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ztevans · 09-28-2024, 11:14 AM

I had planned to do an “in-character” scouting piece for some draft media, but then I basically did 800 words of that in Postseason Bonanza. If you’d like to read that out of sheer boredom, click here.

So instead, I figured I’d do something a little different and make an “out-of-character” scouting piece. Hopefully it’ll answer some questions some folks have, especially those that have come up a lot in scouting, and give an idea what people should expect from me this time around with SHL.

Who are you?

This is going to be my least favorite part of writing this, and I’m not going to be insulted if you skip it. Who I was doesn’t matter, you’re drafting me now, not me in 2016, and those aren’t the same people or situations or … much of anything, really, except for the slight southern drawl and appreciation of terrible puns.

Aslak is my fourth player in SHL. My first player in the S31 draft class, and somehow pieced together a Hall of Fame career playing for the Winnipeg Jets. That bum won a couple of Challenge Cups, a couple of IIHF gold medals and three awards in Season 38 including the Khan. He mostly got carried by the greatest SHL player of all time, Jason Visser, but some people look back fondly on him I guess.

I’ve had two other players since then, neither as successful in terms of on-ice production or TPE accumulation. I’m not ashamed of them, but there’s just not much to talk about there, and then I’ve been gone for a couple of years. So we’re not exactly rolling into this with a lot of momentum.

I got back into sim league nonsense about a year ago over on PBE, where (under a different user name) I have put together a second baseman named Shane Ziegler who is doing very well TPE-wise in his draft class and won a Gold Glove but otherwise has been a complete waste of oxygen. Still, the fact that I’ve been able to keep up TPE-wise has been encouraging, and enough people pestered me to recreate in SHL that I finally caved. So here I am. Sorry about your luck.

What are your goals with Aslak Hestnes?

I’ve enjoyed this question because the terrible pun is right there. I have no goals, literally or figuratively, with Aslak. I made him a defensive defenseman because I strictly don’t want to be focused on accumulating stats or winning awards. I want him to be an unheralded player fulfilling an unheralded role on the ice and let others have the spotlight. Aslak is, as the kids say, here for the vibes.

Now, don’t get me wrong. I’d love to still eventually win things as a team – Challenge Cups, IIHF medals, whatever. Otherwise, there’s not going to be much for me to kick up a fuss about. I guess, since the Biscuit exists now, it’d be cool to win that.

But are you gonna earn TPE?

This is literally the million-dollar question (and maybe part of the reason I’m writing this thing). Back in the day, I accumulated quite a healthy bankroll from podcasting, and my previous two players coasted on that until I lost interest in them. After my last player, I was pretty determined to not come back … and promptly spent all of my money on those cute trading cards. I really wanted certain cards. Not even necessarily “rare” ones, but the people that gave me good memories on SHL.

I largely failed on that front. I have a lot of the players from my draft class, and the “base” cards for all of my players. However, I don’t have any of the award cards or the HOF card for my own players, or any cards of the wife of my first player, or for that matter Jason Visser. So, yeah, fake money well spent on fake cards.

I know from PBE – especially with the affiliate PT options – that I can keep up with that part of the workload. What remains to be seen is if I can generate enough income to train at the highest possible level here.

I’m not going to lie and say unequivocally “Hell yeah, I can absolutely do that.” I know I can write in a pinch, and enough friends have offered to collaborate on projects to help out because, I don’t know, they like me, I guess? I don’t understand, but I am appreciative. But the PBE player had a marginal bankroll from past contracts I’ve been able to lean on a bit, and I simply don’t have that here. It would be dishonest if I didn’t note it up front.

Are there any teams you do/don’t want to play for?

The best part about the break is that, honestly, most teams are a completely fresh start at this point. There are a couple of exceptions, but most teams have an entirely different look than when I was heavily involved in SHL. So, for my part, I’m open to going pretty much anywhere and I think all of my conversations with GMs and scouts have gone well.

Where do you see yourself going in the draft?

This draft class is pretty stacked. And furthermore, I was a mid-season join, so I’m behind on TPE even though (at least to my knowledge) I haven’t missed out on any tasks since recreating. Well, except for a Deep Dive. Heck Deep Dives. And, by the way, my player is an incredibly un-sexy build, and I have a low (but improving) bankroll.

I’d be shocked if I went in the first round, and I can’t be upset about anyone getting picked ahead of me in that group. I’d like to think I can be a valuable addition to a team in the second round, maybe even one of those picks that is looked back on fondly several seasons down the road, but time will tell.

Do you have any interest in taking a job or team management role?

I won’t rule out a job entirely but it’s going to have to be pretty low-effort on the relative scale of SHL jobs. My days of being involved in a head office like in my peak are long gone. I don’t have the time or interest, and I have the utmost respect for the people who do, even if I don’t know most of them anymore.

Similarly, I have less than nothing to offer to a team’s hypothetical front office. My GMing days were back in the dark ages of Simon T. If you want to hear horror stories about those times, like winning a Cup while double-shifting or making IIHF lines and finding out half of my forwards had redistributed out of passing, then I’m your guy! But if you’re looking for someone with even a morsel of FHM knowledge, I am sorry to disappoint.

Water gun to head, do you have a preferred destination in the draft?

I don’t think I have a favorite, but there are definitely a few teams that have resonated with me over the course of scouting – either because of the scouting interactions, researching rosters, or just waxing nostalgic. Like I said before, I don’t think there’s a team I wouldn’t go to, so I hope this doesn’t discourage anyone I don’t mention.

I also don’t want this to be misconstrued as Mock Draft Scouting Intel ™, because I really don’t have a firm grasp of which teams need a defensive defenseman with no money. I won’t take it personally if none of these teams share my interest or I end up getting drafted by anyone not on this list.

BUT … here are a few teams that have really stuck with me, in alphabetical order.

Calgary – Had a couple of good conversations with the Dragons and recognize a lot of names there. In a funny way, a lot of the names I recognize there are from various J teams I’ve been on over the seasons, whether it was Montreal/Carolina or Quebec City, but most of them would be brand-new SHL teammates.

Edmonton – This is probably the team I’ve spoken with the most, and I feel those talks have been really encouraging. Again, no idea how "feasible" it is for them to draft me, but there seems to be a ton of mutual interest. I’m not sure what it is about my players and the Western Conference, but that always seems to be the gravitation – but Edmonton would be a new stop.

New Orleans – Oh hey, another Western Conference team. This one’s pretty straightforward – Joe K and I have always (in fun) gone back and forth with each other as forwards who were on rival SMJHL teams and then went in the first round in the S31 draft and ended up on conference rivals and then both became regular podcasters and Hall of Famers. We are birds of a feather. Joe K and Old Man Evans are inseparable in the lore.

Winnipeg – No matter what (including a name change, the Jets are still real to me), there will always be a soft spot in my heart for the place my first player called home for his entire career. It’s not much deeper than that.

So there you have it. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out.

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ValorX77 · 09-28-2024, 11:19 AM

Good write up. Best of luck in the draft.

jason97 · 09-28-2024, 11:35 AM

Good luck for tomorrow bud, would love to share the ice with you like the good old days <3

ztevans · 09-28-2024, 11:41 AM

09-28-2024, 11:35 AMjason97 Wrote: Good luck for tomorrow bud, would love to share the ice with you like the good old days <3

It's funny, I was just catching up and listening to the latest Rich and Luke and I was basically shouting at the screen when they were talking about how long you've been around but weren't mentioning Don Pellegrino Laughing

***bluesfan55*** · 09-28-2024, 03:45 PM

ah my good friend zachary evans. wishing you good luck for tomorrow

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