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*puolivalmiste* · 02-17-2025, 04:15 AM

The SMJHL season is about to start, after we all got a taste of juniors hockey with preseason. In the 7-game span of preseason, teams got a pretty good look into what to expect, and also who the key contributors are likely to be. How is your team looking ahead of this season, and who are gonna be the main pieces of your squads?

Written Option: Talk about how your team is looking ahead of the coming season. Include at least 3 players who will be key to the success of the team, plus an explanation why they will be crucial. Must include 150 words.

Graphic Option: Create a magazine cover style graphic with a headline for the team, plus a render for a key player on your team's squad. Make sure to identify which player the render is supposed to be in the graphic.

You will receive 3 TPE for fulfilling all the requirements for any of the options. (You only need to do one of the options to get the credit and wont get additional credit even if you do more than one). Note that the wordcounter on the site can be inaccurate, if you want to ensure you reach the required wordcount you can use for example https://wordcounter.net/.

All responses are due on Sunday, February 23rd at 11:59 PST. NOTE: IF YOU SUBMIT/EDIT AFTER THE DEADLINE YOU WILL RECEIVE REDUCED/NO TPE.

Reminder that Discord only hosts images for very limited time so you should use something else for hosting images.

Affiliate claims from either PBE or ISFL or WSLB or SSL are accepted; link directly to your post and note if your username is different there.

If you have any questions/concerns, please PM me. Tasks with malicious intent will not be graded. The graders reserve the right to determine malicious intent, after discussion with me. You will not be warned.

Only S81 SMJHL rookies (S82 players) are eligible for this task.

Ashes · 02-17-2025, 04:38 AM

The Walleye are not coming into the season with the expectation of being title contenders or anything of that sort, but realistically we do think we can at least put up a solid, competitive fight this season. Our successful pre-season campaign, in which we went 5-2, solidified that belief. Our team isn't as reliant on a few key players as much as it is on a strong team effort and good systems getting us past opponents which should, on paper, be more skilled than us - but we do have some standout names, of course. Teddy Bloos is one name to keep an eye out for - he lead the Walleye in scoring in the preseason, as well as showing some good defensive play, and, now being moved up to be the team's first line center, can be expected to have a real strong recovery season after a somewhat poor S80 performance. Another forward to look out for though is rookie winger Marcus Sacapuces. Picked up in this past draft all the way near the end of the 5th!!! round, Sacapuces really impressed in the pre-season, scoring at a point-per-game clip. If he keeps this level of play up, it could be a real steal of a pick - and as rookies tend to do, he'll only get better and better. Finally, I'd also like to highlight goaltender Jack Ryan - a player who has been developing well with the Walleye and could potentially really step up this season to help take this team on a playoff run. Any good team needs a good goalie, after all.

Prayl07 · 02-17-2025, 09:14 AM

The Armada is going to be relying on their veterans to lead all of their little boats this season.

Hughes Incorporated took a huge step this preseason by playing as the first line center. They have been a big part of welcoming the newcomers in the lockerroom as well.

Jay Dub had a big preseason leading in a couple categories. They stepped into the 1st line LW role and took off with it. The first line will have to set the tone for the Armada this season.

Dieter Frühstüc has always been at good J defenseman but this season he will need to take the next step up if the Armada will make a run for the four stars cup. He welcomed all the little boats by giving a very colorful arena tour.

The new boats will grow as the season goes along and that is when the Armada will hit their stride.

MSouthworth · 02-17-2025, 10:28 AM

PBE Affiliate PT

Toaster · 02-17-2025, 11:49 AM

Coming off a tough season with only 17 wins and an early playoff exit, the Scarecrows are looking for just about any improvement. If preseason is an indicator, growth is all they’ll be looking for however they might come as a surprise later in the season as the deep rookie roster (9 between draft and waivers) makes improvements throughout the year.

On a team with only 4 players above 300 TPE, and 3 above 400 they’ll be relying on those veterans to be the driving force while rookies get their feet under them. Led by capped right defensemen Jean Bon, capped Center Boogan McGillicuddy and near cap (415) LW Zac Peters. Jean, being the only capped Dman, and one of two above 250 will look to shut down the opposition and set standards for the younger D-Core. Boogan will look to continue his impressive S80 season going forward nearly a point per game (61 in 66) as the top center. Zac Peters in his third year looks to assist Boogan in the points department and continue Zac’s preseason points pace at over a point per game. (Honorable mention to rookie wing Chinweike H.I. Valentine-Okoli who scored a ppg in the preseason)

steviey · 02-17-2025, 11:58 AM

The Quebec City Citadelles had an average preseason, going 3-4 in the seven games they played. We have a strong team of experienced players who will lead the way for us. Our strongest players on the team this season, I believe, will be Dejana Kaptina and Duke Howard, who led the team in scoring with six goals each. Also leading the way is Dominic Enselmo, who led the team with 10 assists . With five overall picks in the draft, I also believe that some of the rookie players will have a big impact on the team this season. Led by Greg Evil our rookie right winger who had seven assists in the preseason. Also on that list is Chubby Barista and Timothy Welch, our two fighters, who led the team in PIM with twelve and eleven respectively. So my outlook for this season is that we, Quebec City Citadelles, will definitely be a top tier contender for the Four Star Cup this season. Which would be a three-peat for us.

