorant towards us. We had asked him if we could at least take a picture of him. He didn't say no, so we did.

Current S73 Projection: A third-pair defender, who can find himself on the second-pair at time, and will more than likely be found on the ice in all situations.

Round 3, Pick 3 (31st Overall) - C, Shadow Fenix

Going from drafting for a position they had an abundance of, to drafting for a position they needed: center. Shadow Fenix is a speedy, playmaking center from Chicago, IL. He is good with the puck, and finding the open player. Shadow can also wrist one right past the goalie himself if need be. Fenix could very well be a hidden gem in this draft, but without additional centers on the team, it is possible he could end up over his end playing top line minutes against some of the best players in the junior league.

"There's always a certain amount of pressure, especially after the draft," Fenix stated about dealing with possible top-line minutes as a rookie, "but I think that if I stick to my game, and I can learn the systems the coaches have been talking about, everything will work out alright."

"There's a bunch of great players on the team, and if I were given that opportunity, I would gladly take it." Shadow is not one to back down from a challenge, at least on the surface.

Current S73 Projection: A top-six center, who may be bumped down the depth chart as free agency begins and players are signed, but who should still see some power play time as the set-up man.

Round 3, Pick 11 (39th Overall) - G, Tanner Pitts

After selecting a position of need, Colorado followed up by drafting another position of need. Having none of their goalies from last season returning, it seems clear that the Raptors are putting a lot of faith in this rookie netminder from Tampere, Finland to possibly carry a lot of the load this season. Currently, the consensus is that while Tanner shows real promise, he may still be on the raw side. We did get the chance to ask him about the pressure he faces in this current situation.

"Being drafted to Colorado as the only goalie is a daunting task but I’m excited to tackle it!" Pitts said. "With them having the confidence to begin the season with me as the starter providing they can’t find a veteran elsewhere, it adds some pressure out of the gate to perform well!"

Would putting a rookie goaltender right into the fire as a raw greenhorn be too much to ask? Tanner says no.

"I’ll be taking any opportunity to start game’s extremely seriously whether it’s as the starting goalie or eventually a back up. It’s important to show the team I’m committed and I want to show a strong drive right out of the gate. I feel like I’ve given myself the right tools to succeed and am excited to get a chance to prove myself between the pipes."

As of yesterday, the Colorado Raptors have signed a veteran goalie, Peter Lasma, to a 1-yr, $1m contract.

Current S73 Projection: Even with the recent signing, it would appear that Tanner Pitts will get to showcase his talents right out of the gate, and take a lot of the workload this season.

Round 3, Pick 13 (41st Overall) - LD, Christopolees

While the Raptors have plenty of natural right defensemen, they are lacking heavily on the left side. They are hoping Christopolees, a youngster from Death Valley, CA, can be the depth they need. While he may not be known for his offensive game, Christopolees is definitely a defensive presence. If you can't find him on the ice, just follow the line of bodies on the ground. They will lead you right to him. Not only is his strength easily noticeable, so is his speed. His offensive skill may be raw, but that doesn't mean he plans on working on it, and maybe even modeling his game after David Anderson.

"David has been a great asset for the team and I look forward to soaking up as much knowledge from him as I can. I’m gonna be like that little brother always trying to emulate what they do. ... In terms of what specifically I hope to gain, I mean I wish I had his speed, is his ability to know where to be at the right time and some of his sick puck handling moves."

Current S73 Projection: A third-pair defender who will be heavily relied on to be the centerpiece of the penalty kill, and may face tough minutes against some of SHMJL's best.

Round 4, Pick 3 (45th Overall) - RW, Leonard Wood

Sticking with the theme of "rough-and-tough", the fourth round pick of Leo Wood is a great example of a player that isn't afraid to get physical. A speedy power forward from Madison, WI, Wood could see significant playing time in his rookie season. Leo is known for getting to the crease and fighting for his spot in front of the net on offense, and getting back to clear the crease on defense. This type of skill set makes him a vital player for all situations, even though he may be behind Baltimore's James MacAvoy (25G, 23A, 48P in 66G last season) and last year's first overall pick, Xavier Beausoleil (30G, 43A, 73P in 66G last season). What can Wood do to move up the depth chart this year?

"I look forward to using my physical style of play to help my squad win this year. We have a great group of veterans and a stacked rookie class. I'm honored to be a part of this group of guys as we work towards bringing a championship back to Colorado."

Current S73 Projection: A bottom-six winger who could see playing time in all situations.

