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gucci · 01-27-2021, 03:12 AM

Let me start off by saying what a fun time I had in my first couple of weeks in this league. I am really looking forward to racking up some points in juniors over the coming seasons. That being said, the purpose of this piece is to share my impressions on each team in the SMJHL and my early feelings on going to each team. I would like to make clear that I have literally only ever spoken to a handful of these teams GMs and have been scouted by just three teams so far (not counting the team I signed for as a DFA), and these views are all subject to change. I am doing it in alphabetical order, there is no ranking involved with this.

Anaheim Outlaws Outlaws

Let me start by saying these guys made a bad first impression on me when they knocked my team out of the playoffs in five games. I really did not like that, so they do have a bit of an uphill climb. They were kind enough to concede my first ever playoff goal, so I appreciate them for that. Looking at their roster, there are not a ton of players I recognize. I can say that I see both sabremike, a prospect who I really enjoyed talking to when scouting for another league, and LancedJack a former teammate from another league as well and a good guy. I am sure they have plenty of cool people that make up the rest of the roster though, so they could be a possible fit. Also looks like they put a pretty good product out on the ice, so they have got that going for them as well. Still trying to figure out the animal on their logo though, is that a Kangaroo?

Interest Level: Medium-Low

Anchorage Armada Armada

Now here is a team that put together both a strong regular season and a near perfect postseason run. Anchorage might not have the best brand as their logo is just the front of a boat, but they definitely put a great product out on the ice. Because of the relative strength of their team, they do not have a ton of open slots on defense and I am sure it would be quite the uphill battle to ever make it onto the power play there. Not necessarily a deal breaker, but might effect the mutual interest level. One thing I can say is that I do recognize quite a few names. Muford and ckroyal92 are my teammates in another league, sakrosankt and Boomcheck are others I know as well, and Rev is someone I have shared a war room with in another league for a few seasons now. This familiarity with their players is a definite plus for me. Overall, I could see them being a fit, as the only real question is if they would want or need me on this team.

Interest Level: Medium-High

Carolina Kraken Kraken

Carolina is the team I have played for since signing as a DFA at the trade deadline. So far it is been a very positive experience. I like the team, I like the management, and they played me quite a bit this season to their own detriment and for that I apologize. I can say I have a good level of familiarity with most of the locker room, some I knew before signing, others I met once I would got there. I would consider it a similar challenge as the one in Anchorage to play on a top line and get powerplay minutes as I am a season behind two max-earning defensemen, but it makes it hurt less that I would consider the defensemen ahead of me on this team friends. I like the team’s colors as well as the logo and have witnessed some very cool sigs being made for the team. I am a bit worried about the goalie situation on this team, but the way they have been drafting, I have no doubt that the on-ice product will continue to improve here. I would love to be a part of that process. This is without a doubt a team I would be happy to play for moving forward.

Interest Level: Very High

Colorado Raptors Raptors

While I got to speak to the Colorado GM, we did not really get a chance to go into that much depth. However, I did get a good impression from his description of the locker room. I know my ISFL teammate and former co-GM, Raven, signed up to play out the remainder of S57 with these guys as a DFA. He is someone I definitely wouldn’t mind sharing a locker room with again. However, the only other name I recognize on the roster is Juni, and it is been quite a while since I have seen him. That being said, I am always down to meet some new people if Colorado does see me as a fit for their team. They do have a good number of Defenders who would be ahead of me in the pecking order and most are still quite a way from SHL level. That is a slight concern for me as I would like to at least get some milestones next season. One exciting rumor I’ve heard is that a rebrand is in the works for Colorado so I am really interested in seeing the direction they go in, but to be honest, I kinda like the brand they already have. Colorado hasn’t quite done enough to crack my top destinations just yet, but if I should land there I am sure I would fit in just fine and would work however I can to help better the team.