ColonelSaunders · 02-17-2025, 01:19 PM

After a sudden decision to rebuild in the offseason, the Nevada Battleborn had an expectedly tough time in the preseason, posting a 2-4-1 record. Nonetheless, that won’t stop the players from wanting to compete each night and surprise the rest of the league. This will take everyone, but a few key players will turn the tides in favor of the Battleborn.

First and foremost, Claude L’Castor. Not only as the new Captain, but the starting goaltender as well, L’Castor will be essential to any success this team has. A couple of kinks in the preseason won’t stop the SHL’s 7th overall pick from leading this team.

Secondly, veteran winger Aurora Borealis lead the team in scoring through the preseason and will need to keep up production in the regular season. Scoring at well over a point-per-game pace and being a key power player, Borealis will need to lead a young forward core by example.

Last but not least, Arvinder Singh. 5 of the 7 defensemen on this Nevada roster were drafted only a week ago, Singh is one of the two established blue liners. Looking at it that way, it is no surprise that the Battleborn struggled a bit defensively in the preseason. While the young bucks learn the ropes, it will be up to the power play quarterback Singh to mentor the new kids while remaining effective at both ends of the ice.

Though the Nevada Battleborn were middle of the pack last year, and are an exceptionally young team. That won't stop them from coming out swinging and trying to take advantage of their underdog status

Tmoney6996 · 02-17-2025, 02:24 PM

Preseason went pretty well for the Whalers. We finished the 7 games with 4 wins and 10 points, which was good enough to be tied for 4th in the league. I think this is expected for Vancouver though. The offensive pieces are largely in place for the team and the core that will carry this team is now there and ready to win. They had a good draft this past offseason and used it to bring it pieces to compliment the already existing core. I think preseason showed that VAN is on the precipice of competing for the cup, and now just needs to get over the hump.

From my perspective, it's fairly obvious who the key players are for VAN this season :

1) River Yekaterina Volkova - the new 1C and leader of the offensive front for the Whalers. A majority of the scoring options are going to go through them, and it'll be on their shoulders make sure that the offense is moving anf grooving day in and day out. As River goes, so do the Whalers.

2) Hans Grolund - the leader on the defensive side of things for VAN. The elder statesman of the rear guard has put in the time, and the effort to help lift a VAN defense that struggled last season, but has a renewed confidence heading into the new season.

3) Last, but certainly the most important, Florence-Amelie Mackenzie - the whole of the Whalers hopes and dreams rests on the broad shoulders of FAM. I said earlier that as River goes, so to does VANs offense. However, how FAM goes, the entirety of the Whalers goes. If Mackenzie has a solid season between the pipes, the Whalers could make some noise and have a deep playoff run. But if they get cold or the defense doesn't do it's part, VAN could struggle against some of the stronger offenses in the league.

HoodRatRoyalty · 02-17-2025, 04:06 PM

Kelowna had a great start to the preseason, going 6-1. They dominated the charts, holding the top position in goals for and least amount of goals against leaving them at a +20 goal differential and a .857 Points percentage.
While they would love for that model to trend forward towards seasons end it’s going to depends on a few things going forward.

JON-ISAAC FORTY-ONE
the bulk of the workload is going to fall to J-I4-1 and much of the Knights seasons success or failure will depend on his play. Posting a .922 save percentage in the preseason. He was in the top five in most categories and as long as that play holds up over the course of the regular season the knights should find themselves near the top of the standings. With a Rookie backup in Yuri Satoshi, Forty-One will be the main reason the team succeeds.

JORDAN LAFRENIERE
Jordan is looking to improve on his last season totals and if preseason is any indication we could be looking at 25+ goals and 60+ points. His ability to drive the play makes him a dangerous threat that can find the open man, and this preseason shown flashes where he is capable of finishing it him self. Picking up a larger portion of the offensive load will be needed on a team that may have to rely on offensive firepower. It’s time for Laffy to drive his line to success.

Eric Johnson
Johnson is going to have his work cut out for him. The lone non rookie defender will be relied upon strongly for guidance and stability in a very young D-core. He will have to lead by example repeating as the team leader in blocked shots in hopes his defence first mantra helps secure what could be Kelowna’s one weakness going into the season.