Round 5, Pick 3 (59th Overall) - LW, Brandon Gilleyes

It would be in the fifth round that Colorado would grab another left wing to play with last year's second round pick, Jussi Mutou, by selecting Brandon Gilleyes, an offensive-minded player from Nuuk, Greenland.

Brandon has tremendous puckhandling skills, and has a very accurate shot that can beat even the best goalies. The Raptors have picked a lot of defensive-minded players in this draft, which makes sense considering they gave up 383 goals last season, which was good enough for last place by an extremely wide margin of 86 goals. Having added that defensive talent, taking a swing in a later round by drafting an offensive player isn't a bad idea. However, Gilleyes says that he's not just a one-trick-pony.

"I think I can bring some good defense as a forward and be able to help out the offensive production on the team."

Current S73 Projection: A bottom-six winger who should see plenty of power play time and may be relied on to get the team the goal it needs in a close game.

Round 6, Pick 3 (73rd Overall) - C, Derek Kong

With the last pick Colorado made in this season's draft, they took Derek Kong, a center from Toronto, Canada. Derek has the potential to be a great two-way center in the league, but is still very raw in terms of overall skill. Even still, due to the fact that Colorado has last all of their centers from last season, and the fact that they only drafted one other center, shows the trust that the front office has in Derek to quickly acclimate to the league and develop his skillset.

"Obviously heading into our first year, Fenix and I want to be able to contribute to the team success as much as possible and I'm really excited for any opportunity to show what I can bring." Kong said about potentially getting a lot of ice time in his rookie campaign. "Any ice time is a privilege, so I'm looking forward to get out there on the ice for our first game."

When speaking about the pressure that a rookie may face in that type of role, Derek says it he will be looking forward to it. "When you see me out there I'll hopefully be shutting down their skilled players to create matchup advantages and limiting chances. Pressure is always something that exists, but ultimately makes it more fun and competitive, and I won't take it for granted."

Current S73 Projection: Depending on free agent signings, it's possible that we'll see Derek Kong in a middle-six forward role.

Final Notes

The Colorado Raptors had quite a few holes to fill, and quite a few weaknesses to strengthen heading into this season, and the front office has definitely made the first few steps to make this a new and improved team. We caught up to the co-GM of the Colorado Raptors, Takk.

"Now, when it comes to this year's draft, I have to say, the Colorado management team couldn't be more thrilled with the outcomes. Thanks to some meticulous scouting, we've managed to recruit a roster of players who were sitting right at the top of our draft wish list."

So is building the team finished? Co-GM NYR73 says no, but they already have the key pieces needed to make this a team to watch out for.

“We are going to have to sign a backup goalie in free agency, (EDITOR'S NOTE: This has already been done, with the aforementioned signing earlier in the article) but all things considered, I think we managed to fill in the holes in our roster very well in the draft. I have full faith in this core to develop and become a force in the league in the upcoming seasons.”

"Our fans have had the privilege of witnessing their beloved team consistently elevate their performance year after year, and I can confidently assert that this season will be no exception." Takk continued. "Brace yourselves for some electrifying offensive displays courtesy of our young guns, such as Jussi Mutou and Nick Kodiak. And for those who revel in bone-rattling hits, our powerhouses like Napoleon Dinklage and my very own client, Xavier Beausoleil, are going to give you a show to remember. And let's not overlook our new goaltender, Tanner Pitts, whose heroics will grace the highlight reels on a weekly basis across all sports channels."

With all of the hype the front office has provided to this team, surely they would want to pump the brakes a little to temper expectations. Takk, instead, doubled down with the hype, showing the fans that they are excited to be building a top team, and the front office wants the fans to be excited as well.

"I must emphasize that Colorado has been on an upward trajectory for a few seasons now, and this year is no different. What sets this squad apart extends beyond the ice – these new recruits bring charisma and magnetism that will surely keep the media ink flowing. Mark my words, these guys are the real deal!"

"So, if I were in your shoes, I wouldn't waste a moment in securing those season tickets before they vanish like hotcakes. Dinosaurs may be extinct, but the Colorado Raptors? They're just getting warmed up!"

You can catch these newly-drafted players in action as the SHMJL Pre-Season kicks off on Thursday, September 28th.

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ShadowFenix · 09-26-2023, 10:06 AM

Lovely article, looking forward to seeing what we can do with the Raptors this year! Also that photo is a amazing

***ThisSeemsFishy*** · 09-26-2023, 10:36 PM

Raps are so swag rn

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