Interest Level: Medium

Detroit Falcons Falcons

Now we get to a team I know next to nothing about. I cannot say I am in love with the brand, but I do give them credit for keeping true to Detroit hockey. Red Falcons are about as close as you can get to Red Wings without it being a total rip off. Looking through the roster I see DrunkenTeddy, a former teammate who I drafted in the DSFL nearly a year ago, would be good to catch up with him. The other names I recognize are JSS who did not leave my ISFL team on the happiest terms after I was unable to find him the trade he was seeking, hopefully he doesn’t take that personally, and our commish Nour as a GM. I do see the potential to end the season as part of the second defensive pairing here, which is a plus. As of now, nobody from Detroit has contacted me, but they have the ability to change my mind about them with a good scouting conversation. Here I would like to reiterate what I have told every GM I’ve spoken to, that I am completely open-minded and will be happy to play for anyone. It is just a question of fit.

Interest Level: Low

Kelowna Knights Knights

Interestingly enough, my first foray onto this site led me to create a player. That is literally all I did though. Without knowing anyone on the site, I found it difficult to understand and after a few days of not being contacted by a single GM. I kinda just forgot about this league and kept on playing in the three other leagues I as in at the time. After creating said instant-inactive player, I was drafted by this team, the Kelowna Knights. Every time I log into the site now, I am greeted by the Kelowna Knights locker room. One thing I would like to say is that their logo is beautiful in my opinion, but as a non-Canadian I have no clue where Kelowna is and I am just using context clues to actually guess that it is in Canada and not like some small town in Alaska. I really do think the green and gold knight is potentially the best brand in juniors and would love to see it on a sig. The only person I know on this team is Oles, and I am fairly certain he’s as IA as they come. It could be a really unique and positive experience to join a team where I know literally nobody, something I haven’t done since my first DSFL draft back in March 2019. Again, this is a team who has not reached out to me yet, but I really like my chances of breaking into this team and potentially even winding up logging powerplay minutes as a rookie. It would be a bald-faced lie if I claimed that did not appeal to me a little. They were also quite good last year so I would be happy to try to carry that on.

Interest Level: Medium

Maine Timber Timber

So the Timber is a team I was interested in signing for as a DFA. Co-GM CementHands is my teammate in the ISFL and helped me through the character creation process by explaining which traits were important, and kept me up to date on when the trade deadline was coming up. I would definitely enjoy sharing another locker room with him as he’s a really cool guy. I have not had a chance to speak with him or CoA about the league yet, but maybe he feels he already know me well enough to draw up a scouting report on me. One thing I can say is that I absolutely love the Maine brand. It looks like it belongs on a hockey sweater. It fits the color scheme that pops into my mind when I think of Maine. One thing I can say is that I would have to wait a bit to be an impact player here, but I do not necessarily mind that as long as I get regular playing time. I see a few more names I recognize from other leagues dogwood, UberBJ, and Z-whiz are three. I also know AgentSmith from sharing a locker room in the DSFL, and he has been a great resource for those of us who created in SHL from there. The on-ice product from Maine is impressive as well. This is a team I could really see myself playing for and has grabbed both my attention and interest.

Interest Level: High

Nevada Battleborn

What a brand. Reminds me of the Naval Academy. I have promised myself that I am going to buy a comforter with whichever team I should be drafted by’s logo on it. Looking at the Nevada logo, I know it’ll prompt any date I bring home to ask what my comforter is, giving me the opportunity to delve into a completely false story about my juniors hockey career and teenage years living in Reno. Thus instantly making me ten times more interesting than reality. Since I have not spoken to the GMs yet, this fantasy I have concocted is my main reason for being interested in playing for the Battleborn. I do kinda know GM Nokazoa as he helped me create a logo for my DSFL expansion team the Dallas Birddogs last year. I remember we both came from the same state college family as well lol. Huskies and I have been teammates a pair of times in the past, and I am currently the fantasy football manager for W19eaver’s group so there are a few vaguely familiar names. The team was not great last season, but maybe that will change if they decide to take a chance on drafting me.

Interest Level: Medium-Low

Newfoundland Berserkers

The once dominant Berserkers now find themselves rebuilding and looking to put together another squad to get them back atop the SMJHL. I did have a good positive conversation with Newfoundland’s scout. I got a good impression from him and believe that the team will be on the right track once again soon enough. When it comes to brands, Newfoundland’s can compete with anyone for the title of the league’s best. The colors make for a wonderful signature, I know because my updater has a Berserker sig and it is great. Obviously the on-ice product is not outstanding by any means. Like I said earlier, I do believe that will be fixed in the coming seasons and would enjoy being part of the group that makes that happen. Simo and tvc are the two I recognize from my other leagues on this roster. One of the big positives of playing here is that I believe that I can be in the second defensive pairing and probably seeing powerplay minutes relatively early in the season. While I cannot see them using 1OA on me, I can see myself going around the top of the second round so I think it may be a great fit for the both of us.