On a team stacked with youth, it looks like Kelowna may have the right key pieces in place to make some noise this season. With some rookie success and a little puck luck it’s not out of the question to think they may be capable of a deep run in the playoffs. It looks like the foundations have been laid for Kelowna, and now it’s time to build on the pre-season successes.

xNJRangerFanx · 02-17-2025, 04:14 PM

The Newfoundland Berserkers are heading into the new season with a familiar roster, having used their sole draft pick on K.J. Daniels, a goalie chosen in the fifth round of the SMJHL draft. Rather than relying heavily on newcomers, the team has focused on their established core. Last season, the Berserkers delivered an impressive performance, finishing second in the standings and allowing only 197 goals against them. Unfortunately, their journey ended abruptly with a disappointing second-round sweep at the hands of the Anchorage Armada. Despite this setback, the Berserkers have demonstrated the qualities of a strong team. With improvements on the defensive front, the Newfoundland Berserkers are poised for a breakthrough season, aiming to advance past the second round and potentially reach the finals, where they can finally chase their championship dreams. With determination and talent, success could finally be on the horizon for this team. Ultimately, only time will tell their fate.

theevilisback · 02-17-2025, 08:15 PM

With every season players will inevitably come and go, and it's on both the veterans to lead and the Rookies to learn. In the case of the Citadelles this is even more critical as the expectations of a 3-peat are definitely in the air of the locker room. Losing almost half of the goals scored last season is going to be a huge hole to fill, but with players such as Dejana Kaptina, Uwe Bindewald, Duke Howard, and Dominic Enselmo still here to move into more prominent roles and the entire rookie class already showing up in the preseason, the possibility of a 3-peat exists, however it may not be as smooth sailing as it was last season. Playoffs should be a lock, however it will take some amazing play across the entire team to hoist the cup once again.

However, after day 1 of the league... 4-0-0 has a nice ring to it Wink

***CapnCooper*** · 02-17-2025, 09:09 PM

The Falcons this season have an opportunity to be the pesky low team that can steal wins away teams fighting for the top. It's likely Detroit will not see many wins but they also have a great group of rookies who can potentially turn the ship near the end of the season.
It will be up to team Captain, Quezon, goaltender John Gibson and Thurston Bull to help out this team. Quezon has the ability to take charge of the offense. Gibson needs to stay focused and stay positive no matter the outcome of games. Bull needs to continue to develop in order to be the depth center that the Falcons can rely on deep into the season.
If those players can focus on the good parts of their game and the newest rookies continue to develop, there's no doubt that the Falcons will steal points away from the teams that need them when teams are positioning for the playoffs. And then be a threat come playoff time to any matched against them.

LanceAlexGoogoo · 02-17-2025, 10:08 PM

A terrific start for the Timber ending the preseason with a 5-0-2 record, not recording a single regulation loss. The team's players have a strong chance at showing they are not ones to be underestimated. Rookie goaltender George Dankse played every preseason game for the Timber, recording a fantastic .923 Save Percentage, this shows that he can be quite the obstacle for players in the regular season. A the front lines, Anthony Louchard helping his team out with 6 goals, same goals as Lucas Lindberg. Louchard recorded 12 points with his 6 assists to get him there. Helping out Louchard is Darby Reznor, he has experience and he knows how to show it. Reznor records 10 points with 3 goals and 7 assists, helping his team out in a way that gets them the victory. There are many reasons why this team can make it to the top, but I can't fit it all into one post, that's somebody else's job.

Iceolate19 · 02-17-2025, 11:45 PM

Talk about how your team is looking ahead of the coming season. Include at least 3 players who will be key to the success of the team, plus an explanation why they will be crucial. Must include 150 words.

The St. Louis Scarecrows were not tipped by Vegas to be towards the top of the league by the end of the season, making them a great underdog story. The locker room and fan base are some of the only ones that currently see the potential to make playoffs come year end. There are a few players that will be essential to the team for this to take place.

Zac Peters: Zac Peters is a maxed out winger on the Scarecrows who bring a veteran presence to the rookie filled squad. He will look to be the Crows leading scorer, creating chances for others to finish and driving play forward in all zones.

Jean Bon: The veteran defender will need to be at his best, showing a number of other new draftees how its done if the Crows stand a chance of keeping their goal differential in the green.

Boogan McGillicuddy: Another veteran presence on the front end, Boogan is more of a scorer. He will be looking to take advantage of his new team mates passing abilities, powerplay time, and lead his team to squeeze out close games. (181 words)

LockdownCorner · 02-18-2025, 01:22 AM

After 3 games the Armada find themselves with 3 points. The season began with an uplifting 5-1 victory, followed by a tough 6 -5 Overtime loss, and finally a grueling 6 -1 loss. Though these results are not what Anchorage was hoping for, several highlights can be found within their playing ability. Rookies Vito Corleone, Mike Moodano, and Matthew Pano, look to contribute to what is to be an exciting time for Anchorage, this can be seen in their early play combining for 5 points. The armada will look to build on early successes in an attempt to make the playoffs, we are in for a truly engaging story to follow along this season.

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