The time has come. Your talent has been noticed by scouts at the highest junior level, and you are set to be drafted into the Simulation Major Junior Hockey League. What are the talents you possess that got you on the radar for these scouts as the S56 SMJHL Draft approaches?
Written option: Write about the main strengths of your player in 50 words or more.
Graphic option: Make a graphic of your player demonstrating their main strength. Must include a player/render and mention what the strength is.
Reward
2 TPE for doing the thing. (Just one of the options, not both.)
Only S56 SMJHL Rookies (S57 SHL Draftees) are eligible for this PT. Anyone from any other class who does this gets a personal downrep from me.
Do NOT claim TPE for this task until a post has been made in the claim thread.
Deadline
The start of the SMJHL Entry Draft
Allegiant Historian
S3, S28, S36, S38, S41, S43, S47 Challenge Cup Champion
Jari Heikkinen's primary strength is as a puck-carrying defenseman. It's not a role that every team really looks at, but it was his superior skating and puck handling abilities that led him to capture the attention of a few scouts at the end of his last season in Finland. His strong skating skills enable him to rush up ice with the puck and carry it all the way in to the offensive end, both nullifying the need to rely on a dump-and-chase game, and enabling the forward line to get into position for a quick pass or a rebound off a low shot. While he is admittedly less than stellar defensively at the moment, his superior speed should translate well in his own end once he's coached up a little bit more.
So, mobility is the name of the game -- speed, agility, and control are all things that Heikkinen excels at. Not every team needs a mobile end-to-end defensemen, but it's a trait a lot of scouts like, and that's why he's liable to get a shot at an SMJHL line-up this coming season.
Pablo Salvatici is a highly touted prospect entering the Simulation Major Junior Hockey League this upcoming season. Pablo tends to shine more in the offensive zone, excelling in creating space for himself to get a scoring chance. He has a deadly accurate shot and isn't afraid to put the puck on the net from any angle. Not just a one dimensional player however, Salvatici possesses a great defensive stick and the ability to read plays almost before they're happening. It's not a rare occurrence to see him sprung on a breakaway after knocking down a pass or stripping his opponent of the puck. If a team wants a responsible player who can score at will they should definitely be looking at Pablo Salvatici on draft night.
Freyja Hellström boasts a natural athleticism that contributes to her strong performance on offense. She is an accurate shot and has a knack for getting open in key moments. She has always been a bright presence in a team environment and can very easily adapt to the strengths and weaknesses of those she is playing alongside. While she has been slower to develop her defensive skills, Hellström is sure to go far due to her determination and grit.
Arsene Leclarc is a French blueliner who excels in the transition and offensive side of the game. Although lacking some of the more traditional role skills of a pure blooded D-man, there is enough mental and stick skills to make up for it when challenged on the rush, as well as a strong skill set in moving the puck through passing to open forwards or moving his feet to bring it up with a better-than-average set of hands. There is a lot of flexibility to Arsene's game as his strong physical development this early will help in all aspects of his game, as well as allow any team who takes him to help point his development into whichever direction they need to fill early on.
Upon an eye test, a somewhat inexperienced scout could peg Lakkamaa as a strong two way player. A scout with an eye for talent could take down a more apt description, describing him as a strong two way player with a knack for getting open, and making the best of high danger scoring chances. A player that can and will finish checks if the opportunity arises, and a player that can contribute a lot in the offensive zone, but still back check and block shots, and press on opponents in the defensive zone with a large reach for stick checking. Lakkamaa would be a great addition to any lines wing.
Yanno Rosejac comes from a province where goaltenders are breed on a daily routine. Coached and directed by the best in the business. So his greatest asset would be information. Information he gets either pro or con and he takes that and evolves the goaltending position. Very few flaws in his game so picking the best asset is a tough one. Both glove and blocker are excellent and his rebound control for a goalie his age is terrific. I can also add his work ethic and dedication to being the best he can be.
Rude Sniff excels at moving his feet and the puck. He transitions well from defense to offense and he can quarterback a power play. Coming fresh from the midget league, he still needs to add some strength to compete more effectively against bigger opposition, but using his keen defensive senses, he does not often put himself in a position to be pushed off the puck.
S57 || Rude Sniff || D || NBB/NOLA || 479 TPE
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Clint Eastwood, Jun 10 2018, 09:36 AM Wrote:Can't buy love, but love can buy a lot.
Wen Baters' main strengths are definitely passing the puck and his overall ability to read the game and figure out how to get out of tight situations. He is also very good at classic defensive stuff like pokechecking, and he knows where he generally needs to be at all times.
Zdanko Beranek is a weak powerforward, maybe gets good you know. Maybe not. Good at stickchecking and standing around in the right spot. He's a 6'9" 265lbs far from elite talent with flare reserved for the defensive side of the puck. Made to play on the penalty kill and not score while shorthanded. Perhaps will look like he's going to score short handed a few times each game, but never gets it done cause he's all about defense and being very disappointing to everyone.
Jarmo Kekäläinen is a speedy playmaker. He’s the type of player that strives to make teammates better. He uses his speed and his positioning to get into the best possible spot, often behind the opposing defence, and sets up teammates from there. Scouts have been very impressed by his high hockey IQ. This of course is an ability that can’t be taught and just comes natural to Jarmo. Look for him to move his way up the draft board between now and the day of the draft.
Bás' main strength is his elite goal scoring for his age. Specifically his ability to get open and his accuracy with the puck on his stick. In Swords, he'd broken many records that had lasted since his father played. He could've even broken the Dublin Juniors goal scoring record that was set by Pedro Sarantez. Teams taking him will need to figure out how to work with him however because passing and defense are words that do not exist in his vocabulary.
Dwayne Gretzky is the ultimate team player. He loves seeing his teammates succeed by facilitating proper feeds, as well as scoring with timely shooting. He is not one to back down from a hard collision, and he has been known to be a very aggressive player and leader on the bench and in the locker room. Dwayne is not one to back down from a challenge, and he cannot wait for the season to start.
RESO: Well first off, I am not an early day slacker like someone I know. >_>
EVO: <_<
*Scuffles ensues, mixed with laughter*
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RESO: Haha, ok then, I'm a jack-of-all-trades type of player. Just like Bob the Builder, I can fix your whatever needs you have on defense. You need someone to move the puck from the blueline, hello there. You need a point shooter or quaterback, I can fill that. You need someone to lay the body or snatch the puck just like how I slide into the DMs, hit me up on Tinder. I will say, however, that I do aim to get more mobile.............just my luck, trying to be a mobile defenseman in a draft full of them. Oh well, not the worst, so I'll make do with it.
When people say Ruggs McOoooh is good on his end of the ice, they mean it. Not referring to the fact that he’s good on defense, although that’ absolutely true too, but rather that it is HIS end of the ice. Ruggs owns every aspect of defensive play, while still staying agile enough to oppose even the most crafty offensive powerhouses. In order to stay viable in a sport that needs everyone on the ice doing their part to score, he deploys a solid pass that allows him to safely and accurately set up a teammate moving into a goal scoring position. Ruggs goal is to let his teammates play more naturally, maybe trying some nifty tricks knowing that worst case, Ruggs will be there to get it right back into play.