Interest Level: High

Quebec City Citadelles

Here is a team absolutely jam packed with people I know from the ISFL. GM Evok, zeagle, Hordle, TheCC, AL_GRINGO, and kentakira are all names that I recognize. Siddhus was my former co-GM and current teammate in the ISFL, iamslm was my first sim league GM, enigmatic has shared a DSFL war room and locker room with me for a few seasons now, and Bayley and I have shared a locker room for a year, GM chat for a while, and are both big Spurs supporters. From a locker room standpoint, Quebec City is undoubtedly a great fit for me. The on-ice performance is arguably the best in the league. They suffered a shocking playoff defeat before even making the playoffs. I haven’t heard from them yet, I’m not sure if I even will considering how many of them already know me there. The prospect of cracking that lineup, however, is a daunting one. It is a challenge I am up for however if they do end up feeling like they need me there.

Interest Level: Medium-High

St. Louis Scarecrows

Another team who has actually scouted me! NOLA GM, Joe, told me I would make a good Scarecrow, and I really do not know enough about the team or Joe’s sense of humor to know if he was making a joke or being sincere. That being said, I had a great scouting conversation with the new STL GM, TheSparkyDee. He sold me on the team pretty well, the team wasn’t very good last year, but I know quite a few people on the team and would be happy to join up with them. The team has the aforementioned Joe, my friend iStegosauruz, and my favorite Scotsman AskedMadden (all Birddogs) on the roster and if they want to keep to the Birddog draft pool, they could look to add me in the draft. Left Defense absolutely looks like a weaker position on the team and I think I could be of use immediately as a rookie. I like the brand a lot, but might have to pass on putting an evil scarecrow logo on a comforter if they do draft me. Overall, I like the fit and I would be very pleased if they felt the same way and took me in the upcoming draft.

Interest Level: High

Vancouver Whalers Whalers

Last but not least, we come to the Vancouver Whalers. The logo is basically the Canucks if the whale finishes its dive, but the Canucks have a really solid logo and colors in the first place, so the brand is nice. One negative with this team (besides not being very good) is the fact that their goalie situation could be described as desperate. Their first priority in this draft should be adding the best goalkeeper prospect they can, as I already have more TPE that either goalie on the roster. On the plus side, the team does not look all that hard to break into. When it come to familiarity in the locker room, Kyle, zayn, and AW13 are all people I know pretty well now. Kyle was my co-GM for the Dallas Birddog expansion and recruited me to the league (or won the lottery to get the recruitment $$$), zayn has shared a war room with me for a while, and AW13 is my GM in PBE and we currently already share 3 locker rooms. This would be another exceptional fit. The only thing that keeps my interest from being straight up high is the fact that I am pretty damn concerned with their goalie situation and I would feel like they missed a chance to patch that hole should they take me early. Still waiting to hear from them as well.

Interest Level: Medium-High

Like I said repeatedly in the article, GMs, I would like to address you directly. None of these opinions are set in stone. They are merely my impressions that I have gotten from being around the league for a very short time. I look forward to the chance to speak to all of you. The scouting process has always been something I’ve really enjoyed and I think this league has found something special in the way they run their juniors. The international aspect is also without parallel in the sim league space and I am really excited to pursue a career in the Austrian national team going forward. Right now I would give this league a straight up 10 out of 10 in terms of the level of excitement I have to be involved with it. I can truthfully say I have not felt this way about a league since I joined the NSFL nearly two years ago. If any of you would like to know more about me, I cannot stress enough just how open everyone I am. Feel free to reach out through either the forums or discord, I will be checking both regularly and if I do not hear from you the by the day of the draft, I am gonna be up in your DMs telling you about myself. Good luck to all teams and prospects in the draft!