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reid · 04-03-2020, 06:25 PM

Welcome to the first edition of the SJHN’s Rookie Roundup with your host for this segment AJ Rocks! Week one is almost done, so we wanted to profile the top players from the young S54 class.

Week to week this segment will illustrate to the viewers/readers, who were the most outstanding rookies to showcase their talents. Will it be Maines 1st pick over Sondergard or presently the top TPE earner of his draft class Joseph Fantobens? Or maybe it just might be a last minute addition the a roster via the free agency market!

We have a few standouts after week 1:

Noah Jons II Raptors

: Going undrafted, the right winger from the Raptors has excelled and surprised a bunch of us. The American born Noah Johns II has jumped out of the gates to lead all rookies in scoring with 6 goals and 10 points in 8 games played. These are staggering numbers, as he averages merely 12:16 of ice time with some special team minutes sprinkled in there. Although mostly known for his shooting skills, the sniper has but 14 SOG and an alarming rate of precision of almost 43%! His 10 points by the way are good for 3rd best in the league as well. Keep it up!

Cale Amundsen Berserkers

: Making my top chart, hold on, let me get my glasses here, 13 goals against, ok I saw right, Newfoundland Berserkers goalie Cale Amundsen is simply a beast in goal. He has single handedly risen this team to where they sit 2nd in the East to only a Detroit Falcon team who has gone undefeated so far, but that is another topic. Amundsen, drafted 13th overall will have his say in the years to come, a stellar net minder in the making. Playing his first season in the SMJHL and is already mired as the goalie of the future. Posting 5 wins (tied 1st), a tiny 1,81 GAA (3rd best), 2 shut outs (tied 1st) and a save percentage of 0,939%.

Alexei Petrikov Armada

: Throwing one more in there, left handed defenseman Alexei Petrikov out of Russia had to wait till the 3rd round to hear his name called out at 22nd overall by the Armada. Checking in as the 5th best scorer league wide as a defenseman and 2nd best as a rookie, Petrikov scored 4 times this week while teeing up 22 shots on goal. A mainstay on the Anchorage blueline, both at even strength or on the powerplay, you will rarely see him out of position due to his high level of hockey IQ.

I could have gone on and on with player after player, but since time is valuable, here is my honorable mention to finish up in no particular order and without considering only the offensive side of the game. Anything short of spectacular and outstanding will be pointed out here:

Cal Covid Whalers

: 4-4-0, 3.01 GAA, 0.919 Sv%
Guy LeGrande Berserkers

: 1G, 5A, 6P, +4
James Leblond Outlaws

: 1G, 4A, 5P, -1
Emilia Bergman Outlaws

: 0G, 3A, 3P, +2
Tinke Jutila Berserkers

: 0G, 2A, 2P, +8

Featured Rookie:

Thanks AJ! I will take it from here. We also had the pleasure to sit down with Cale Amundsen – one of the top performing rookies in the S54 class.

His hockey journey started in the Netherlands where he grew up – and his SHL dream became a reality when he was selected in the second round of the S52 SMJHL Draft at 13th overall to the Newfoundland Beserkers. Amundsen has had a heck of a start, and is helping lead Newfoundland to second place league wide. As of writing (Friday morning), Amundsen has gone 5-1 with a 1.81 GAA and 0.939 save percentage. The GAA is 0.1 back of Detroit Netminder A Jobin for 3rd league wide, and his save percentage is second overall for goalies with 3 or more starts. He has done this by facing the 5th most shots against despite 3 of the top 4 goalies in this category having more games played. Needless to say, Amundsen has defied all expectations, and is turning heads in his inaugural season.

The young netminder will look to ride his hot start for the rest of the season, and is surely shaping up to be one of the top goaltending prospects in the draft.

RS: First off – congrats on being drafted 13th overall to the Berserkers! How has the transition from the Netherlands to Canada been?

CA: Been absolutely seamless... Relocating really was easy. The entire organization is motivated to move forward. We are young, so it is a unique opportunity to grow together... and we are doing just that. We don't want to get over-confident here, we know it is a long season so we are always focused on the next 20 minutes.

RS: Everyone had Newfoundland ranked close to the bottom in season predictions… yet you guys are sitting second in the league right now! I know it has only been a week, but how does that feel in the locker room? Even if you are trying not to get overconfident, that must feel good, right?

CA: It feels amazing. The locker room is electric. The stadium is electric. In reference to my previous comment, we don't want to get overly confident. It is a long season. We need to enjoy this game by game, period by period. Check back when we hit the mid-season post. I'm just hoping this squad continues to play with the urgency we have been as of late.

RS: Great to hear! I know the season is a little young, but any rivalries with other teams developing? You guys are making a bit of a name for yourselves with the hot start

CA: Detroit and St. Louis. Hands down. Between my agent's history with past players, Detroit has always been a rival. Naturally it is there. However we got absolutely throttled in our first showing. I'm excited for the future... Healthy rivalries are good for this league... Un-healthy rivalries are even better. They push everyone to the next level.

RS: Being a rookie goaltender tasked with the starting job is not easy… how have you been handling the pressure?

CA: I love the pressure. I think goalies, in general, live for that pressure. You know? Why would any one play a position that is the last line of defense, if they didn't want the pressure. I definitely think I have the right mindset to move forward in my career.

RS: Who do you look up to in the league? SHL or SMJHL? Is there anyone you are modelling your game after?

CA: Kata Vilde... for Calgary. His poise... presence... it is second to none. As for modeling, I have take a bit of a different approach. Each level of the league will have different challenges. I continue to watch tape, study opponnents and work on different strategies before applying to my in-game routine. It's always a process.

RS: Awesome, well thanks for sitting down with me to chat, I appreciate it. Good luck to you and the Beserkers for the rest of the season!

CA: Thanks Reid, you too.

(1200 words, ready for grading. Please split 50/50 to me and @Snoopdogg)

Huge shout-out to @Wally for giving me his time and answers for the interview!